Swedish Baloch

{{Infobox ethnic group

| group = The Baloch of Sweden

| flag =

20px

{{flagicon|Sweden}}

| native_name = {{lang|sv|Svenska Balochs}}
{{lang|fa| سویڈن بلوچ}}

| image =

| population = 5000{{cite web |title=Increased human rights violations since President Rouhani’s administration |url=https://unpo.org/downloads/774.pdf|website=Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization |date=20 February 2025}}{{cite book |last=Tyagi |first= Vidya Prakash |year=2009 |title=Martial races of undivided India |publisher= Kalpaz Publications |page=12|url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/Martial_races_of_undivided_India/vRwS6FmS2g0C?hl=en|isbn=9788178357751}}

| popplace = Stockholm, Malmö, Uppsala.

| rels = Islam, Christianity

| langs = Swedish, Balochi

| native_name_lang =

| related = Baloch diaspora

}}

{{baloch people}}

The Baloch of Sweden ({{langx|bal|{{nq| سویڈن ءِ بلوچ

}}}}) or Swedish Balochs ({{langx|bal|{{nq| سویڈن بلوچ

}}}}) consist of Baloch people who have settled in Sweden, as well as Swedish residents and citizens of Baloch heritage.{{cite book |last1=Gren |first1=Erik |title=The Baluchi Language |date=2004 |page=103,108|publisher=Almquist & Wiksell Periodical Company|url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/Orientalia_Suecana/-7UMAQAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&bsq=baloch%20%20sweden}}

Most Baloch people in Sweden{{cite book |last=Tyagi |first= Vidya Prakash |year=2009 |title=Martial races of undivided India |publisher= Kalpaz Publications |page=12|url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/Martial_races_of_undivided_India/vRwS6FmS2g0C?hl=en&gbpv=0|isbn=9788178357751}} live in the capital Stockholm or in Uppsala. A majority of Baloch political refugees{{Cite web |date=7 March 2024 |title=Iranian Baloch Activist In Danger Of Deportation From Sweden |url=https://www.iranintl.com/en/202403078522|access-date=2 January 2025 |website=Iran International |language=en}} and students choose Sweden as their host country and therefore they have a cultural presence in Sweden.{{cite book |last=Korn, Jahani, Titus|first= Agnes , Carina , Paul Brian |title=The Baloch and Others Linguistic, Historical and Socio-political Perspectives on Pluralism in Balochistan |publisher= Reichert Verlag |date=2008 |page=19,223|url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_Baloch_and_Others/nNoRAQAAMAAJ?hl=en|language=en|isbn=9783895005916}}

Background and Culture

Many Baloch people have settled in Sweden as refugees or immigrants and seeking safety and better opportunities. The Baloch in Sweden strive to maintain their cultural identity while integrating into Swedish society.{{cite book |last1=Taheri|first1= Ahmad Reza |title=The Baloch in Post Islamic Revolution Iran|date=2012|page=157,175,272,420|url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_Baloch_in_Post_Islamic_Revolution_Ir/YDzpBgAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=Baloch+music+family&pg=PA32&printsec=frontcover|language=en|isbn=9780557328376}} They often participate in cultural events and community gatherings to celebrate their heritage.

There is a Sweden-based Balochi Radio to support the Baloch community, promote cultural awareness, and advocate for human rights.{{cite book |last1=Akbar |first1=Malik Siraj |title=The Redefined Dimensions of Baloch Nationalist Movement|date=2011 |page=179|publisher=Xlibris US|url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_Redefined_Dimensions_of_Baloch_Natio/2-3QcOx2hogC?hl=en&gbpv=0|isbn=9781456895334}}

Uppsala University offers a course titled Balochi A, which provides basic knowledge of the phonetics and syntax of the Balochi language. This course also includes a brief overview of the history of the Baloch people. The course is conducted in English and is available as a distance learning option, making it accessible to a broader audience interested in learning about the Balochi language. {{cite web |title=Balochi A|url=https://www.uu.se/en/study/course?query=5BA001|website=Uppsala University |access-date=December 17, 2024}}

This initiative aims to create and promote a standard literary language for Balochi. It involves collaboration with various organizations and institutions focused on linguistic research and cultural preservation.{{cite web |title=The Balochi Language Project|url=https://www.uu.se/en/department/linguistics-and-philology/research/proj/the-balochi-language|website=Uppsala University |access-date=December 17, 2024}}

Carina Jahani is a prominent Swedish Iranologist and professor of Iranian languages at Uppsala University, deeply researching in the study and preservation of the Balochi language.{{cite book |last1=Jahani |first1=Carina |title=Standardization and Orthography in the Balochi Language |date=1989|publisher=Uppsala University|url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/Standardization_and_Orthography_in_the_B/3XEbAQAAIAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=0&bsq=balochi}} In December 1997, he also traveled to Zahedan and stayed there for a week. After that, he began researching the Balochi language, which is why he dedicated his doctoral thesis to the Balochi language and the work and proposals for creating a unified script to advance the Balochi language and literature and unify its writing. She has many Baloch students in Sweden.

The Baloch community in Sweden also engages in promoting their traditional Balochi music and arts, contributing to the multicultural landscape of Swedish society.{{Cite web |title=padik|url=https://www.padik.se/about.html|access-date=2 January 2025 |website=padik |language=en}} Rostam Mirlashari is a Balochi singer, based in Sweden. He makes songs in Balochi, Swedish and some Iranian languages. Mirlashari also studied at The Royal College of Music in Stockholm.{{cite web|title=Rostam Mirlashari|url=http://golbang.se/golbang-the-band/rostam-mirlashari/|publisher=Golbang.se}}

FC Baloch Sweden is a football club established by members of the Baloch community in 2012.{{Cite web |title=FC Baloch|url=https://www.iranintl.com/en/202403078522|access-date=2 January 2025 |website=Forza Football |language=Swedish }} It provides a platform for cultural expression through sports and social gatherings.

Homayoon Mobaraki is a Swedish Baloch film director and produce high-quality social media video content. He was also the founder of RozhnTV (Balochi program broadcast) from 2008.{{cite book |last= Sedighi |first=Anousha|title=Iranian and Minority Languages at Home and in Diaspora |publisher= De Gruyter |date=2023 |url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/Iranian_and_Minority_Languages_at_Home_a/s7GiEAAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=balochi&pg=PA75&printsec=frontcover|language=en|isbn=9783110694277}}

Political representation

The Baloch community in Sweden has been active in raising awareness about issues affecting Balochistan, including human rights abuses. Demonstrations have been organized to protest against the execution of Baloch prisoners and other injustices faced by the Baloch people.{{Cite web |title=Fotografier från det förtryckta Baluchistan|url=https://www.amnestypress.se/kultur/reportage/26135/fotografier-fran-det-fortryckta-baluchistan/|access-date=2 January 2025|language=sv}} Various organizations exist within Sweden to support the Baloch community, promote cultural awareness, and advocate for human rights.{{Cite web |title=Human Rights Council of Balochistan|url=https://hrcbalochistan.com/about/|access-date=2 January 2025 |website=Hakkpaan |language=en}}

Sajid Baloch a prominent case within the community is that of Sajid Baloch, a journalist who disappeared under mysterious circumstances after moving to Sweden. His case highlights ongoing concerns regarding the safety of Baloch activists abroad.{{cite web|url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1555874|title=In memoriam: The gem we lost in Sweden|work=Dawn|date=10 May 2020|access-date=24 June 2020}}{{cite web|url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1553737|title=Missing Baloch journalist Sajid Hussain found dead in Sweden|date=1 May 2020|work=Dawn News}} There have been calls for the Swedish government to take more proactive measures in addressing these concerns, particularly regarding cases like that of Sajid Hussain Baloch.

On Saturday May 17th 2023, a demonstration was held in Stockholm, in protest against the execution of Baloch prisoners and in support of women's rights movements. This event was organized by the Balochistan Women’s Voice Organization.{{Cite web |title=Demonstration Stockholm, Sweden against the execution of Baloch prisoners |url=https://bhrg.info/en/?p=2085|access-date=2 January 2025 |website=BHRG |language=en}}

==See also==

{{Portal|Sweden}}

References