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                      Arrival of displaced persons compel

                                                                                                              By Jan Khaskheli

Karachi

Unchecked arrival of refugees from the war-torn areas of Swar, Buner and regions within the the Malakand division, has compelled Sindhi nationalist groups, once major archrivals, to put aside petty differences for the time being and stand united over a one-point agenda.

Their purpose is ‘to oppose the arrival of refugees affected by recent military operation against the insurgents in Swat, Buner and Malakand neighbourhoods.’ These refugees are now reportedly pouring into Sindh towns and villages via different routes. For the last 15 days businesspeople belonging to an ethnic community residing in different towns in the province faced harassment and frequent attacks by armed people throwing crackers and hand grenades, burning their shops and occasional aerial firing, threatening them not to invite and receive the displaced families in their areas.

It now seems that this issue has also removed contradiction that has prevailed for a long time between Sindhi nationalists and forces dominant in urban Sindh. Analysts see unexpected change in the political scenario after the strike call given by nationalists on Saturday across the province against the arrival of displaced families.

Secondly, they say that major issues such as the movement against mega water projects, the shortage of irrigation water, sentiments against the presence and arrival of some other ethnic entities, and awarding land to retired law-enforcing personnel have been left behind.

After the burning of vehicles and attacks on shops, people kept their business activities shut in towns and even in villages. Some protestors staged rallies to express solidarity with the political groups. 

A majority of petrol pumps located at highways close to towns remained shut for fear of loss, as reports said that some enraged motorcyclists were on a rampage in those areas. 

Traffic remained thin on major highways and roads linking various towns of the province.

Increasing frustration can be gauged from an event in Hyderabad on Friday, where human rights activists were beaten mercilessly by certain protestors belonging to nationalist groups. 

The human rights activists carrying banners and placards were chanting slogans, welcoming the affected families and appealing to the people to receive people affected by the operation at this difficult time. Two rallies by charged nationalist groups against the settlement of refugees reached the spot and started beating and abusing the rights activists.

This is the new phenomenon where friends of the past have become rivals and enemies have joined hands with each other over the one issue to oppose the arrival of refugees.

Reports reaching here reveal that families already settled in Sindh towns are receiving their relatives affected by the operation in large numbers. Many are travelling by trains, buses and trucks. These affected people reportedly said that they did not intend to return home as everything back there had been destroyed by fighters.

A Sindh minister claims the government has a figure of some 600 people who have entered Sindh, including Karachi, and that, they have been registered properly. The provincial government has also taken the issue seriously, and has put police officials on high alert at entry points to stop these people.

Sindh United Party (SUP) Central Leader (and grandson of Jeay Sindh Tehreek Founder, late G.M Syed), Syed Zain Shah, traced the history of the struggle, and told The News that opposing the influx of population has been the main agenda of Sindhi nationalists but later mega water projects, water shortage and exploitation of resources became dominant issues. Shah said that after major irrigation water projects of Guddu and Sukkur Barrages, the federal government had allotted a major portion of state land of Sindh to people from other provinces, especially Punjab. 

After this, the settlement of refugees in Sindh towns will create law-and-order problems, poverty and joblessness, he said, adding that in fact there was no law to challenge people coming from one province to another, “but there should be conditions because now the people of Sindh fear that they will be turned into a minority.” He declined to shed light on the armed struggle in Sindh, but said that there was pressure from political cadre over their leadership to clarify the long-term silence over issues. 

This, he said, may lead to the formation of a new political alliance especially on issues related to Sindh.

In this connection, the newly-formed Save Sindh Movement, led by Shah Mohammed Shah and his comrades, is another front which is inviting all groups to unite on the core issues of Sindh and claiming to have the backing of scattered groups and isolated cadres.

The News  : Sunday, May 24, 2009