"Swift flow currents of river and stream, love's current's flow is unique,Lovers of spiritual ocean are lost in meditation, lone and deep,
May God bring back those who my heart have won".
.......Bhitai [Sur Suhni]
"Swift flow currents of river and stream, love's current's flow is unique,
93rd Birthday of His Excellency G.M. Sayed
The 93rd birthday of His Excellency G.M. Sayed was celebrated at
Sindh House, Woking, U.K., on the auspices of the World Sindhi
Congress, which was presided over by the Chair-person of the
Birthday Committee, Ms Suraiya Makhdoom...click. The proceedings were
conducted by Dr Halim Bhatti, Information Secretary, WSC.
The ceremony was attended by members of the WSC, many Sindhis,
as well as the representatives of various international
organisations, such as, United Kashmir International, Seraiki
International, Human Rights International...click and South Asian
Solidarity Forum.
First of all Dr M.A. Halepoto...click cut the birthday cake of Sain G.M.
Sayed, which was home made by Suraiya Makhdoom.
Then Dr Bhatti started the speeches session by calling Dr Bhutto
to recite the verses of Shah Abdul Latif...click. After that Dr Assad
Sheikh read an extract from the last book of G.M. Sayed, "Sindh
Speaks".
Dr Hidayat Bhutto then presented his paper on the life and work
of Sain G.M. Sayed. He said that Sayed's struggle is the
struggle of generations. He said that if we read carefully the
philosophy of Sain, then we would sum it up in the four points:
1. Sindhis are a separate nation.
Speaking about the literary contributions of Sayed, Dr Bhutto
said that his two books, viz., "Jeean Ditho Aah Moon" (As I have
seen it) and "Pegham Latif" are his great achievements. In the
first one, he rejects the fundamentalist and false interpretaion
of religion of Islam...click and gives the real one based on Sufi...click thought. In
"Pegham-e-Latif" he rejects the orthodox view of Latif and
presents him as a radical and a nationalist poet.
Speaking on the present situation in Sindh, Dr Bhutto said that
since the Chief of the refugees has said that they have asked
their people if they want a separate land, we too can ask our
people if they want to have refugees in their land or not.
After this, Suraiya Makhdoom presented her paper. She said that
as Plato thanked his stars for being born in the age of Socrates,
so do we for being born in the age our great national hero, Sain
G.M. Sayed lived (most of the time in prisons) and died.
She recalled her personal meetings with Sayed. She said that she
always found him simple, welcoming, sympathetic, patient and open
to others views. She said G.M. Sayed never developed a
personality cult as most leaders do. Anyone could meet him any
time. She said Sayed was deeply rooted in the culture of Sindh...click.
He was a great traditionalist. He was a great family man too.
She said Sayed's struggle for the cause of Sindh was immortal. He
had, in the words of Milton, "the unconquerable will,..... and
courage, never to submit or yield" ("Paradise Lost", Book 1).
Ms Makhdoom then dwelt upon the literary contributions of Sayed.
She said Sayed has written over 60 books on varied subjects,
such as politics, history, biography, autobiography, as well as
literary criticism.
She said, in his writings, Sayed demolishes whatever Pakistan
stands for: two nation theory, the national poet, national
leader--Jinnah, national language, the use of Islam for colonial
and fascist purposes, and so forth. He is, therefore, a great
idol breaker after Mahmud Ghaznavi, who did so to further his
colonial rule; whereas Sayed did the same to uproot the
principles of fascism and colonialism.
Dr Halepoto Secretary General, WSC said that the message of G.M.
Sayed is for the whole of the mankind. He told the audience that
when they started a signature campaign for the release of G.M.
Sayed as a "Citizen of the World" in 1994, at the Human Rights
Commission of the UN, nearly all the delegates signed the same.
Most of them said that Sayed's picture resembled that of a
prophet. One woman even went on the extent of saying that she
felt as if she had known Sayed since her previous birth.
Mr Rashid Nutkani of the Seraiki International said that despite
being brought up in a religious atmosphere in Sann, Sayed's
thought crossed the boundaries of religious fundamentalism. His
struggle was for the whole of the community. One day the world
would realise the true worth of this great man.
Mr Afzal Tahir, Chairman, United Kashmir International, said that
the common point between the freedom movement of Kashmiris and
that of Sindh, as initiated by Sain G.M., is the struggle. He
said our struggle has been inspired by the Sindhis and G.M.
Sayed, since he has been fighting for the formation of countries
on the nationalistic basis, and not on the religious ones.
Dr Arif of the South Asian Solidarity Forum and editor of the
magazine "Inqilab", said that we should tolerate our political
opponents, and therefore, the Punjabis should also learn from the
message of Sain G.M. Sayed.
Ms Claire Galez of the HRI said that although she has been born
in a Christian family, she has been greatly inspired by Sufism
as well as by the message of G.M. Sayed, which have brought her
closer to the Sindhis.
The final speaker of the ceremony, Mirza Farhad Ahmed, editor
"Islamic Expositor", said that G.M. Sayed's struggle against the
slavery of Sindhis...click is like that of Abraham Lincoln's for the
Blacks in America. Sayed was in close contact with the
revolutionaries of the Sub-Continent, who were struggling against
tyranny. G.M. wanted a free Sindh for all the people of Sindh,
not for a specific class.
Recent history of Sindh and South Asia has made it very obvious the
revival of age old phenomenon of descendants. Increasingly, politics and
public service is becoming more of a family inheritance rather than an
acquired field of interest. Sain G.M. Syed refused to pass on this
legacy. I and many are witness to Syed's despise for this phenomenon.
Of all his children, Syed was very fond of his daughter Durreshahwar. She
was his true pride. The fact that she never claimed her right on Syed's
legacy speaks a great deal of her and Sain G.M. Syed.
Durreshahwar played a very active role in organizing Sindhi women. But
she never tried to capitalize on her contributions. She was highly
educated and a profound human rights activist. A brave girl who took a
giant step out of extremely traditional and conservative family
background into a free world.
Her silent and selfless service makes her the true daughter of Sindh. Today, regardless of political and philosophical preferences, people of Sindh are grieved at the loss of their two beloved children. North American Sindhis are equally grieved by these tragic deaths.
Dr. Syed was a daughter of Saeen G. M. Syed - a veteran, fearless
freedom fighter and visionary of modern Sindhi nation. Saeen G. M. Syed
who died in the custody of Pakistan Government in 1995, struggled all
his life for the liberation and equal rights for Sindh and Sindhis. Dr. Durreshahwar Syed was considered to be one in Syed's family to carry the vision of
her father. However, she never entered into politics and dedicated her efforts in teaching, writing and participating in several social causes.
She was actively involved in few women organizations like ASWA (All
Sindhi Women Association) and often spoke in academic and social events.
She was an inspiring figure for many Sindhi youths, and was admired for
her maturity, integrity and compassion. Despite all her achievements
she always maintained a modest lifestyle. She authored several books and
articles on Latif 's work and Sindhi literature.
WSC offers its condolence to Dr. Syed's family and wishes peace for all
those who loved her. World Sindhi Congress who recently published an
Internet Site on Saeen G. M. Syed's works has decided to publish Dr. Durreshahwar Syed's major works on Internet in near future.
2. Sindh...click has been an independent and sovereign state since ten
thousand years.
3. Independence is the basic and natural right of Sindhis...click.
4. Independence is possible.
Passing Away of Dr. Durreshahwar Syed
World Sindhi Congress expresses its deepest grief on the demise of Dr. Durreshahwar Syed. World Sindhi Congress expresses its deepest grief on the untimely demise
of Dr. Durreshahwar Syed. Dr. Syed was a prominent scholar of Sufism and "Latifyaat" (study of works and life of great Sindhi poet Shah Abdul
Latif Bhittai). Dr. D. Syed did her doctoral work on Shah Latif's work in UK. Later she joined as a professor in Department of Sindhi at the
University of Karachi, and carried out research and lectures on Shah Latif Bhittai and Sindhi Literature.
The Village of Sann-u
Syed's Biography And His Literary Work
Sindh : My Motherland My Fatherland
Makhdoom's Quest For The Truth
Makhdoom's Quality Quest