The tribals of Suleiman Mountains - No water to
drink, no vegetation for livestock, no school, no health
Dear Mushtaq
Absolutely right. Extraction of Uranium is a
huge threat to people's health, a health problem
which would in fact affect the generations. It
is a threat which would seep to next
generations. The indigenous and tribal peoples
the world over are campaigning against Uranium
extraction like the aboriginals in Darwin (Australia).
But the question remains 'what can be done' against this.
Wasim Wagha
Centre for Indigenous Peoples of Indus (CIPI)
DAMAAN Development Organization
Mushtaq Gaadi wrote:
Dear Wasim,
Thanks for sending this brief note on the
problems of tribal people living in Suleiman
mountains. I would just like to mention the acute
public health problem related to the vast
operations of the extraction and processing of
uranium in the area. As this is considered the
matter of national security, the government don't
allow to undertake any research and documentation of this problem.
Regards,
Mushtaq
Wasim Wagha wrote:
Dear friends
When the Baloch from Balochistan province
struggle against the brutal exploitation of their
natural resources, and at least their demands are
well known nationally and internationally, the
exploitation of other Baloch tribes, Buzdars and
Qaisranis, in the Suleiman Mountains go unchecked
and un-challenged. The area is being exploited
and deprived of very basic facilities just as if it is a 'foreign land'.
A local weekly newspaper 'Al-Manzoor' of Taunsa
Sharif (District D G Khan) has published a
detailed story of their sufferings (16-23 May
2007). Below are some highlights:
i. Drinking water: In papers,
fifty water supply schemes have been constructed
with millions of rupees, but on ground not a
single one exists. The people and animals drink
water from the wells and ponds together.
ii. Education: There are few
high, middle and primary schools but without
staff / teachers – the buildings look like 'bhoot-bangley' – ghost places.
iii. Health: There are only
three basic health centres but without doctors;
the doctors reside in cities and run their
private clinics. Women and the worst victims of
non-availability of health services; they have to
come all the way down from mountain to Taunsa city.
iv. No water / No Livelihoods:
Diverting the hill-torrents into drains, to save
newly constructed Chashma Right Bank Canal in the
plains, has further dried the area – no water, no
vegetation. This is adversely affecting their
major livelihood of livestock rearing.
v. Identity: The National
Database Regulatory Authority (NADRA) mark their
area, on identity cards, as 'Ilaqa-e-gher', - an
Urdu word which means 'foreign land'.
This is only of tip of iceberg. The exploitation
and discrimination dates back to partition
times. Against their will, at the time of
partition (1947), they and their tribal area were
included in Punjab province (district D G Khan)
as "De-Excluded Area". This decision resulted in
a series of endless discrimination e.g. on
National Identity Cards (NICs), instead
of writing 'tribal area', their area is marked
as 'Ilaqa-e-gher', - an Urdu word which means
'foreign land'. The area is rich in minerals like
oil, gas, gypsum, Uranium, fuller-miti and many
more, and the government is extracting these
resources without any royalty to them.
Wasim Wagha
Centre for Indigenous Peoples of Indus (CIPI)
DAMAAN Development Organization
