MOVEMENTS SHOULD BE JOINED ON IDEOLOGICAL BASIS NOT ON EMOTIONALISM – ALTAF HUSSAIN

London – 11 June 2000

Mr Altaf Hussain, MQM Founder and Leader, has said that the meaning of loyalty and the height of dedication is to sacrifice and not personal gains. The same is not true wherever the intention is to achieve personal gains. Similarly, personal interest and greed to receive monetary rewards means lack of loyalty and dedication. On the other hand, truth is in the intentions to sacrifice all the possessions and his life including the lives of the family members.

Mr Hussain was expressing these views while addressing the workers gathered on the 22^nd anniversary of All Pakistan Mohajir Students Organisation (AMPSO) at the International Secretariat in London. He said that today is the day to reaffirm our pledge and we should ponder why did we made this pledge, for what reasons and either we made this pledge under compulsion or at our freewill. If we made this pledge at our freewill then to what extent have we fulfilled our pledge and do we have the courage and determination to further fulfil our word of honour.

Mr Hussain said that there is a clear difference between a political party and an ideological movement. A person joins a political party having his ideology and personal motives whereas, a person joins the movement not for his personal motives because a movement is not for personal gains but collective gains. And where there is a collective gain then personal gain and wishes are sacrificed. Movements are not only for the collective motive of all the persons but also for the collective motive of the coming generations. If a person is living in an atmosphere of oppression and tyranny then he could compromise with the conditions and live his life by becoming the slave of the State. However, a person in the movement sacrifices his life for the collective motive and secures a respectable future of the coming generations. For this greater cause, he does not hesitate to sacrifice his desires, wishes and even his life. Mr Hussain said that a person remains in a political party until such time that his family is being benefited whereas in a movement, a person sacrifices his personal interests, desires, wishes and even his life for the secure and peaceful future for the coming generations.

Mr Hussain said that with the progression of the movements, established for collective motives, the exploitative forces, which had usurped the rights, unleash a reign of oppression upon the movement. This is the stage to gauge the dedication and loyalty of the people attached with that movement. If a person remains loyal and dedicated to the movement under the oppression and tyranny of the Establishment and the State forces, and even does not fear from going to the gallows, then this proves his dedication and loyalty towards the movement. But those who loose hope due to the continued oppression and tyranny of the State and leave the movement proves that their pledge of loyalty to the movement was not based on ideology but based on emotionalism. He emphasised that emotional and ideological actions are two entirely different things. Giving an example, Mr Hussain said that the emotional act is like the froth appearing in the coca cola but if the act is ideological then despite all the State oppression and tyranny, one remains determined and steadfast on the ideology and continues to struggle for the cause until his last breath. Addressing the workers, he said that today we should take into consideration whether our involvement in the movement is based on ideology or emotions. He said that today we should preview our actions and should ponder that has the State oppression weakened our determination. Are we concerned about our families after witnessing the sufferings of the families of the martyrs? And if we are concerned to safe our families then it means that our ideological relation with the movement has certainly weakened which is compelling us to think of the security and well-being of the interest of our families. Mr Hussain said the human history is filled with unparalleled examples of sacrifices for the success of the cause and mission and ideological connection and even today, people knowingly sacrificing their lives for the achievement of the mission and cause. Mr Hussain said that there are people who are made victims of barbarism of the Establishment, however, there are others who voluntarily sacrifice their lives for the secure and better future of their next generations. These people are the greatest of all.

Mr Hussain said that we continue to boast of our sacrifices and proudly announce our determination because we are alive. If we are alive then it means that our sacrifices are much less than those who have sacrificed their lives for the cause and mission of the movement. Therefore, we should compare over sacrifices with those who have sacrificed their lives for the movement.

Mr Hussain said that the meaning of loyalty and the height of dedication are to sacrifice and not personal gains. The same is not true wherever the intention is to achieve personal gains. Similarly, personal interest and greed to receive monetary rewards means lack of loyalty and dedication. On the other hand, truth is in the intentions to sacrifice all the possessions and his life including the lives of the family members.

Mr Hussain said that today we should not only reaffirm our pledge of loyalty to the movement but we should also evaluate our commitment with the movement and perform self-accountability. Today every person in the movement should evaluate his acts.

Addressing the workers at the International Secretariat and through them to every worker of the Movement, Mr Altaf Hussain congratulated them on the anniversary of the movement. He also expressed his great admiration and respect for the martyrs, who sacrificed their lives for the movement. He also expressed his admiration to those who have remained steadfast and determined. In the end, he prayed that may God Almighty give us courage and determination to remain loyal to the Movement and grow the resolve to follow the footsteps of our martyrs and sacrifice our lives for the Movement.