Daily Times

Interior Sindh, particularly the northern part of the province, has been suffering from sanguinary tribal warfare involving one tribe against another. Tribal strife fatigue has been telling upon the socio-economic progress of tribes involved in conflicts and area in general. There is no tangible hue and cry or uproar against such disputes. Media bluster over what is happening is equally either missing or too feeble. Media outlets are perhaps pre-occupied somewhere else. A brief account of violent tribal warfare episodes, some of them dormant, some settled and others raging speaks the seriousness of this menace. Several days back an armed clash took place in the remit of Khanpur police station of Shikarpur district when dozens of armed Teghani tribesmen attacked Bijarani tribe people in Mahran village. At least six people are reported to have lost their lives. Enmity between the two tribes started a number of years back over some petty issue but has devoured over two dozen lives so far. Similarly, in Ghouspur and Kandhkot area of Kashmore district, Ogahi versus Teghani tribe feud raged until recently for several years costing a number of innocent lives. Recently, a man belonging to Bajikani tribe has been gunned down by some outlaws, reportedly belonging to Sabzoi tribe. Bajikanis avenged their man’s murder.

The situation tends to flare up in the shape of a tribal feud. Several years back armed clashed took place between Mangneja and Kalhora tribe people in Shikarpur. Over half a dozen people died in those clashes. About six long years bloody tribal feud between Kosh and Solangi tribes took the toll of 90 innocent lives in Ghotki and parts of Kashmore districts.

The tribal war between Jakhrani and Bhaya tribes continued for 15 years in district Kashmore until it was resolved two years back. This strife claimed 52 innocent lives. Sawand and Sabzoi tribes’ strife continued for five years and claimed 65 innocent lives in various areas of Kandhkot-Kashmore. Five-year-long tribal warfare between Saad Khananis and Badanis – two sub-tribes of Jatoi tribe, had claimed 25 lives until it was settled last year in Shikarpur. Animosity between Mahar and Jatoi tribes started over the ownership claim to a piece of agricultural land raged for about twenty long years in Shikarpur claiming over one hundred innocent lives. List of such tribal disputes is long.

A petty brawl normally develops into a major armed clash. There has been no formal study into this menace to understand and highlight the issue properly, but the triviality of the reasons causing this problem is understandable. Cattle rustling, ownership of grazing pastures, matrimonial relations, land disputes, access to passages, waterways, Karo Kari, etc. are mainly the reasons causing tribal hostilities. The so-called tribal ego and unnecessary vindictive attitude aggravate the situation. Presently, a number of tribal feuds are raging in Kashmore, Ghotki, Khairpur and other districts in northern Sindh.

Cases taken to courts linger for years rendering people weary of waiting for final judgement. Police’s anomalous investigations further make the issues more complex. People ultimately turn to tribal jirgas headed by so-called heads of tribes called Sardars, Mirs and Nawabs, who dispense the justice in a day-long sitting. Such private jirgas stand banned in an order passed by Sindh High Court in April 2004. In tribally held reconciliation, usually, the hand of girl(s) is given as a fine by the tribe found at fault. And what is in store for such innocent girl(s) is a terrible story to narrate. The worst aspect of tribal feuds is that small aggression of an individual is taken to the entire tribe and this tribal belligerence practically shuts down the physical mobility of people in the area. Children cannot attend school, medical emergencies are not taken to cities and towns, and large tracts of fertile agriculture land stand uncultivated due to the fear factor. People resort to obtaining weapons (usually prohibited bore) from smugglers. Continual shifting, migration from one place of hiding to another or sometimes begging shelters from acquaintances is a usual phenomenon. Such a way of life gradually brings closer to a criminal fang vitiating an innocent life. Socio-economic flourishment of beleaguered tribes stands atrophied; a phenomenon the feudal lords want as here lies the survival of their feudalistic clout.

Years-long tribal disputes expose people to the criminal world, paving the way to a criminal lifestyle

Years-long tribal disputes expose people to criminal world paving the way to a criminal life: opting to do as dacoit, kidnapper, thief or another sort of felony. We have a riverine area on both banks of river Indus mainly inhabited by people with criminal background. A number of armed clashes with local police and Rangers took place in the riverine area. A few weeks back armed encounter took place between the local police of district Kashmore and a band of outlaws. Inspector Ali Hassan Bakhrani, Station House Officer police station Karampur was martyred. Outlaws used heavy weaponry and escaped unhurt. Similarly, in September 2015, a Deputy Superintendent of Rangers (DSR) was martyred, and another suffered injuries in an exchange of fire with outlaws in Kandhkot riverine area. In July 2015, as a result of an armed encounter between criminals and Rangers personnel in Garhi Yaseen forest of district Shikarpur, one DSR and another inspector rank officer were martyred. LEAs claim the criminal gang belonging to Marfani tribe had challenged Rangers personnel.

People in a vibrant society exhibit capacity to handle their issues in a smart way, disallowing these to spiral out of control. Cohesion in social structure is so weak here that people take the issues to unnatural heights oblivious to repercussions. Partisan role of the area influential and other governmental institutions mandated to intervene, worsen the situation. A beleaguered population remains badly pre-occupied and too weak to assert, paving the way to feudal supremacy. Education is certainly the sole source to broaden one’s outlook and infuse strength within to sustain thrust of issues and hammer a way out. But education is held hostage here, and its propagation stands stymied. An embattled society keeps helplessly floundering. This is an unintended or maybe intended conspiracy to help proliferate such conflicts so that someone’s local politics shines. A weighed down community not finding justice from governmental institutions including judiciary for immediate relief feels compelled to resort to violence to counter violence. Soon tribes after tribes are sucked into this quagmire until a Jirga is held to adjudicate the conflicts crudely. This menace generates tremendous socio-economic distress in population leading to more frustration and belligerence spoiling the very soul of society required to make it active and vibrant. Will the quarters concerned heed?

The writer is a freelance contributor. He blogs at https://malibaloch.wordpress.com/ and can be reached on Twitter @M_Abaloch

Published in Daily Times, May 26^th 2018.