Press release of American Friends of Baluchistan

Press release
Call: 301-957-0008

WASHINGTON DC, Nov. 9, 2009: The Baluch in the USA are marking the international human rights day by drawing the world attention to nearly 8,000 Baluch missing in Pakistan Occupied Baluchistan.

Rain, snow or shine, a dawn to dusk hunger strike will be staged by an activist of the American Friends of Baluchistan in front of the Norwegian embassy in Washington DC, to apprise the world about the silence over the abduction of Norwegian Baluch national Ehsan Arjemandi, 34.

Arjemandi was abducted by the Pakistani Military Intelligence, a sister agency of the infamous Inter Services Intelligence while visiting his native Baluchistan on August 7.

He is among the more 8,000 Baluch that have gone missing since the onset of what the Baluch call the fifth war of independence after the forced annexation of their territory by Pakistan on March 27, 1948.

After months of denial, pakistan Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani recently acknowldged that the federal government has a list of nearly 1,000 such missing persons who he promised will reunite with their families soon.

The victim's brother Ali Arjemandi has complained his brother is being treated differently because of his skin color.

More than 20,000 Baluch patriots have given their lives for the freedom of their country.

Both Pakistan and Iran are committing gross human rights violations against the Baluch people, who are struggling for independence. Baluchistan was once an independent country on the world map before the white men set foot on their territory more than two centuries ago. When the British left, as part of their divide and rule policy, Baluchistan lost its independence as Pakistan under its thuggish leader Mohammad Ali Jinnah forcibly occupied Baluchistan under a so-called Instruments of Accession.

The A.F.B. is closely allied with Baluch national heroes Waja Hyrbyair Marri, Waja Brahumdagh Bugti and Dr. Allah Nazar Baloch and is the most organized political voice of the Baluch people in the US capitol.

The address of the embassy is 2720 34th Street NW, Washington DC 20008.