By: Mehr Jan Gidaan TV
The arduous and inevitable path of war that Baba Marri adopted for national liberation reminds us of the Greek philosophers who considered war not only an unavoidable reality in the field of history but also a criterion for justice. Heraclitus, who is counted among Greece’s seven sages, is famously known for the fact that if Greece had three sages, Heraclitus would certainly be one of them. And if history were to preserve the legacy of only one sage, it would undoubtedly be Heraclitus. His quotes, which have become immortal in the pages of history, are: ‘War is the father of all things’ and ‘Resistance is justice’.
Though seemingly simple, they reveal history as a dialectical reality with profound depth where the survival and continuity of every movement are linked to the principles of war and resistance.
It is said that one day, a few distressed individuals approached a Greek philosopher, much like the modern-day advocates of non-violence and preachers of peace who seek the meaning of life in the imperialist notion of ‘peace’ amidst a state of war. One of them asked, “Why do you give war so much importance?” “Don’t you see that war only brings destruction, suffering, and misery for us?” The philosopher replied with great confidence, “Those who survive war and emerge from it, learn to live a meaningful and purposeful life.”
Seeing the philosopher’s confidence, they couldn’t help but retort in a harsh tone, “Don’t you understand that even after millions of deaths, we are still living a life without purpose, and we have come to you in search of meaning?” The philosopher smiled and replied with great conviction, “If the purpose of life remains hidden from you even after millions of deaths, then war must intensify further.” Expecting justice without war and resistance is equivalent to hammering nails into one’s own coffin.Considering imperialist infrastructure such as highways as progress or promoting the imperialist notion of ‘peace’ at the barrel of a colonialist gun is not only misguided, but also deprives nations of a blessing like freedom. No sensible person can deny the importance of war in the history and lives of nations, especially those whose lands, as well as minds and senses, are occupied by imperialism.
In the words of Chechen novelist Sadulaev, “They did not just want to kill us, they wanted us to forget ourselves, our stories, our names, and our existence; erasing them forever.” To be alienated from oneself, one’s land, and one’s homeland, and worse still, to not even feel this alienation, is indeed a sign of imperialism’s grip on the land as well as on the minds and senses.
To take to the battlefield with national consciousness against imperialism is political insight, wisdom, and maturity which gives a unified direction to the psychology of an enslaved nation, its dreams, and its collective identity. What is generally referred to as ‘vision’ initially resides with the leadership, which gradually transfers it to the masses. Leaders like Baba Marri considered the battlefield the most effective means for this purpose.
After entering the battlefield, strategy is the second stage. There is no failure greater than the failure of strategy. Strategy also requires as much prudent thinking as entering the battlefield did. If the decision to go to war is a test of the political leadership’s insight, then strategy is the practical expression of that insight. Because winning a war requires more than just weapons or numerical superiority on the battlefield. Rather, it is necessary to understand the enemy’s psychology, the weaknesses of their system, and the modern aspects of resistance, most importantly, the use of camouflage where power, skill, and intelligence are combined to weaken the enemy. Strategy includes every action, every form that causes the enemy discomfort, every front where, as Baba Marri said, ‘the intention is for freedom’. Because in today’s era, the front is no longer limited to the battlefield, but rather ‘understanding the troika of war, politics, and social media is essential’. As David Patrikarakos said, “If a bomb is dropped and not tweeted about, it’s as if the bomb was never dropped”. Moreover, alongside the ground war, a war of narrative is also underway. It must be understood that the success of a strategy depends not only on superiority on the military front but also on superiority on diplomatic, psychological, political, and social fronts.
After strategy, the next stage is operations and tactics (war maneuvers). Of course, decisions about operations and tactics can be made better by people on the ground, so the harm caused by mistakes at this stage is relatively less compared to strategic mistakes. In these four stages, the fi rst two are crucial, and mistakes in these stages are counted among the mistakes of generations.
On the other hand, mistakes in the fi nal stages are battlefi eld mistakes, which have a clear dialectical relationship with the fi rst two stages. However, history is merciless even here. Now, if any critic raises questions about the strategy or operational and tactical issues, and presents their argument with clear reasoning about the execution, it should be understood that their question is neither against national freedom nor against the vision that is effective for freedom in the historical context. In a national movement, instead of rejecting differences of opinion, they should be utilized to develop better strategies for the war, whose decision has already been made by the political leadership. Baba Marri, as a political leader, was aware of Heraclitus’ principle of history that the paths to freedom can never be traversed without war.
By connecting the past with the future, he not only changed the course of Baloch history but also altered the standards of success. He embodied the Hegelian philosophical concept of the ‘Age of Spirit’, a pivotal fi gure in whom the cumulative essence of past eras converged, offering a glimpse into the contours of a future era. His thought and ideology gave the Baloch nation a new dimension and breadth in terms of political autonomy, intellectual awakening, and the struggle for freedom. Now, resistance against slavery is no longer just a slogan, but a rational, political, and historical necessity. Given his wisdom, if we were to identify three sages in Baloch history, akin to ancient Greece, Baba Marri would undoubtedly be among them. If we had to choose just one sage from Baloch history, it would certainly be Baba Khair Bakhsh Marri; because those who dare to walk alone in history, no obstacle can halt their march forward.
