Thursday 2 September 2010

International Voice for Baluch Missing Persons (U.K section) to protest against enforced-disappearances


When: Sunday 5 September between 12 to 5pm
Where: In front of 10 Downing Street (The British PM’s House)
Nearest Tube Station: Westminster Tube Station


London:As Pakistan army launched its fifth military incursion in Eastern Baluchistan, the Baluch masses, appalled by military’s excessive use of force against civilians, voiced their anger unanimously against the state. As a result, the army further intensified its terror campaign across the Baluchistan – killing scores of innocent men, women and children and arresting thousands of political workers on trumped-up charges, while, driving around a quarter of a million people out of their towns and villages.

Quite clearly, by introducing such ruthless tactics against civilians, the military hoped that people would eventually give up their support for the Baluch national cause.

In a similar vein, Islamic Republic of Iran, fearful of growing resentment against the regime, from very day of its presence in Western Baluchistan has been relying heavily on brute force to terrorise Baluch people. The Islamic Republic has been conducting public executions ceaselessly in major Baluch cities. Its secret police and Para-military forces have abducted unknown number of Baluch political activists. Many of these victims are reported by the regime media of being hanged but without giving their dead bodies to their families. Others are still missing.

And yet, in spite of their repressive policies, both states, Iran and Pakistan, have failed to break the resolve of Baluch people in their struggle for their democratic rights.

Pakistan is already being closely monitored by international media because of its dubious role in supporting Taliban and Al Qaeda insurgents and constant meddling in the Afghan affairs. Its military and security establishment are well aware of the fact that if the foreign media, somehow, manage to get the real insight of what is going on inside Baluchistan, it may put serious constraints on country’s foreign policy choices. Pakistan knows its limit in Baluchistan. It, indeed, is conscious about the severe consequences that would follow, should it commit a-Rwanda-style genocide in Baluchistan.

After all, its past atrocities in the East Pakistan, which later became Bangladesh, is still being investigated. Pakistan, thus, resorts a policy of denial, deception and secrecy with regards to its misconducts in Baluchistan. It attempts to hide its widespread human rights abuses against the Baluch people.

So far, according to one estimate about 8000 people, including men, women and children, have been abducted in various parts of Easter occupied Baluchistan. Just in the month of August 2010, the Pakistani intelligence agencies killed fifteen Baluch political activists who had been picked up from different areas and remained in their custody.

Later, their mutilated bodies were thrown in open fields. As the security situation further deteriorates in Baluchistan, Pakistani security forces may attempt to kill more of those who are forcibly abducted. Pakistan is also attempting to use them as human weapon in a desperate bid to deter political forces and their activists to distance themselves from the
Baluch cause for national liberation.

It is, therefore, imperative to raise the issue in western capitals and work to highlight the plight of our brothers and sisters in international humanitarian organisations.

International Voice for Baluch Missing Persons (U.K section) is organising a sit-in protest against enforced-disappearances and cold-blooded murder of Baluch prisoners at the hands of Pakistan Military, Para-military and the police. We urge all Baluch who reside in the United Kingdom to join this protest and voice their opposition against abduction and disappearances of Baluch political and social activists by the Islamic fundamentalist states of Pakistan and Iran. We also request other free born people and friends of Baluch people to join the protest to help us raise voice against Pakistan’s and Iran’s atrocities in Baluchistan.

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