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Below is coverage specific to the
killing of Baloch nationalist leaders Nawab Akbar Bugti in 2006,
Balach Marri in 2007, and the arrest of Balach Marri's brother
political and human rights activist Herbiyar Marri and fellow activist
Faiz Mohammad Baluch in London in December, 2007.
There is considerable speculation
that the
arrest of Herbiyar Marri and Faiz Baluch was a quid
pro quo demanded by Pakistan before Pakistan would turn
over Rashid Rauf (see developments below), who is sought by the
British authorities on terrorist-related charges. Inexplicably,
following the arrest of Mr. Marri and Mr. Baluch in London, Rashid
Rauf 'escaped' from Pakistani authorities.
For overall review, see: Plot
to eliminate Baluch nationalists, by Samuel Baid,
The Pioneer, Dec 27, 2007
Faiz Baluch (left) and Hyrbyar Marri (right) with Walid Garboni (www.balochinews.com)
outside Belmarsh Court, January 2009
Faiz Baluch's statement;
Hyrbyair Marri's statement |
|
"Not Guilty!"
London – 11 February 2009
Baloch
terrorism trial "not guilty" verdict:
Jury acquits defendants framed
by Musharraf regime, by Peter
Tatchell, The Guardian
Defendants Hyrbyair Marri and Faiz Baluch vindicated: "Baluchistan
human rights activists, Hyrbyair Marri and Faiz Baluch, have been
acquitted of terrorism charges today, 11 February 2009, at Woolwich
Crown Court in London..."
Peter
Tatchell's Statement
From theBaluch.com: We wish to express our deepest gratitude to
the legal teams who did such brilliant work in preparing the defenses
for these two men. For Mr. Marri: Henry Blaxland QC, Rajiv Menon,
Jim Nichol. And for Mr. Baluch: Lady Helena Kennedy QC, Hossein
Zahir, Gareth Peirce and Sajida Malik.
We are also grateful to Peter Tatchell for his insight and tireless
efforts to keep readers informed of the trial's progress AND to
the jury for their considered deliberations.
This is a great day for truth and justice--two ideals much under
attack in our times.
For coverage since arrest, on Rashid Rauf and other related issues: background
coverage |
|
 |
Attendees (left to right):
Murtaza Ali, journalist for The News, Tariq Baloch, Mehrab
Baloch, Ehsan Arjumandi Baloch, Peter Tatchell, Khan
of Kalat Suleiman Daud Ahmadzai, Faiz Baluch, Baroness
Helena Kennedy, Gareth Peirce, Hyrbair Marri, Samad
Baloch, Ghulam Hussain Baloch, Marzook Ali Shah with
Sahil MagZine in UK.
(click for more
pics) |
New: United
Kingdom, May 5, 2009: Following the London trials of
Hairbyar Marri and Faiz Baluch, CAMPACC (Campaign
Against Criminializing Communities) organized and sponsored
a public meeting on issues related to Balochistan in
the House of Lords. The meeting was hosted and chaired
by Baroness Helena Kennedy QC, one of the UK's top defence
barristers. (For coverage related to the trials and the
'not guilty' verdicts, click
here.)
Please click to read speeches delivered by Hairbyar
Marri (word doc) and Faiz
Baluch (word doc). Click here for full
text.
Videos of the proceedings: Part
1, Part
2, Part
3, Part
4, Part
5, Part
6, Part
7 |
Balach Marri
Jan. 17, 1965 - Nov 20, 2007
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From
the editors:
Jeannie Gunn wrote of the uninhabited regions of Australia:
"Called the Never-Never, the Maluka loved to say,
because they, who have lived in it and loved it Never-Never
voluntarily leave it." Similarly, most Baloch do
not voluntarily choose to leave Balochistan, but are instead
forced by reasons related to politics, economics, and
human rights abuses. Balach Marri did risk a return in
an effort to advocate for human and political rights.
That fight took many turns and in the end, it took his
life.
On January 17, 2008, Balach Marri would've celebrated
his 43rd birthday. Due to the political complexities of
the region in which he died, most of us will never be
fully informed of the details of his untimely death. And
while the mysterious circumstances of his murder will
no doubt become the stuff of novelists and historians,
the reasons he found himself ambushed in the never-never
borderlands of Afghanistan or Pakistan are copiously documented.
While the Khan of Kalat signed
an Accession
Agreement with Pakistan in 1948, he did not sign-on
to the sad story that Balochistan has become. For an account
of the full history behind today's events, please read
Baloch
Nationalism: Its Origin and Development by Taj Mohammad
Breseeg. To read an excerpt on the resistance immediately
surrounding the Accession in 1948 and the origin of the
contempoary nationalist struggle, please see chapter
4. And to answer the question, 'Who Are the Baloch?',
please read this excerpt
from In
Afghanistan’s Shadow: Baloch Nationalism and Soviet
Temptations by Selig S. Harrison. |
|
|
| Arrest of Herbiyar
Marri and Faiz Moh. Baluch |
| Killing of Balach Marri |
| Killing of Nawab Akbar
Bugti |
|
|
| 'Terror
abroad' retrial ruled out, BBC News, Mar 10, 2009: "The
CPS counter-terrorism division has carefully considered the
evidence against Hyrbyair Marri in light of the jury's verdicts
and decided that the case no longer meets the tests set out
in the code for Crown prosecutors." |
| Imran
defends terror suspects, The Independent, Jan 9, 2009 |
| New: Asylum
seeker Faiz Baluch is 'casualty of post-September 11th geo-politics',
by Fran Yeoman, Times Online, Jan 5, 2009: "An asylum
seeker on trial for allegedly inciting terrorist murder in
Pakistan is not a criminal but a casualty of post-September
11th geo-politics and the alliances forged between Britain,
America and the Musharraf regime, a court heard today. Faiz
Baluch, a Baluchistani nationalist, was branded a terrorist
after attempting to highlight the “brute violence, death and
destruction” being meted out to his people by Musharraf's government; Refugee
'acted in self-defence', BBC News, Jan 5, 2009; Faiz
Baluch is a victim of Pakistan geopolitics: lawyer, Dawn.com,
Jan 5, 2009 |
| Background
coverage: full
article: "The Pakistan
High Commissioner , speaking on behalf of the new democratic
government of Pakistan, says his government wants reconciliation
in Baluchistan and opposes the
prosecution, effectively calling for the charges to be dropped," says
human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell, who helped coordinate
Monday's protest. Previously, the acting Interior Minister of
Pakistan, Rehman Malik, announced that terror charges against
Mr Marri in Pakistan have been cancelled; stating that the case
against him had been politically motivated by the Musharraf dictatorship..." |
| Trial
begins, prosecution expected to open on Nov 4: Trial
begins for two men on terror charges, orig.
source, Nov 3, 2008: "...Faiz Baluch, of Wembley, and
Hyrbyair Marri, from Ealing, are accused of inciting terrorism
and murder in Pakistan via links to the Baluchistan Liberation
Army..."; |
| Update: PM
ambushed on civil liberties, by Peter Tatchell, Oct 30, 2008: "...As
the Prime Minister prepared to leave the exhibition Mr Tatchell challenged him
again; this time about what he called the "framing" of two London-based Balochistan
human rights campaigners, Hyrbyair Marri and Faiz Baluch..."; UK
colludes with Musharraf's agents, by Peter Tatchell, Oct 27, 2008 |
| Baluchistan
Leader on Terror Charges in London, by Peter Tatchell,
UKWatch.net, Apr 25, 2008 |
| In the
light of the current terrorism trial in London of Baloch human
rights campaigners Hyrbyair Marri and Faiz Baluch, you may be
interested to watch Peter
Tatchell's online TV interview with Mehran Baluch, the Baloch
representative at the UN Human Rights Council. See
more detail |
| Balochistan
campaigners in the frame: Peter Tatchell accuses Gordon
Brown's government of collusion with Pakistani attempts to
frame human rights activists on terrorism charges, by Peter
Tatchell, Sep 19, 2008; |
| Trial
and terror: Baloch human rights campaigners framed?, by
Peter Tatchell, New Statesman – London, Sep 11, 2008; |
| Faiz
Baluch released from prison (in Balochi): Baluch nationalist
activist Faiz Baluch who was arrested late last year by British
police along with Hyrbyair Marri, was released on bail Friday
afternoon; Faiz Baluch and co-defendant Hyrbyair Marri are
charged with terrorism offences relating to inciting terrorism
in Baluchistan. Their trial is scheduled to begin Oct 2, 2008
in London. (coverage from before at UKWatch.Net, IHT, theGuardian). |
| Plot
to eliminate Baluch nationalists, by Samuel Baid,
The Pioneer, Dec 27, 2007 |
| Rashid Rauf: wanted
by the British, lost by the Pakistanis, one-time subject of quid
pro quo in exchange for Baloch Hyrbyair Marri and Faiz Baluch?--now
reported killed by CIA drone attack: MPs
seek answers as CIA kills British terror suspect Rashid Rauf, London
Times, Nov 24, 2008: Two senior MPs yesterday demanded to know whether the
British Government had been given notice of the planned attack, which was
a CIA operation controlled from a US military base in Nevada... Pakistani
authorities confirmed that Rauf was the main target of Saturday's attack
on a suspected militant hideout in the border village of Ali Khel in North
Waziristan. Information about Rauf's death was based on intercepted communications
between militants in the area..."; Rashid
Rauf was linked to al-Qaeda's number two Ayman al-Zawahiri, by Isambard
Wilkinson, Daily Telegraph, Nov 23, 2008: "... There was no independent
corroboration of his death but local Pakistani intelligence officials and
US intelligence officials believed he was dead, according to a senior Pakistani
military source..."; Rashid
Rauf The mysterious adult life of a Birmingham baker's boy turned alleged
al-Qaida terrorist, Guardian profile, Nov 22, 2008: "...Rauf's lawyer,
Hashmat Ali Habib, told the Guardian last year: 'It wasn't an escape from
custody. You could call it a 'mysterious disappearance' if you like, but
not an escape.'...; US
Air Strike Kills Rashid Rauf, Brother-In-Law Of Masood Azhar, International
Terrorism Monitor-Paper No. 471, by B. Raman, Nov. 22, 2008; From before: The
Curious Case of Rashid Rauf, International Terrorism Monitor, by B. Raman,
SAAG, 2006; Who
orchestrated Rashid Rauf's escape and why, TheAcorn; Briton
drawn into delicate diplomacy of swaps as Pakistan insists on reciprocal
deal for terror suspect, by Sandra Laville, the Guardian, Mar 28, 2007: "...Activist
who has lived in UK for 20 years is one of eight men wanted by Musharraf...";
see background coverage related to the above trial in London and Rashid Rauf here... |
| Click
to send an Asian Human Rights Commission urgent appeal to
Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee regarding the detention
of Herbiyar Marri and Faiz Baluch |
| Dec
25, 2007: Sources report Herbiyar Marri and Faiz Baluch
held in Belmarsh (Belmarsh
- Britain's Guantanamo Bay?): Herbiyar Marri and Faiz Baluch
appeared at the Old Bailey via videolink from prison on Dec 21,
2007. Authorities failed to provide sufficient evidence against
the two and asked the court for more time. Bail was rejected.
The next hearing is on Feb 1, 2008. (Of Belmarsh: "Nine
foreigners have been held in London's Belmarsh Prison for almost
three years without charge or trial..." Amnesty International
says: "...The conditions are cruel, inhuman and degrading.
The parallels with Guantanamo Bay are stark.") |
| Briton
drawn into delicate diplomacy of swaps, The Guardian, Mar
28, 2007; Pakistan
agents ‘staged escape' of terror suspect, Sunday Times,
Dec 23, 2007 |
| Pair
face terror charges next hearing on February 1, Press Association,
Dec 22, 2007 |
Herbiyar Marri and
Faiz Moh. Baluch Arrested in London:
Click
to send an Asian Human Rights Commission urgent appeal to
Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee (be sure to CHANGE
SUBJECT LINE in the draft letter to avoid having your
email blocked by recipient's email program) |
Dec.
16: Demonstration, London, 10 Downing St.
Urgent Action: Arrest of Baloch Human Rights Activists Herbiyar Marri and
Faiz Moh. Baluch in the UK and their Potential Extradition to Pakistan: video
of demonstration
Statement
to the press, for Word
doc
Letter
to Gordon Brown, for Word
doc
pictures |
| Dec.
11: 2
London residents accused of inciting terrorism in Pakistan
are held in the UK, by IHT (AP), Dec 11, 2007 |
| Urgent
Appeal from Managing board in Radio Balochi FM - Sweden: Dec
5, 2007: "...We urge you to persuade the British govenment
and other democratic foreign countries to take a stand
against the injustice and victimization of the Baloch..." click
for full text |
| Urgent
Appeal to the office of the minister for foreign affairs
of the kingdom of Norway by Mohammad Moosa Arjemandi,
Dec 7, 2007, regarding the "Arrestasjonen av den Balochiske
menneskerettighets aktivisten i London, Storbritania." click
for full text |
| Urgent
Appeal to Amnesty International by International
center for Peace and Democracy, International Kahsmir Alliance-IKA,
Dec 6, 2007: "Any act of the British government to
collaborate with the Pakistan government will be a serious
violation of the UN human rights charter since Pakistan's
poor human rights record and political persecution of especially
Baloch leaders have been reported by all credible human
rights organizations and world media." click
for full text |
| Open
letter to Secretary General of Amnesty International by
Maqbool Aliani, Dec 5, 2007: "The fate of Mr. Herbiyar
Marri is a matter of enormous tension and unrest among
the Baloch people and their friends and supporters throughout
the world." click
for full text |
| Pakistan
Criticized in the European Parliament for arrest and
killing of Baluch Nationalist Leaders,
Dec 5, 2007, Click
for full text |
| Letter
to the British Ambassador in Geneva from Interfaith
International in support of Mehran Baloch. (Pakistani
authorities are also seeking the extradition of Mehran Baloch.) |
| Herbiyar
Marri and Faiz Baluch Detained in London |
 |
Dec.
4, 2007: Herbiyar Marri, 39, was detained by British
authorities under the Terrorism Act 2000 in Operation Super
Sweep/Swift from his residence in Ealing, London on Dec.
3. Authorities have transferred Mr. Marri to Paddington Green
police station. Faiz Baluch of the Baluchistan Rights Movement
was simulataneously picked up from Hyrbyair's residence in
Wembley and taken to an undisclosed location. |
At
the moment Mr. Baluch has no legal representation.
The editors are deeply concerned that Mr. Marri and Mr. Baluch will be
extradited to Pakistan where intelligence agencies are notorious for their
use of torture. We urge the unconditional and immediate release of Herbiyar
Marri and Faiz Baluch. |
Send
emails protesting the detention of Herbiyar Marri and Faiz
Baluch in London to:
The British Consulate, US: PAT@britainusa.com
The British Consulate, UK: erin.taylor@fco.gov.uk
United Nations: tb-petitions@ohchr.org
Amnesty International: aiusama@aiusa.org |
| News
alert, Dec. 4: Baluch citizens in exile harassed in
London, in clear violation of dissident rights and political
refugee law. For previous coverage, see Pakistan
seeks swap deal to extradite dissidents living in Britain |
|
|
| Musharraf
red-faced as suspect flees, Bruce Loudon, The Australian,
Dec 17, 2007; Pakistani
Authorities Struggle to Tie Rauf to London Plot, by Chris
Zambelis, Global Terrorism Watch, Sep 6, 2006 |
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| London
gathering: Baloch and Sindhi leaders and activists paid tributes
to Balach Marri, details
and pictures |
 |
| Brahumdagh
Bugti (L), Nawabzada Balach Marri (R), 2007 |
| Nawabzada
Balach Marri laid to rest, BalochWarna, Dec
1, 2007 |
| Operation
against BLA in Karachi soon, Pakistan Link,
Nov 24, 2007 |
| UAE
Baloch mourn Balach Marri untimely death,
IntelliBriefs, BBC News, Nov 24, 2007 |
| Top
Baloch rebel leader 'killed', by Syed Shoaib
Hasan, BBC News, Nov 21, 2007 |
BBC (Urdu) video interviews
with Baloch leaders Talal Akbar Bugti and Nawab Aslam Raisani,
Nov 23, 2007
Condolence
Message to Balach Marri Family and Baloch
People, Intellibriefs, Nov 23,
2007
Baloch
Che Guevara is Dead: The Freedom Struggle
Continues, by B. Raman, Nov 23,
2007
Marri
says he doesn't believe Balach is dead, Dawn,
Nov 23, 2007
Balach
Marri was killed by NATO FORCES in Garam,
postings at SAAG.org, Nov 23, 2007 (other
strikes in region: Up
to 80 civilians dead' after US air strikes
in Afghanistan by Jason Burke, The Guardian,
July 1, 2007)
Mystery
shrouds Balach's killing, Dawn,
Nov 23, 2007
Balach
Marri's killing, BalochPeople.org/eng,
Nov 22, 2007
Press Release 11.22.07:
World
Sindhi Institute condemns extrajudical killing |
 |
| Balach Marri with Nawab Akbar
Bugti in 2006, BBC
News, profile, Nov 21, 2007 (Urdu ed.) |
Did
Balach Marri make history in Sarlat?, Intellibriefs,
Nov 22, 2007
Baluch
leader killed in Afghanistan,
al Jazeera, Nov 21, 2007
BALOCHISTAN:
Baloch Nationalist Balach Marri killed,
IntelliBriefs, Nov 21, 2007
Top
Baloch rebel leader 'killed',
by Syed Shoaib Hasan, BBC News, Nov 21, 2007
"Balach
has left us.", IntelliBriefs,
Nov 21, 2007
Nawabzada
Balach Marri Martyred during a face-to-face
battle with Pakistani forces, BalochWarna,
Nov 21, 2007
Photo published
by BalochVoice.com of Balach
Marri in the mountains of Balochistan,
2007. See video
interview with al-Jazeera. See his speech
on the
Role of Liberation Movements |
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| New photo published
by BalochVoice.com of Balach
Marri in the mountains of Balochistan. Balach Marri survived
an attack by Pakistani special forces (SSG) on 26 August 2006,
in which well-known Baloch leader Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti was
killed. See video
interview with al-Jazeera. See his speech on the
Role of Liberation Movements |
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|
 poem
by Nawab Akbar Bugti |
| Interview
with Nawab Akbar Bugti,
recording date unknown (for wikipedia profile of
Nawab Akbar Bugti and other interviews, click
here) |
26th August, London:
First Martyrdom Anniversary of Nawab Akbar Bugti
"Baluchistan Action Committee (UK), World Sindhi Congress and Baluchistan
Rights Movement are organizing a memorial meeting to honour the great Baloch
hero Nawab Akber Bugti on the first anniversary of his murder by the Pakistani
Army on 26th August, 2006."
click
for poster, details |
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| Balochistan
shut to protest Bugti's killing, by Muhammad Ejaz Khan,
The Post, Aug 26 2007 |
| The
Geostrategic Implications of the Baloch Insurgency, by Tarique
Niazi, Global Terrorism Analysis, Nov 16, 2006 |
| Assassination
of Nawab Bugti Threatens to Escalate Pak-Baloch Tensions,
by Tarique
Niazi, Global Terrorism Analysis, Sep 6, 2006 |
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