Pol, Her: WHAT AN EVENING OF SINDHIYAT IN WASHINGTON DC

[Sammondi@AOL.COM]

WHAT AN EVENING OF SINDHIYAT IN WASHINGTON DC

The evening of Saturday June 19th was truly a memorable evening for Sindhis
of Washington DC. It was a function of calls for unity among Sindhis, a
tribute to victims and survivors of torture and a celebration of the very
best in Sindhi music. The wise words of Professor Madad Ali Qadri were
complemented by report of Harold Nelson (Chairperson of Guatemala Human
Rights Association) and  the challenge from Hassan Mujtaba to overseas
Sindhis to help in freeing Sindh and Sindhis from the tyranny of injustice
and exploitation.

Mr. Nelson gave a detailed account on the planning and programming of
upcoming 24-hour Vigil of Remembrance in support of torture victims. The
event is being held on June 26th at Lafayette Park across from the White
House. He announced that the Torture Abolition and Survivors Support
Committee (TASSC) has once again invited Mr. Dodo Khan Mahari, He went onto
say that as Mr. Mahari is having difficulty in securing US visa, he and other
Human Rights Commission advocates are pursuing his case with the US State
Department. He hoped that Mr. Mahari would be to join the delegation of
torture victims that will make presentations to the US Congress Human Rights
caucus and meet Senator Patrick Leahy and Senator Paul Wellstone.

Ada Hassan Mujtaba gave a shocking account of desperation and hopelessness
that has gripped Sindhis in Sindh. He added that the conditions are much
worse than during the dictatorship of Zia ul Haq. He added that much of the
politics has become criminalized and disunity widely prevails among Sindhi
groups. He expressed that like Palestinians and Kurds, many of the initiative
and leadership for restoring Sindhi rights have to come from Overseas
Sindhis. He criticized overseas Sindhi organizations of being more interested
in functions and social get-togethers than anything concrete for Sindh, He
challenged them to join hands with each other and lead the movement for
Sindhi cause.

Professor Madad Ali Qadri provided historical perspective on how united
people have fought and overcame injustices and aggression and how divided
people got perished and lost their culture, language and heritage. He said he
largely agreed with Hassan Mujtaba's analysis but is more hopeful. He felt
that as they have done in the past, Sindhis would survive these difficult
times as well. He explained that before his arrival, he was not aware of much
of the tangible work being done Sindhis in North America for the Sindhi
cause. However, he got an opportunity to observe the activities and workings
of WSI and its President Mr. Munawar Laghari. He sited the examples of the
efforts by WSI to publicize the case of Sindhi torture victims such as Dodo
Khan Mahari and  sending  letters to the members of US congress on worsening
conditions of Sindhis. He urged all Sindhis in North America, Europe and Asia
to come closer to each other and become a strong voice on behalf of Sindhis.

Khalid Hashmani commenting on Ada Hassan Mujtaba's challenge to North
American Sindhis, said that unfortunately, the disunity among Sindhis in
Sindh has also spilled over in North American Sindhis. However, most Sindhis
now recognize the damage that disunity has caused to the Sindhi cause and
have started taking the necessary steps to bring all Sindhis together on one
platform. He sited the example of Sindhi Sham as a good example of such
cooperation. At the conclusion of the speeches both Munawar Laghari
(President WSI) and Zahid Shaikh (President of SANA Washington DC chapter
thanked all quests. Mr., Laghari asked all to participate in the WSI and
Amnesty International Board joint program on June 26th that will feature
Sindhi folk music in Lafayette Park at 6:00 PM. Mr. Shaikh announced the
arrangements for the SANA sponsored picnic that will most likely take place
on the 3rd weekend of July. He appealed to those present to attend the
upcoming SANA Convention in San Francisco on the weekend of July 4th.
Delicious dinner provided by families Khalid and Nasrin Hashmani,  Baskar
Khubchandani, Shama and Altaf Memon, Nargis and Zahid Shaikh and Naila and
Shahid Talpur followed the speeches.

No one had expected young Mazhar Hussain (student of legendary Ustad Manzoor
Khan) to have such a mastery in all aspects of Sindhi singing. He sang in
classical, semi-classical, folk and popular styles. Some of his compositions
that mixed Sindhi traditional and Indian classical styles were quite
delightful. Many observed Badar Shaikh and Papan Devnani clapping their hands
with sheer joy on many occasions. Many heard Sarfaraz Memon protesting when
some one wanted to call a short break for tea. In his remarks, Munawar
Laghari thanked Ishaq Tunio (Chicago) and Abdul Razzak Baloch (New York) for
their help in introducing  Mazhar Hussain to WSI . After a short tea break,
ada Zahoor and Adi Qamar Siddiqui (who had traveled all the way from
Mechanicsburg) delighted audience with three of their favorite songs. Soon
thereafter SaeeN Mazhar Hussain resumed (long with his fans that included
every one in the room) the journey of latifi laat.. A proposal to ask Mazhar
Hussain to stay in Washington DC and conduct classes in Sindhi music classes
won overwhelming support and resulted in pledges of more than $ 2,000. Many
agreed that there was no better way than the Latifi Laat to spread the word
of Sindhiyat in this capital town of the most powerful country in the world.

Munawar Laghari
President
The World Sindhi Institute
605 G Street SW
Washington DC 20024
202-484-0134 (day)
202-554-2984(eve)