Introduction
Throughout the history of Iran, various ethnic groups have lived side by side with each other despite linguistic and religious differences. Among these ethnic groups is the Baloch people, which is discussed in this article. Baloch people are one of the original Iranian ethnic groups who speak the Balochi language and their largest population is in Iran in Sistan and Baluchestan province. Balochistan is the main homeland of the Baloch people. The history of this land is between eight and ten thousand years. Baloch people mostly live in the eastern provinces of Iran, i.e. Balochistan, Sistan, Kerman, and parts of Khorasan. A group of Baloch people have been forced to migrate to other regions of Iran such as Gilan, Mazandaran, Azerbaijan, and Khorasan due to unfavorable natural conditions in Sistan and Baluchestan province. Their life is simple and they are mostly engaged in agricultural and labor work.
Cultural characteristics of the Baloch people
The Baloch people’s cultural background and traditions and rich civilization show their valuable cultural identity. One of the important cultural bases in this ethnic group is the family. The importance of the family is so much that most of the problems have been managed through the measures of elders. After the rise of Islam, the Baloch people converted from Zoroastrianism to Islam and followed Sunni Islam. The people of Balochistan are religious and adhere to their religious beliefs. The Baloch ethnic community is moving from a traditional lifestyle to a modern lifestyle. The most important factor accelerating this movement is their university education.
Legitimate rights of the Baloch people
The Constitution of Iran is the most important covenant of the people in public administration and the realization of the principles of justice and freedom. The most important feature of the constitution is guaranteeing the rights of all people regardless of color, ethnicity, etc. This issue is stated in the third chapter of the Constitution of Iran as the first principle and stipulates that the people of Iran from every ethnicity have equal rights. According to Article 48 of the Constitution, ” There must be no discrimination among the various provinces about the exploitation of natural resources, utilization of public revenues, and distribution of economic activities among the various provinces and regions of the country, thereby ensuring that every region has access to the necessary capital and facilities by its needs and capacity for growth.” According to this principle, the needs of every ethnicity are respected and justice and equality must be established in the use of facilities and resources.
Political achievements of the Baloch people
The political participation of the Baloch people in the government structure brings national unity and cohesion. In terms of political feeling, these people have a desire for the territorial integrity of Iran, and this sense of national solidarity of the Baloch people has grown positively due to their participation in the elections, especially the presidential and the Islamic Council elections. In the recent Islamic Council elections, about 253 people ran for election in Sistan and Baluchestan, and 153 of them were approved. This statistic shows the participation of the Baloch people in government institutions and there is no difference between them and other members of the nation. Molvis are the most influential group of the Baloch religious elites, they played a fundamental role in the cultural and religious affairs of Balochistan, and after the Islamic Revolution, they became the connecting link between the people and the government, and they enjoy strong influence and authority today.
Educational achievements of the Baloch people
In the field of education in Sistan and Baluchestan, the literacy level has reached 95%, while before the revolution, the literacy rate was 29%. Also, the difference in education between girls and boys has decreased from 20% to 1% after the revolution, and girls and boys have equal rights in education. Yosra Soleimani is one of the most successful Baloch people, who has won the Global Abacus and Mental Arithmetic Competition for the fourth year in a row. Professor Kamal Sarabandi (born in Zabol) is a researcher, a member of the NASA Advisory Council, has eighteen honorary PhD degrees, and is one of the world’s top people in the scientific field. Also, he has been recognized by scientific institutions as the most genius person in the world.
Medical achievements of the Baloch people
In the field of medicine in Sistan and Baluchestan before the Islamic Revolution, there were a small number of doctors, most of whom were not Iranian. However, after the Islamic Revolution, significant progress has been made in the establishment of medical and scientific centers, including heart surgery centers, radiotherapy centers, science and technology growth centers, university health science and technology parks, comprehensive rural and urban health centers, and fertility centers. Also, an ophthalmology center has been activated in Zahedan and even patients from Pakistan and Oman come to this center for treatment.
Artistic achievements of the Baloch people
The greatest musicians of Iran and the world are surprised to see Baloch singers and musicians without sheet music and conductor. Mulla Kamal Khan is one of the legends of Balochistan music whose poetry and music cannot be repeated. Fariba Kosari and Mohammad-Reza Hedayati are popular Baloch actors. Sadegh Sohrabi is also a Baloch actor and director.
Author: Maryam Dehghani