Click for 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.
From before: Is
a rollback possible? By Mir Mohammad Ali Talpur, Dawn.com
Opinion, Mar 24, 2008
"... It was in 1978 that
I, along with many Marri families, went to Afghanistan as a
refugee fleeing the repression and ravages of the state against
unarmed people and stayed there for 13 long years in what was
a singularly turbulent period in that country's history. I
didn't live in luxury in Kabul but with the people in refugee
camps...The stark terror that military operations generate
among the populace is beyond the comprehension of those who
have not suffered it..."
Sanaullah Baloch "...After
the killing of his beloved son, Salal Bugti, in June 1992,
he chose to remain in the besieged Dera Bugti compound with
his people. Nawab Bugti kept the Bugti tribe united and maintained
the Baloch code. He tried to unite Baloch nationalist parties
as well in 2004, calling for a unified and single Baloch nationalist
party. But Islamabad’s continued meddling in Balochistan’s
social, tribal and political affairs, state-sponsored conspiracies
and repeated attacks on his life slowed down the process of
Baloch unity..."
Release: WASHINGTON DC: "The
largest pro-liberation Baluch group in the United States has
written to the Royal Norwegian government to seek its assistance
for ending human rights violations in Baluchistan and stopping
all military aid to Pakistan...,"
By Ahmar Mustikhan, Aug. 22, 2009
(release)
Release: "Baloch Human
Rights Council (UK) And World Sindhi Congress Are Organising
A Memorial Meeting To Honour The Great Baloch Hero Nawab Akbar
Bugti," Aug. 21, 2009 (release)
Aug 21, 2009, update, report by Archen Baloch:
(Mand, Kulber Valley) The joint Pakistani and Iranian military operation initiated
on August 16 in Kulber Valley now covers the entire Makuran region and is expanding
to other districts. Iranian forces are participating with gunship helicopters
and rockets. AAJ TV reports that in the middle of the night, Friday, August 21,
fourteen rockets were fired from the Iranian side of the border at Mashkeel City.
Three women and children were reported killed and five injured. (read
more)
Release: Toronto Chapter of
Baloch Human Rights Council of Canada holds emergency meeting
on August 18, 2009 in Toronto. Expresses deep concern over
freedom of press in Balochistan, Pakistan. full
report
Qambar
Baloch brought before court, Balochwarna.org, Jul 15,
2009: Eyewitnesses report that Qambar could not walk properly.
Note the chains in the photo.
From before : Qambar
Jan tho kuja hey?, by Malik Siraj Akbar at Malik Siraj
Akbar writes, Jul 11, 2009: "...Fresh reports suggest
that this amazing Baloch activist has been whisked away by
the personnel of the Frontier Corps and the intelligence
agencies..."
Amid
chauvinists' propaganda, Aug 17, 2009: "My recent
article, A
Home Grown Conflict, was published in the Times
of India on August 11, 2009. In this write-up I have
argued that the Balochistan conflict is a purely indigenous
one rather than being ignited by India.
While the article was widely appreciated by Balochs and the supporters of the
Baloch cause across Pakistan and abroad, a section of ultra-nationalist Punjabi
chauvinists in Pakistan has initiated a massive abusive and threatening campaign
against me...
In other regions: a bit of film
history, documentary narrated by Orson Welles: Land
of the Basques
In Americas: Tortured
Logic, ACLU, Aug 15, 2009: Watch this 2 minute video
to hear the spoken words from the infamous torture memos,
and then take action. "Oliver Stone, Rosie Perez, Philip
Glass and a host of talented performers have come together
to expose something our government tried to keep secret from
the American people..."
Prosperity
promise of Bolivia's salt flats,
BBCNews., Aug 17, 2009: "...I put
it to the mining minister Luis Echazu
that Bolivia was taking a big risk if
it really wants to be (as some have
said) "the Saudi Arabia of lithium". "Oh
no," he replied, "we want to go further
than that - we don't want merely to
process the metal, we want to make the
batteries from it as well."
Dispatches from Quetta: A friend
in Quetta has kindly provided translations from local news
reports, much of which is not included in the larger papers.
I will update this note as I receive texts. (read
more)
Update: Aug 18, 2009. Apparently the Daily Asaap, from which some of the dispatches
were translated, has been shut down.
Balochistan Independence Day celebrations
(photos provided by Faiz Baluch)
Khan of Kalat
Suleiman Daud: "Today there is not a single Pakistani
flag flying in Balochistan except those flown by the military
and para-military."
Aug 11, 2009
Message from Khan of Kalat Suleiman
Daud: read
here, bso-na.org, Aug 3, 2009 (in Urdu)
Hyrbyair Marri:
"After gaining our Independence, we want to have friendly
relations, on the basis of equality, with our friends and neighboring
countries."
Message
from Hyrbyair Marri, Aug 8, 2009 (in Urdu): read
here
Target
Of Obama-Era Rendition Alleges Torture, by Scott Horton,
Aug 11, 2009: "Azar is at worst a secondary figure in
a small-time contract fraud case and is not accused in any
way of terrorism. Why such aggressive and dramatic techniques
were used in connection with the apprehension of a man suspected
of a small-scale white collar crime remains entirely unclear."
Release:
De-celebrating Pakistan's Independence day.
WASHINGTON DC: Baloch Society of North America is organizing a gathering on August
14th to De-celebrate Pakistan’s independence day. Speakers will expose
Pakistani crimes against the Baloch, Sindhi and Pashtun people and other minorities,
including Hindus, Christian and Sikhs.
(full
details)
Venue: Baloch Society Of North America (BSO-NA) 1629 K Street NW, Suit 300, Washington
D.C 20036
Date/Time: Friday, Aug 14th, @ 12:00 Noon - 2:00pm.
Via Metro: Farragut West (Blue and Orange Lines) and Farragut North (Red Line)
RSVP: Please call Tel: (202) 349-1682 or email us at Contact@ bso-na.org
AND:
Following the meeting, participants will proceed to a joint meeting (full details here):
Light a Candle for Baluchistan
Resource Extraction in Conflict Zones:
Gold Mining as State Oppression
WHAT: Speaking event and discussion
WHEN: Friday, August 14, 2009 3:00pm - 5:00pm WHERE: St. Stephen and The Incarnation
Episcopal Church, 1525 Newton Street NW
WHO: Waheed Baloch, former Speaker of the Baluchistan Assembly, and Sakura Saunders,
editor protestbarrick.net.
Following this event, a protestors will march to the offices of Muslim Lakhani,
point-man for Barrick Gold.
Release:
Protest demonstration in Sweden (Stockholm) on 11 August 2009.
BSO–Azaad and BUC (Baloch Unity Conference) are organising
a protest demonstration in Sweden (Stockholm) on 11 August
2009, “Balochistan Independence Day”. They have
requested all Baloch living in Sweden ...Read
more.
Location: Odenplan, Stockholm (Green Metro line). Timing: 11 August Tuesday 14:00
to 16:00
Organizer: Salaal Baloch
Email: salal_2010@yahoo.com
Release: 11
August – Balochistan Independence Day (Protest
and Meeting in London)
Three days before
Pakistan's secession from India,
Balochistan had already been
declared an independent state.
To mark this day, please attend both a protest and meeting:
A protest will be held Aug 11, 2009 in front of 10 Downing
Street to highlight the ongoing Human Rights violations in
Balochistan by both Iran and Pakistan. The protest is also
meant to highlight the recent heinous acts of these states
i.e., the mass abductions, arrest and humiliation of political
and student activists and other innocent citizens in Pakistani
occupied Balochistan and mass executions of Baloch political
prisoners in Iranian occupied Balochistan. A petition will
be handed over to the British prime minster at the end of the
protest.
Following are the venues for the protest and
the meeting:
Protest venue: 10
Downing Street (in front of British PM's house)
Nearest Tube Station: West
minister Tube Station
Time and Date: Tuesday
11 August 2009 at 2:00 pm to 4:00pm
Meeting Venue: The Centre for Polish Arts and Culture [ http://www.posk.org/index_e.
html ] 238-246 King Street,
Hammersmith, London W6 ORF
Relief
agencies stop work in Balochistan, Dawn.com, Jul 30,
2009: "QUETTA: International relief agencies –United
Nation High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Unicef, World
Health Organisation and the World Food Programme – have
suspended all activities in Balochistan after threats issued
by the outlawed Baloch Liberation United Front against their
staff..."; BLUF
forces closure of UNHCR offices in NWFP, Balochistan,
Dailytimes.com.pk, Jul 30, 2009
Dispatches
from Quetta: I am posting some jottings I received from a young
friend in Quetta. When I first read them I was reminded of
Riverbend, the blogger who documented life in Baghdad during
the Iraqi war. I will update this note as I receive texts.
(read
more)
Guantánamo
Bay: the Inside Story, by Naomi Wolf, Jul 25, 2009: '"Remember," [George]
Clarke says, "for a lot of these guys, there's no evidence.
The military said that of the 240 guys left here maybe 80
will eventually be 'tried' in some form. What about the rest?
A lot of these people have been held because they stayed
at a guest house or they had some supposed connections or
affiliations [with al-Qaeda]. 'Connections' are like ...
someone's brother was a member. Or allegedly a member. The
whole world has a misconception that these guys were picked
up on the battlefield. And a whole lot of them were not. "This
country is based on the rule of law," Clarke continued quietly. "If
you truly have no reason to hold someone, you can't hold
them. National security cannot override freedom. "At
the end of the day our freedom is more important. If we lose
our freedom - what are we trying to secure?"...'
Help save the lives of the three
men awaiting execution. There
are three things you can do: 1) Email
your MP and ask them to urgently
protest to the Iranian Embassy
(Movahedian@iran-embassy.org.uk).
2) Email the foreign secretary,
David Miliband, (private.office@fco.gov.uk)
asking him to protest to the government
in Tehran.
Qambar
Baloch brought before court, Balochwarna.org, Jul 15,
2009: Eyewitnesses report that Qambar could not walk properly.
Note the chains in the photo.
From before : Qambar
Jan tho kuja hey?, by Malik Siraj Akbar at Malik
Siraj Akbar writes, Jul 11, 2009: "...Fresh reports
suggest that this amazing Baloch activist has been
whisked away by the personnel of the Frontier Corps
and the intelligence agencies..."
R.I.P.
Names of the Iranian Baloch hanged on July 14, 2009:
1. Manochehr Shahbakhsh s/o Akbar
2. Mohammad Hassan Shahuzahi s/o Shay Mohammad
3. Abdolrazagh Rashidi s/o Hassan
4. Yaghub Gamshadzahi s/o Allok
5. Abdolbaset Shehaki s/o Ghaem
6. Abdolghayas Didan-narowi s/o Joma Khan
7. Abdolsobur Rakhshan s/o Abodolghafur
8. Asadollah Wafai s/o Jan Mohammad
9. Abdolkhalegh Mirbaluchzahi s/o Haybat
10. Tareq Abadiyan s/o Dad Mohammad
11. Yahya Rigi s/o Abdolvahed
12. Khalil Rigi s/o Abdollatif
13. Edris Nutizahi s/o Ebrahim
The
First Night of Torture Cell, essay by Malik Siraj Akbar,
Jul 11, 2009: "These days we do not talk about the first
night of grave or wedding. We imagine about the first night
of torture cell..."
London
Exhibition, July 19, 2009:
Martyrs of Balochistan and Victims of State Terrorism
For Details: The Baluch Martyrs
Day 15 July
The Centre for Polish Art and Culture
238 - 246 Kings Street, Hammersmith
London W6 0RF
Closest Tube station: Hammersmith Station
12 noon to 5pm
Abducted: Sagaar.org reports
that BSO Azaad zonal leader (Deputy Organizer) Qambar Chakar
Baloch was abducted in Shall (Quetta) on July 10, 2009
Mr. Qambar Chakar Baloch
was abducted by state agencies in Quetta and taken to
an unknown location. Additional note: Qamber Chaker is
also an actor, performing in Chanchalok o Manchalo & Jorkan
Films.
‘State
terrorism' against Baloch, Sindhis condemned, Dawn.com,
Jul 6, 2009; Release: Sindhi and Baloch representatives attend Liberation
AGM meeting, draw attention of gathering to state terrorism
and gross human rights violation, cultural and economic oppression,
exploitation of resources and denial of freedom of expression
to the Baloch and Sindhis in Iran & Pakistan. (Resolution, word doc).
Released: Balochwarna.org reports that
after 275 days of imprisonment, Professor Hasan Janan Badini
was released, without any charges, on Jun 27, 2009.
Professor
Hasan Janan Badini: “I did not commit any crime but I
performed my National duty...Writers should bring a change
in the society with the power of their pen..."
American
Friends of Balochistan Release: June 24, 2009
WASHINGTON DC: Former speaker of the Baluchistan
assembly, Waheed Baloch, will preside over a talk on
the repercussions of the Iranian elections on the struggle
of the persecuted ethnic groups in Iran in Washington
DC on Saturday.
In the aftermath of Iran's stolen elections, ethnic groups
including the Baluch who have been at the receiving end
of the Iranian theocracy for three decades now are
fearing further aggravation of their plight.
Join the Baluch, Kurds, Ahwazis, and others from Iran and Pakistan for a
frank and open debate on Iran.
What: Iran elections and persecuted nationalities
Who: The talk over coffee will be presided
over by the Waheed Baloch, former speaker of the Baluchistan
assembly and president of the Baloch International League.
Other attendees include Dr. Morteza Esfandiari, a
Kurdish intellectual; Dr. Karim Abdian, executive
director of the Ahwaz Human Rights Organization;
Sharif Behruz, US Representative of Kurdistan
Democratic Party of Iran; Dr. M. Hosseinbor, a
Baluch lawyer and professor; Nabi Baloch, presiding council
member of the American Friends of Baluchistan.
[The Mayorga Coffee Factory on Georgia
Avenue and 13th Street northwest is a
couple of blocks, or 15 minutes walk, from the Silver
Spring Metro on the Red
Line. If you are driving from DC you
have to go under the overpass and make a U-turn. Free
valet parking].
When:Saturday,
June 27, 2009 at 3.30 p.m.
The event will be moderated by Baluch
journalist Ahmar Mustikhan.
RSVP: ahmar_scribe@yahoo.com
June 26 International Day in Support of Victims of Torture, poster by Baloch
Vanguards
Mureed's
murder, Jang.com, Jun 24, 2009: "Another Baloch
nationalist leader has died mysteriously. Mureed Bugti, a
close aide of Brahamdagh Bugti and a member of the Central
Executive Committee of the fiercely nationalist Baloch Republican
Party, was killed, along with his host, at a village near
Hala in Sindh..." (reposted at balochunity)
The Baluch will resist until Baluchistan
is liberated:
Noordin Mengal
Reports and addresses from the 11th session of the United
Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva (UNHRC) and special
conference on Balochistan: The Key To Regional Security,
Palais Des Nations, Geneva, June 8, 2009
Intervention, by Mehran
Baloch, Interfaith International Human Rights Council 11th Session Item Agenda:
4, General Debate
Khan of Kalat Suleman Daud Baluch: Any resolution without
the Baluch is no resolution at all. The Baluch should
sit at the same table as all other participants in the
struggle for peace and freedom.
...The Baluch have long been treated as the
sand in the engine of the region. Prosperity for the region
will only come about when it is accepted that the Baluch
Nation, it's people and resources are the lubricant in
an
otherwise diverse, multi ethnic, religious and socioeconomic
land...
Baloch
rally against Iran, by Malik Siraj Akbar, DailyTimes.com,
Jun 8, 2009: "...The protest was organised by the Baloch
Women's Panel and the Baloch Students Organisation (BSO-Azad),
and was led by University of Balochistan Professor Dr Saba
Dashtiyari..."; List
of Iranian Baloch hanged 2004 - 2009, RadioBaloch.org,
Jun 2009
The
Bahraini Authorities Recruit of Mercenaries from Makran Town,
Pakistan, Jun 6, 2009: "...The Bahrain Center for
Human Rights believes that the recruitment taking place in
Makran aims to bring in more Baluch soldiers to join the
Bahraini National Guard as well as the Special Forces that
belong to the National Security apparatus. Both of these
groups are made up of mostly foreign mercenaries, and used
to suppress local movements petitioning for greater rights..."
Rising
Above I.Q., by Nicholas D. Kristof, NYTimes.com, Jun
6, 2009: "...the most decisive weapons in the war on
poverty aren't transfer payments but education, education,
education..."
Barrick
Gold colonel invites Baluch ire, by Ahmar Mustikhan,
Newsvine.com, Jun 5, 2009; Additional info on Barrick Gold
at http://protestbarrick.net/.
The site is a portal for groups researching mining issues
and is concerned with communities negatively impacted by
Barrick's (and other mining) operations.
RELEASE:Balochistan:
The Key To Regional Security, June 8, 2009, Palais Des Nations,
Geneva (download
pdf)
Event scheduled to coincide with 11th session of the United Nations Human Rights
Council in Geneva (UNHRC) and will address human rights violations and propose
solutions to simmering tension and conflict in key region straddling Pakistan,
Iran and Afghanistan.
Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization (UNPO) in partnership with Interfaith
International and Baloch representative Mr. Noordin Mengal, will host an event
to discuss the deteriorating human rights violations in Baluchistan during the
11th Session of the UNHRC in Geneva on Monday, June 8 from 16h00 (TBC).
Balochistan is a region that makes up 44% of Pakistan’s territory but also
straddles Iran and Afghanistan. The region is exceptionally rich in natural resources
which has encouraged exploitative domestic and external intervention.
Speakers at the event will include influential Baloch leaders, security and human
rights experts and representatives of Permanent Missions to the UN, each of whom
will contribute to discussions of the present situation in the region and possible
solutions. The session, entitled Self-Determination in Baluchistan-its
Relation to Regional and Global Security will discuss
the repeated human rights violations of the Baloch, a minority community who
have been politically and economically marginalized by the Pakistan government.
These violations include indiscriminate use of force against civilians, targeted
killings and the disappearance of political activists and journalists. Hundreds
of thousands of civilians are said to have been displaced across province boundaries
into Sindh and Punjab and state boundaries into Afghanistan, underlining the
regional and international nature of the problem. The kidnapping of American
citizen and head of the UNHCR in Balochistan, Mr. John Solecki in February of
this year brought the attention of the international community to this region,
but the subsequent killing of three men who were members of the committee that
secured his release is evidence that international attention must now turn to
international action.
This event will allow assembled leaders, experts, and decision-makers to discuss
the current situation, raise awareness of the complexity to the problem, and
begin to develop possible solutions to the existing regional turmoil and instability.
For more information on please contact:
Ms. Maggie Murphy
UNPO Project Coordinator
P.O. Box 85878,
2508 CN The Hague, The Netherlands
unpo@unpo.org,
mmurphy@unpo.org
Tel: +31 (0) 70 36 46 504
Cell: +31 (0) 649 864 340
Dr. Charles Graves
Interfaith International Secretary General
P.O. Box 32,
1246 Corsier, Geneva, Switzerland
charlesgraves@interfaithonline.org
Tel: 0041 22 751 23 45
Fax: 0041 22 751 23 48
View:
'"Torturing
Democracy" relies on the documentary record to connect
the dots in an investigation of harsh interrogations of prisoners
in U.S. custody - and points straight to the top. Timely and
powerful, at its heart the film is about the rule of law -
and how the government pushed it aside despite the fierce resistance
of many on the inside...'
Stop
Pak from conducting nuke tests in Balochistan: Baluch
group, ZeeNews.com, Jun 1, 2009: " Asserting that testing
of nuclear weapons is the worst harm Pakistani occupation
inflicted on Baluchistan, a Baluch group in the United States
has asked the UN to take steps to stop Islamabad from conducting
further nuclear tests on their land..."
In
the region : UN
chief knew Tamil civilian toll had reached 20,000, by Catherine
Philp, TimesOnline.com, May 30, 2009: “The 20,000 figure
has also been obtained by Le Monde, the French daily
newspaper, which quoted UN sources as saying that the figure
had not been made public to avoid a diplomatic storm. The figure
of 7,000 deaths until the end of April, which was based on
individually documented deaths and not estimates, was leaked
by UN sources in Sri Lanka this month after internal anger
over the secrecy surrounding them. UN satellite images documenting
the bombing of medical facilities were also leaked from New
York...The Human Rights Council's decision not to call for
specific measures to protect Sri Lankans made a mockery of
the council, but it does not mean the end of the international
community's responsibility to respond to this continuing crisis..."; Calls
for war crimes inquiry over 20,000 civilian deaths in Sri Lanka,
by Jeremy Page, TimesOnline, May 29, 2009: "...Backed
by China, Russia and other allies, Sri Lanka also easily defeated
a proposal for a war crimes inquiry at a special session of
the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva on Tuesday and Wednesday..."
Up
to 40pc children out of school: report, Dawn.com, May
28, 2009: "The report quoted World Economic Forum's
Global Competitiveness 2008-09 that ranked Pakistan 117 out
of 134 countries in terms of quality of primary education...the
report highlighted that education was most under threat in
two major provinces – NWFP and Balochistan – both
riddled with internal conflicts.
Release: Washington
DC.
What: Nuclear Tests in Baluchistan: Political and Environmental Impacts
When: May 29, 2009 at 12 noon sharp
Where: 276 Carroll Street, DC NW 20012
RSVP: 301-957-0008
On May 29, a number of distinguished scholars and activists will talk about the
nuclear tests in Baluchistan and their impacts on the politics and environment
of southwest Asia and the world at large.
The DC-based education and advocacy organization, American Friends of Baluchistan,
has organized the meeting in Washington DC to commemorate the 11th anniversary
of Pakistan's nuclear tests in Baluchistan.
The seminar comes in the wake of recent reports that Pakistan army is feverishly
multiplying its nuclear warheads. (read
more)
Balochistan
APC, Dawn editorial, Dawn.com, May 23, 2009: "...Balochistan
is poor when it should be rich. It has a relatively small
population and vast reserves of fossil fuels and precious
metals such as gold and copper. The province has been exploited
ruthlessly, if not pillaged, by the centre. It has been on
the receiving end of brutal military crackdowns, torture
and forced ‘disappearances.' The anger felt by the
Baloch is understandable, as is their sense of alienation
from the centre. Those who take up arms in the fight against
injustice, or seek a separate homeland, will continue to
find adherents to their cause if the centre fails to invest
in Balochistan and award it control over its riches. Conversely,
the insurgents will find few takers when there are enough
schools, hospitals and job opportunities in the province..."
From
before: Pakistan refuses aid to displaced Baloch: Pakistan's
Other War, by Ziad Zafar, Newsline, Jun 14, 2007: "...For
several months now, aid agencies have been desperate to gain
access to the parts of Balochistan where villagers are caught
in the crossfire between rebel tribesmen and government forces,
but their efforts have been consistently blocked. "We have
tried everything to get aid across but all our attempts have
been systematically undermined," said Ronald Van Dijk, head
of the UNICEF mission in Pakistan. "Meanwhile, surplus supplies
of medicine and food are lying in warehouses in Quetta. "I
even know of aid groups that tried to deliver relief without
permits, but they got turned back on the road." Officially,
the UN cannot deliver aid without formal permission from the
host nation, something the agency has been desperately seeking
for the last nine months..."
Abdul
Wahid Qamber Baloch's life is in danger, family announces
hunger strike beginning May 20 in front of the Karachi
Press Club. Wahid Qamber's and Fazal Kareem's sister
and nieces are on strike at Turbat Press Club from May
19 (today). Translated from Daily Tawar by BalochWarna.org
in
US: Little
Known Military Thug Squad Still Brutalizing Prisoners at Gitmo
Under Obama, by Jeremy Scahill, AlterNet.org, May 15, 2009: "As
the Obama administration continues to fight the release of
some 2,000 photos that graphically document U.S. military abuse
of prisoners in Iraq and Afghanistan, an ongoing Spanish investigation
is adding harrowing details to the ever-emerging portrait of
the torture inside and outside Guantánamo..."
Rally:
On May 6, 2009, Baloch and Sindhi human rights supporters gathered
outside the White House to protest Pakistani govt. policies
in Balochistan and Sindh during Pakistan's president Zardari's
meeting with US President Obama.
London,
Public Meeting:
The Baluch-Invisible Victims of the ‘War on Terror’
Tuesday, 5 May, 2009, 7pm Committee Room 4a,
House of Lords, Hosted and chaired by Baroness Helena Kennedy QC,
"...Countless violations of international law largely go unnoticed by political
leaders in the democracies of the West because they are keen to maintain their
close strategic alliance with Pakistan. It is time that these policies were changed
and that the Baluch were granted the legitimate rights enjoyed by the peoples
of the world. These countless violations of international law largely go unnoticed
by political leaders in the democracies of the West because they are keen to
maintain their close strategic alliance with Pakistan. It is time that these
policies were changed and that the Baluch were granted the legitimate rights
enjoyed by the peoples of the world..." (read
in full)
Release:
On Apr 23, 2009, the Vancouver Chapter of BHRC (Canada) is
holding a peaceful rally to protest the brutal murders of Baloch
political activists and leaders. BHRC, Vancouver, will highlight
Pakistani military crimes against citizens of Balochistan in
an effort to help Canadians understand the ground reality in
Balochistan. All defenders of human rights and peace loving
citizens are invited to attend.
Location: in front of Vancouver Central Public Library,
350 West Georgia Street, next to Canadian Broadcasting Corporations (CBC) building.
Release:
A protest demonstration was held in front of Bush House (BBC
World service office in London) on 19 April 2009. The protest
demonstration was organized by Baloch Human Rights Council
in collaboration with the World Sindhi Congress and Sindhi
Baloch Forum. (read full
report, letter
to British Prime Minister Gordon Brown appealing for British
intervention in Balochistan), letter
to UN Sec. Gen. Mr. Ban Ki Moon; video
of London protest (by Balochinews.com) including statements
by Hairbyar Marri and Akbar Barakzai. Photos.
Photos provided by BHRC (Canada)
Release: Toronto, April 17, 2009 – Baloch Human Rights Council (Canada)
held a protest rally in Toronto to express their shock and concern over the abduction,
torture, and extra judicial killings of the three Baloch leaders, Ghulam Mohammad
Baloch, Lala Munir, and Sher Mohammad Baloch by the Pakistani military intelligence
agencies. The rally was attended by Baloch community of Toronto, World Sindhi
Institute, Canadian Kashmiri Association, and Pakhtunkhwa Peace Forum...(for detail,
for pictures)
Release,
Apr 17, 2009: A
highly successful protest rally in front of the Pakistan Embassy
in Washington DC demanded complete pullout of Pakistani
troops and intelligence services from Baluchistan and granting
the blood-torn region their right to self determination. The
rally organized by Baluch human rights activist Maqbool Aliani
and American Friends of Baluchistan (AFB) leaders Nabi Baloch,
Laurie Deamer and Mohammed Ali Baloch condemned Pakistan for
genocide and state terrorism in Baluchistan...(more)
(video)
coverage in Hindustan Times, Apr 18, 2009: Baluchis
hold demonstratioon in front o Pak Embassy
The
Killing Fields of Inequality, by Göran Therborn,
reposted at CommonDreams.org, Apr 7, 2009: "...But the
recurrent success of the Nordic welfare-states - with Finland
ranked sixth and oil-Norway sixteenth out of 131 countries
on a list of the most successful capitalist economies - indicates
that generous, relatively egalitarian welfare-states are
neither utopias nor protected enclaves, but highly competitive
participants in the world market. In other words, even within
the parameters of global capitalism there are many degrees
of freedom for radical social alternatives. The lethal effects
of inequality make the search for them imperative..."
Baloch
students organization and other students of Islamabad
held a protest against the brutal murder of chairman BNM Gulam
Muhammad Baloch, Lala Munir baloch and Shair Muhad Baloch in
front of Islamabad Press Club, photo by Sami Baloch, Apr
13, 2009
April 9, 2009: Top Baloch Leaders Assassinated
Baloch nationalist leaders Baloch National Movement President Ghulam Mohammad
Baloch, Lala Munir and Sher Mohammad Baloch were found dead in a rural mountainous
region near Turbat, police reported. One
policeman killed as riots break out in Balochistan, Dawn.com, Apr 9, 2009
Riots
as Baloch chiefs found dead, BBCNews, Apr 9, 2009: "...The
BBC's Azizullah Khan in Quetta says Ghullam Muhammad Baloch
was a leader of his own faction of the Balochistan National
Movement and a key member of the committee set up to try
to secure the release of abducted UN worker John Solecki,
who was freed last Saturday. Sher Muhammad Bugti was a leader
of the Balochistan Republican Party..."
The
Human Rights Situation in Baluchistan - Pattern of Repression:
Conference Details
On March 20, 2009 foreign observers and members of the Baluch
community attended a conference organized by Noordin Mengal
titled "The Human Rights Situation in Baluchistan -
Pattern of Repression" at Palais Des Nations, Geneva,
Switzerland. The conference followed a demonstration held at "The
Broken Chair", also at the Palais des Nations. Click
for full account; click
for photos
BSO (M) 'Balochistan Protection Rally' attended by estimated
20,000 people. Speakers Waja Mohid ul Din Baloch and Secretary
General Javed Baloch addressed the issue of independence
for the province of Balochistan. Mar 28, 2009
Khan of Kalat: "The only people who are secular in that region
are the Baloch, and if you (the UK Government) want to lose
your last ally on the ground... that is your choice."
Additional audio: Royal's fight for justice: audio
only
Release!
10th Session of the UN Human Rights Council, March
20
Please attend the Baluch Demonstration at the:
Broken Chair
20th March 2009
9am - 12pm
Palais des Nations,
Geneva, Switzerland
The Conference on Human Rights of the Baluch is
scheduled for: 3 pm-5 pm, 20th March 2009, Palais des
Nations, Geneva, Switzerland.
Note: The Broken
Chair "represents a giant chair with a broken
leg and stands on the Place des Nations, in Geneva. It
symbolises opposition to land mines and cluster bombs,
and acts as a reminder to politicians visiting Geneva."
UK
agents 'colluded with torture in Pakistan': Intelligence
sources 'confirm abuse', Extent of Mohamed injuries revealed" by
Mark Townsend, The Observer, Feb 22, 2009: "...Last
week HRW submitted evidence to parliament's Joint Committee
on Human Rights. The committee is to question Miliband and
Jacqui Smith, the home secretary, over a legal loophole which
appears to offer British intelligence officers immunity in
the UK for any crimes committed overseas..."; UK
ministers asked to appear before human rights panel,
Dawn.com, Feb 12, 2009
'No
US rights' for Bagram inmates, BBC News, Feb 21, 2009:
'...The justice department ruled that some 600 so-called
enemy combatants at Bagram have no constitutional rights...Prof
Olshansky said the conditions at the Bagram facility, which
is near the Afghan capital, Kabul, were worse than those
at Guantanamo Bay, adding that there was a lack of due process
available to detainees.
"The situation in Bagram is so far
from anything like meeting the laws of war or the human rights
treaties that we're bound to," she told the BBC.
"There are no military hearings where the detainees can present
evidence," she added. "Torture has led to homicides there that
have been admitted by the US."
"It's quite a severe situation, and yet the US is planning
a $60m new prison to hold 1,100 more people there."
The US military considers Bagram detainees unlawful combatants
who can be detained for as long as they are deemed a threat
to Afghan national security.'
"...There
are confirmed reports that Qambar Baloch, a student of the
8th semester in Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) department
at the Balochistan University of Information Technology and
Management Sciences (BUITMS), has gone ‘missing'. He ‘disappeared'
on 12 February from Quetta city where he had been invited by
some officials ‘to come for investigations'. Part
II, Feb 14, 2009
"Not Guilty!" London – 11
February 2009
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..."
Letter from Baloch
Human Rights Council: The Baloch Human Rights Council condemns
Pakistani army brutality against unarmed Baloch civilians,
including women and children and, in particular, Ms Zarrina
Marri. The BHRC urges United Nation's Secretary Genral Ben
Ki Moon for immediate and swift action. BHRC asks concerned
readers to fax
this letter or your own to Secretary General Ben Ki Moon.
Letters: Baloch
TV Channel, by Seema Khanum Pashambay, Karachi: "...
the present government should allow opening up of a private
Balochi TV channel and unlock the door of proper entertainment
and knowledge for Baloch people as well..."
From before: Munir
Mengal's Baloch Voice TV project, ISI, MI and General Musharraf: The
man who survived Pakistan's Gestapo, Dec 13, 2008, by Rahimullah Yusufzai
Partial
list of disappeared in Balochistan, Pakistan, posted
at balochunity.org, Jan 23, 2009: includes information regarding
details of the arrests. None of these individuals have been
produced in court and Pakistani agencies refuse to offer
information regarding the welfare or location of these individuals.
US
threats mean evidence of British resident's
Guantánamo torture must stay secret,
by Richard Norton-Taylor, Feb 4, 2009: "Evidence
of how a British resident held in the Guantánamo
Bay detention camp was tortured, and what
MI5 knew about it, must remain secret because
of serious threats the US has made against
the UK, the high court ruled today. The
judges made clear they were deeply unhappy
with their decision, but said they had
no alternative as a result of a statement
by David Miliband, the foreign secretary,
that if the evidence was disclosed the
US would stop sharing intelligence with
Britain..."
Ken Gude says, in effect, that human rights don't count. Governments
may have broken laws regarding torture, but never mind--torture of an
individual is a small matter in comparison to states losing their ability
to share intelligence: Guantánamo's
secrets, by Ken Gude, The Guardian, Feb 5, 2009: "... Public
disclosure of information is an essential part of any well-functioning
democracy. Yet the immediate impact of such a disclosure would be a rift
between the United States and Britain. But it could also have more far-reaching
implications, curtail intelligence cooperation among a broad set of key
countries, and increase the risk to British and American soldiers on
the front lines. The cause of public disclosure, however important, is
not sufficient to risk such an outcome...
For insight into 'What happens when you put good people in an evil place?',
see the classic psychology study, The
Stanford Prison Experiment
Comment:
Extraordinary rendition, by Niloufer Siddiqui: "...Pakistan
is just one of the many countries which has aided and abetted
the United States in carrying out its extraordinary rendition
programme...Article 3 of the Convention against Torture states, “No
State Party shall expel, return (“refouler”) or extradite
a person to another State where there are substantial grounds
for believing that he would be in danger of being subjected
to torture."
The Baluch Exclusive: Baloch
outraged, agitated over Zarina episode, By Malik Siraj
Akbar, Jan 14, 2009: "...This writer repeatedly endeavored
to contact Major General Athar Abbas, director general of
the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), and the station
officer in Quetta to seek the army's reaction to the AHRC
report and the Baloch anger. None of them was available for
comments..."
Comment:
Missing in Pakistan, by Mehlaqa Samdani, DailyTimes.com.pk,
Jan 8, 2009: "...Pakistan's current civilian government,
democratically elected in February 2008, remains weak and
has largely been unable to hold its agencies accountable
for their involvement in the enforced disappearances of Pakistani
citizens. It has also, for its own political reasons, continued
with the previous government's policy of keeping the judiciary
under strict executive control.
Sadly, families of the missing have more confidence in the new US administration's
ability to resolve this humanitarian issue than in their own government's
will and capacity. This is an opening that if seized by the Obama administration
could go a long way towards improving relations between the Pakistani public
and the US government..." (reposted)
Balochi
journalist reveals he was tortured in prison, Reporters
Without Borders, Dec. 24, 2008: "...Lehri's account
was distressing similar to that of Munir Mengal, who was
arrested on the orders of former president, Pervez Musharraf,
on 4 April 2006 and held secretly on his orders for 22 months
by police and military intelligence for having founded the
satellite television Baloch Voice..."
Statement
by Baloch Human Rights Council following successful demonstration
in front of Central Mosque in London. Previous rallies in front of
the Iranian Embassy drew small crowds and so the venue was shifted
(Word doc).
An
Appeal: Subject: Exposing
Discriminating Policies of SAP-PK, November 14, 2008: "...We
wish to draw your attention towards a gruesome cycle of constant
victimization and harassment of Baloch development activists
working in the Balochistan office of an organization called
South Asia Partners Pakistan (SAP-PK)..."
In Memory:
Balach Marri
Jan. 17, 1965 - Nov 20, 2007
BNP-M
vows to resist IDPs' settlement in Balochistan, DailyTimes.com.pk,
Oct 16, 2008: The Balochistan National Party – Mengal (BNP-Ml)
has expressed its concern over a reported government plan
to settle around 80,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs)
from Bajaur in Balochistan and warned to resist the move ‘tooth
and nail'.
Jirga
slaps fine on man, declares woman kari: "...A married
woman was allegedly declared kari in a jirga and it was decided
that she should be killed while the man alleged to be karo
was asked to pay Rs100,000 and a girl’s hand as fine...Ghulam
Abbas, husband of accused woman along with his family members,
relatives and father-in-law, reached Razidero press club
on Friday evening and staged a protest. ...
Baloch
women song writers praised, Dawn.com, Sep 7, 2008: "...Prof
Jamaldani said that Baloch women had taken up the pen in
an effort to change their social condition. He said: “Women
want to raise their voice against the discriminatory attitude
of tribal society, but as she is helpless she took to expressing
her difficulties and the negative attitude of society through
her poetry..."
Immediate
halt to military operation in..., apnakarachi.com, Sep
2, 2008: "...Condemning government's apathetic attitude
towards Balochistan and its disinterest in safeguarding the
rights of Baloch nationals, activists and members of the
civil society have called for an end to the military operation
in the region that has claimed lives of thousands of innocent
people besides displacing several others...; From before:
Dr. Naila Qadri, Professor at Balochistan University, opens
2nd session at National
Peace Conference, Hyderabad, Apr 2008.
Saleem Afshani
Baloch Republican Party (BRP)
District South President Saleem Afshani, reported
killed by agencies on Sep 17, 2008 in Karachi.
His body was found in Lea Market, Karachi.
Disappeared:
from Quetta: Mr. Hussain Ahmed Jamaldini, his brother Mr.
Abdul Baqi Jamaldini and cousin Mr. Rehmatullah Mengal; from
Noushki: Mr. Yahya Jamaldini, a teacher by profession.
Hassan
Janan Badini, a lecturer in the Balochi department at the University
of Balochistan, was detained by Pakistani forces on 26-08-2008. More
info. Allegations.
Release:
Baluchi Ha'al Gathering An initiative of the American Friends of
Baluchistan, Washington DC --A voice for
peace in southwest Asia full
report, Aug 31, 2008
New:Seven
Baloch women were buried alive, Senate is informed,
by StopHonorKillings.com,
Sep 15, 2008: Human Rights Activist Samar Minhallah
also shared her own findings with the committee
in the light of her own investigation. She
said Baloch reporters who had actually unearthed
this story and had shared useful information
were facing threats to their lives.
Baluchi
Ha'al An initiative of the American
Friends of Baluchistan, Washington
DC
--A voice for peace in southwest Asia
What: Reading of paper “Baluchistan
two years after the assassination
of Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti,
former governor and chief minister” and "Message
from Nawab Brahamdagh Bugti
to the American people" followed
by discussion.
Why: Serious human rights violations and extra judicial killings
are taking place in Baluchistan in Pakistan and Iran.
When: Aug. 30, 2.30 p.m.
Where: Savory Cafe, 7071 Carroll Avenue, Takoma Park, MD 20912.
Tel: 301-270-2233.
How: Come grab your own coffee and take part in a discussion on
society and politics of one of the most fascinating places on earth—Baluchistan,
which simply means the land of the Baluch, in southwest Asia. Baluchistan
has the dubious distinction of being one of the richest lands with
the poorest people on earth today. Texas-sized, the land is divided
among Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan.
RSVP: Ahmar Mustikhan: 301-957-0008
Radio
Balochi writes to Amnesty
International requesting Urgent
Action regarding the case of Moulavi
Ahmad Naroui who disappeared
after presenting himself at
a courthouse, as requested
by authorities, in Mashad,
Iran.
His
friend Mr. Najib Naroui, who is an active member of ‘'Balochistan
Human Rights Watch,'' said friends who accompanied
him were denied admission and were later told that Moulavi
Naroui never appeared in court
New:PAKISTAN
Aafia case highlights 'dark side' of counter-terrorism,
Dawn.com, Nov 20, 2008: "...NEW YORK: The torture and
abduction claims, which the US government rejects, are not
part of the court case, but still need to be addressed, Berman
said. 'Certainly it has a bearing on the clinical treatment
... and the issue of competence,' he said...."
US prosecutor says Dr Aafia may be unfit for trial, DailyTimes.com.pk,
Sep 24, 2008: "...At the last court appearance, Siddiqui's lawyer, Elizabeth
Fink, said federal authorities should treat Siddiqui as someone who may
have been the victim of torture..."
Dr Aafia's court appearance raises questions: Amnesty International
calls US govt's account of Aafia attacking officials ‘extraordinary'...Siddiqui's
legal team paints a very different picture of what has happened to their
client. They say...She is the ultimate victim of the American dark side.”
Press
Release, Aug 12 by Asma Jahangir: "...The violation of the
rights of Dr. Siddiqui and her children, and countless other missing
persons, is squarely the responsibility of the government of Pakistan.
There is enough evidence indicating that she was initially picked
up by the intelligence agencies in Pakistan and therefore it is not
only the government of the United States but also the government
of Pakistan that must be made accountable for this crime..."
Amnesty
International Urgent Action: According to local Baluchi
sources, Ebrahim Mehrnehad, Fazlorahman Jahras, Abdollah
Salarzahi and Asadollah Shahbakshhave been arrested, and
their whereabouts are unknown. They are at grave risk of
torture...Ebrahim Mehrnehad is the younger brother of Baluchi
journalist and civil society activist Ya'qoub Mehrnehad (hanged
in early August), who is the head of a legally-registered
NGO, The Voice of Justice Young People's Society (VJYPS)...
Washington
DC, Aug 15, 2008: Baloch
leader Urged the US Government and world leaders to support
Balochistan's case at ICJ, Dr. Wahid Baloch: "...Baloch
people, just like the Kurds, are secular and great ally in
the war on terror. We support and defend the International
Security Assistance Force and the democratic government of
Afghanistan's right to pursue the Taliban and Al-Qaida terrorists
right into the sanctuaries provided to them by the Pakistan
army and the Inter Services Intelligence. A Balochistan ruled
by secular forces is in the interest of the peoples of the
world, including the United States..."
Baluchi
Ha'al launched in Washington D.C., by Shehmir Gorgej:
WASHINGTON D.C.: A new program has been launched to create
awareness about the Baluchistan situation in the U.S. capital.
Yaghub
Mehr-nehad was founding leader of 'Voice for Justice –Baluchestan'
province of Iran where he sought social justice for the
people of the province.
Iranian
executes journalist over 'links to
militant group': An Iranian newspaper
journalist has been executed for
allegedly associating with a militant
group and threatening national security,
officials in Iran said today...Amnesty
International, which has reported
claims of abuses against ethnic Balochis,
says Iran executed at least 335 people
in 2007, with the real figure believed
to be much higher...", The Guardian,
Aug 5, 2008
In memory, Agha Nauroz Ahmadzai
The editors of thebaluch.com extend their deepest condolences to
the Ahmadzai family for the loss of Agha Nauroz, son of Prince Musa
Ahmadzai.
London Protest, Aug 3:
report from Balochi
News (click for more pics by Gulzameen)
A huge demonstration held outside the British prime minister's official
resident here in London on 3rd August 08 demanding the stoppage of the
British military and logistic support to Pakistan.
The demonstration was organized by Baluch Action Committee UK and also
asked for western help towards stopping Pakistani army atrocities in Baluchistan,
particularly the latest onslaught on Dera Bugti that started on 19 July
08 and resulted in killing of over 53 innocent women, men and children
on that day alone.
The onslaught ordered by the current PPP government of Pakistan is continuing
and has also forced many residents of Dera Bugti to flee to other towns
and villages in Sindh province. The participants in the demonstration chanted
slogans against the Pakistani army and government, and asked for the withdrawal
of the army from Baluchistan.
A number of leaders including Abdul Samad Baluch, Tariq Baluch, Mir Golam
Hussain Baluch, Mr. Akbar Barakzai, Dr Lohana and Khaled Langu also spoke
to the gathering. They later presented a memorandum at the prime minster's
house. Picture and report from Balochi News
Rights
bodies urged to help find missing student, by Amanullah
Kasi, Dawn.com, Jul 29, 2008: "Mohammad Anwar Baloch
of Turbat has appealed to human rights organisations to raise
voice against detention of his brother Iqbal Baloch for more
than 15 months..."
July
4, 2008: Khan
of Kalat greets U.S. people, government:
"...No amount of brute force, can crush the collective dream of a people, the
U.S. struggle for independence showed...As you celebrate this great day, I urge
you to keep Baluchistan in your thoughts and prayers. I pay tribute to the Americans
have responded to the call of duty to uphold the ideals of freedom, justice and
democracy in the most remote corners of the world..."
Abdol
Hamid Rigi, the brother of Abdol Malik Rigi, is be extradited
to Iran, essay
by Reza Hossein Borr
"... The BBC reported that Abdol Hamid Rigi, known in Pakistan as: Gholam
Haidar Raeesani, the brother of Abdol Malik Rigi, the leader of Jondollah, is
now in custody in Pakistan and an order for his extradition to Iran has been
issued by president Musharaf...He may be extradited to Iran any moment ..."
May
28, 2008: Anti-Nuke DC rally demands extradition of A.Q. Khan,
redrawing boundaries: (article, photos)
"...Robert Selle, president of the American Friends of Baluchistan, addressing
the protest rally called for the right of self-determination for the people of
Balochistan “a land rich in resources” and said he has written to President Bush
and U.S. Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice to help the
Baloch..."
May
18, 2008: UNPO General Assembly: Forging an Organization For
the 21st Century: UNPO
Members were in Brussels for the IX UNPO General Assembly.
Top of the agenda was the adoption of a reformed UNPO Covenant
which will refine the organization's role as a major international
interlocutor for indigenous and disenfranchised peoples around
the world.
Sources report Shaeed Commander Qaimdeen Mengal was killed on 16
May 2008 in a deadly blast in Wadh while attacking a Pakistani
army convoy. No further details regarding casualties are available
at this time.
BBC
Urdu interview with Sardar Akhtar Mengal, Part
1, Part
2, May, 2008
World-wide
protests to mark anniversary of nuclear tests in Balochistan
"Baluch, Sindhi and American peace activists will join hands in protest
against Pakistan testing of its deadly Islamic Bomb in occupied Baluchistan on
May 28 outside the Pakistan embassy in Washington DC. A noon to dusk hunger strike
will also be staged to draw the attention of the U.S. public to the ongoing brutal
military operation in Baluchistan...
Baluchistan was annexed by Pakistan in March 1948 and a move is afoot to
knock the doors of the International Court of Justice. The Khan of Kalat
His Highness Suleman Daud Ahmedzai has sought asylum in the United Kingdom
and has vowed to get the right of self-rule for his people...
A special highlight of the day will be the reading of a message from the
de jure ruler of Balochistan, His Highness the Khan of Kalat. In a separate
address to his nation, the Khan of Kalat will convey his plans for Baluch
emancipation through telephone to the Quetta Press Club..."
Harbayar
released in UK, by M. Ziauddin, Dawn.com, Apr
18, 2008. For background, see: Crushing
Dissent, by Peter Tatchell, The Guardian Comment, Feb
1, 2008
Protests
in Balochistan, BBC Urdu: Mar 27, 2008: Protests
throughout Pakistan on the 60th anniversary of Balochistan's
forcible annexation to Pakistan: BBC
video footage; photo by Daily Tawar
Mar
1, 2008: UNPO (Unrepresented Nations and Peoples) accepts Baluchistan (Eastern) as
a new member. Attendees of the organization's
4th presidency session (29th February-1st March) at its
headquarters in The Hague unanimously voted to accept Baluchistan
as a member. UNPO has already made appeals for the
release of Akhtar Mengal on its website:http://www.unpo.org/
front L to R: Noordin Mengal, Mr.
Marino Busdachin (UNPO Secretary-General ), Erkin Alptekin
(Honorary President), Tsering Jampa (executive director of the
International Campaign for Tibet), and other respected members.
Quetta:
Baloch express support for Kurds and demonstrate against atrocities
committed by Turkish, Iranian and Pakistani governments against
both Kurds and Baloch, photo, NNI, Feb 29, 2008
Hyrbyair
Marri's arrest [and Faiz Baluch's] in London also coincided
with a major Pakistani
military offensive against Baluchistan, which has included
the indiscriminate bombing of civilian areas using US-supplied
fighter jets and other weapons small arms, some of which may
have been supplied by Britain...
New Video: People & Power-Burning
Issues, Al Jazeera, Jan 9, 2008: a report
from Balochistan, where nationalists struggle for greater
control over their region's natural resources.
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
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
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.
Statement
by Mehran Baluch in United Nations, Geneva,
Sept 21, Since 1948 and after the illegal occupation of
Balochistan by the Pakistani army, the Baloch people have
been gifted with five military operations resulting in
tens of thousands of casualties and thousands still missing. read
more
Baloch nationalists under the leadership of the present king, Khan
of Kalat Mir Suleiman Daud Khan, will be filing their case for the
autonomy of Balochistan in the International Court of Justice: more
Dr. Wahid
Baloch and Khan of Kalat Mir Suleiman Daud Khan
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."
United Nations Association of the National Capital Area (UNA-NCA) and The
World Sindhi Institute (WSI) Invite you to a SEMINAR on the occasion
of United Nations “INTERNATIONAL DAY OF THE DISAPPEARED”
Speakers:
Mr. David Smith, Deputy Director of United Nations Information Center: A journalist...he
has lived & worked in Argentina during the "dirty war" when many people were "disappeared".
Mr. T. Kumar, Advocacy Director for Asia & Pacific, Amnesty International, USA:
Mr. Kumar has extensively researched and raised the issue of disappearance...
Mr. Manzoor Mirani, Sindhi Journalist: Coming from Sindh, Mr. Mirani will share
the on-ground factual situation of disappearances...
LONDON:
A meeting was held on 26 August 2007 in University of London
Union building at Mallet Street London UK. The gathering was
organised by WSC (World Sindhi Congress), SBF (Sindhi Baloch
Forum) BAC (Balochistan Action Committee UK) and BRM (Balochistan
Rights Movement. A number Baloch, Sindhi and other human right
campaigners from UK, Bahrain and Sweden have participated in
the meeting to pay tribute to Baloch National leader Nawab Akbar
Bugti. more
details and resolution
The human
rights situation in Balochistan is deteriorating rapidly:
The below links indicate that many more arrests have
been, and are to be made; renewed effort to extradite
Khairbayar Marri from England
Update
on disappearances: In early June 2007 Waheed Kambarani and Sherdil
Khan were kidnapped from a restaurant in Khuzdar, Balochistan,
by Pakistani agencies. For a month their whereabouts were unknown
to their families. Now they have surfaced in Khuzdar detention
center. Details
BHC
orders medical aid for Munir Mengal , by Amanullah Kasi,
Dawn, Sep 7, 2007; The advocate general . . . said Mr Mengal
was running the Baloch Voice website. The home department letter
accused him of having close links with the outlawed Baloch Liberation
Army.
Pakistan
missing 'should be free', BBC News, Sep 4, 2007; Chief
Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry: "It has been established that
these people are in the custody of (spy) agencies . . . "
" . . . On August 30, the International Day of the Disappeared was observed
at the House of Representatives' Cannon House Office Building. The event had
two sponsors: The United Nations Association of the National Capital Area and
the World Sindhi Institute (WSI).
The latter organization focuses on human rights of the Sindhis in southeastern
Pakistan, and many examples were given of Pakistani journalists and others who
had vanished due to the government's intervention or tacit support. The former
organization is a local group that discusses and supports the United Nations
and its specialized agencies. . ."
On 30 August, the International community remembered the missing
and disappeared people throughout the world. The day has been
officially declared as the Day of the Disappeared. On that
day, the International Commission on Missing Persons (ICMP)
calls on all governments to provide answers to families on
the fate and whereabouts of missing persons. International
Human Rights Organisations have declared enforced disappearance
as a grave human rights violation and a crime against humanity.
On this day, 30th August 2007, the fate of tens of thousands
of innocent Baloch youth and elders remains unknown. . . (click
for word doc)
"The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) appealed to parliamentarians
on Friday to urgently take up the issue of the victimisation and “merciless oppression” of
the inhabitants of the Dera Bugti area..." Asma
Jahangir, HRCP, photo by Tom Tavee
Intimidating
Baloch nationalists', by Sanaullah Baloch, The
Nation, Aug 9, 2007:
"...Akhtar Mengal, former chief minister...is detained since last eight
months...Mengal is not arrested in corruption charges, neither charged with misuse
of power. He is not an industrialist, loan defaulter and not involved in any
land scam like many other pro-establishment politicians of the country...
khtar Mengal
is detained and kept in isolated cell with scorching
temperature in one of the Karachi's prison since December
2006..." more
New:
Interview with Mehran Baluch: The Baluch
representative at the UN Human Rights Council discusses the Baluch
struggle for liberation from Pakistani and Iranian oppression
in Talking with Tatchell. Pakistan and Iran are escalating their
war against the people of Baluchistan, detaining without trial
thousands of Baluchs and executing hundreds more. The international
community is acquiescing with this suppression, which is strengthening
the position of Taliban-style Islamists in the region, see video
interview, balochvoice.org
Baloch Community (UK) Press Release, July 6, 2007:
The
central executive committee
of Baloch Community (UK)
in its meeting expressed
concern over the role
of Iranian and Pakistani
authorities in dealing
with the disaster in
both parts of Balochistan. more
__________________________________________
Dear Members of the public,
We are appealing on behalf of the Baloch people who are in
urgent need of your support. The region of Balochistan in
South East Asia has been hit by cyclone Yemyin, which has
affected over one million Baloch people. As a result of this
unprecedented natural disaster over 250,000 Baloch have been
left homeless and all transport network links have been destroyed
leaving the Baloch people without basic necessities such
as shelter, clean water, basic food and clothes. Please help
the people of Balochistan as much as you can, any level of
support is greatly appreciated and will go a long way in
helping the Baloch people at this grave time. If you have
any queries please do not hesitate in contacting us at: bcuk@hotmail.co.uk
Please send any contributions to the following
account:
Branch code = 0213 (Edmonton),
Account number: 703 863 442 Branch address is 190 Fore street,
Edmonton, London, N18 2JA
Fore more details contact: General Secretary of BCUK, Mr.
Hussain Baloch, On: 07920729683 Thank you for your support
Many Regards,
BCUK (Baloch Community UK)
