from Sagaar.com | Sept 1, 2012 | Story

Protest in Germany

Baloch Diaspora in Europe has held simultaneous protest demonstrations against continuous disappearances and extra judicial killings of Baloch activists by Pakistani and Iranian security forces in Balochistan. The International Voice for Baloch Missing Persons and Baloch Student Organisation Azad had given the call for worldwide protest on 30 August, "˜the International Day of Disappeared'. Protests were held in Ireland, United Kingdom, Norway, Sweden, Australia, Germany and Canada.

In Ireland the BSO-Azad activists protested outside Trinity College Dublin (University of Dublin) in Dublin against non-recovery of Zakir Majeed Baloch, who was abducted on 8 June 2009 near Mastung town in Balochistan, and thousands of other Baloch missing persons currently being illegally held by Pakistan's military and security agencies. The BSO-A activists were holding the posters of Baloch Missing persons and those killed under Pakistani military custody. Activists also distributed leaflets containing information about Balochistan's history, Disappearances, custodial killings, Internally Displaced peoples (IDP's) and other crimes of Pakistani state including brutality against Baloch women in Occupied Balochistan.

In London a protest was organised by International Voice for Baloch Missing Persons and Baloch Student Organisation - Azad opposite the official residence of British Prime Minister. Despite being it a week day and relatively cold, a large number of Baloch, Sindhi and other human rights activists participated in the protest demonstration. The protester displayed large banners inscribed with slogans against human rights violation in Balochistan, pictures of enforced disappeared persons and victims of Pakistan state's kill and dump policy. They also chanted slogans against Pakistan and for the release of abducted Baloch activists.

The activists of BSO-Azad distribute leaflets to spectators and passerbies. Several people stopped by to inquire about the human rights violations in Balochistan and expressed their solidarity with the Baloch people. The protesters urged the International Community and the British government to stop supporting Pakistan as it was committing crimes against humanity in Balochistan. They said Pakistan was violating the international Human rights laws and hence breaching her international obligation as a member state of the United Nation.

Many activists and leaders addressed the crowd, the speakers included Nobat Marri the information secretary of BSO-Azad London zone, Sohaib Mengal the CC member of BSO-Azad, Abdullah Baloch a leader of Balochistan National Movement (Balochistane Raaji Zrombesh), Samad Baluch the secretary general of BHRC, Rahim Bandoi from Balochistan Peoples Party, Mehrab Sarjou, Mansoor Baloch president of BRP (UK), Zahid Baloch of Baloch National Movement (BNM), Tariq Afzal a friend of Baloch from Kashmiri Community, Dr Lakhu Lunhana from World Sindhi Congress, Marzook Ali Hazara an elder of Hazara Community in London and Kambar Baloch from BSYA. Asghar Shahwani Baloch and Banuk Mahnaz Baloch read messages from mothers of Shaheed Mehrab Umer Baloch and abducted Zakir Majeed Baloch respectively.

The speakers said that Pakistan and Iran were inflicting brutalities on Baloch for demanding their just rights including their natural right, freedom. They said the right to liberation has been accepted by the UN charter and the civilized world but Iran and Pakistan have deprived the Baloch people of their right to live freely and at their own will. They said the Baloch were adamant to continue their struggle for freedom and the state brutalities cannot deter them from their struggle.

They speakers urged the Prime Minister of UK and all human rights Organisations including the United Nations to take urgent notice of abduction of Zakir Majeed Baloch and thousands of other Baloch men, women and children. They said the silence of UN and other democratic countries on the genocide of Baloch people was daunting and a question mark on their partiality.

The speaker appealed the UN delegation, due to visit Pakistan, to visit Balochistan if they want to know about the ground realities in Balochistan. They said it would be a waste of time if the UN team only meets the government officials and ignores the victims of state atrocities.

The Baloch speakers urged the UN to hear the plight of miserable Baloch who are left at the verge of being extinct by none other than a member state of UN, Pakistan, the so called "˜land of pure'. They said Pakistan is committing crime with impunity despite being obligatory to certain Human Rights instruments was violating all those laws by extra judicially abducting the Baloch activists, subjecting them to brutal torture and keeping them in military dungeons for year without any trails and killing them in custody.

Nobat Marri, whose older brother Faiz Mohammad Marri's was abducted and later killed in custody by Pakistani security forces in March 2011, said that disappearance in Balochistan have been a routine of Pakistani force since the illegal occupation of Balochistan in 1948. He further said "the tactics of disappearances and killing which Pakistan adopted in Balochistan are no different than the dirty war waged by military junta in Argentina in 1976 - 1983. In "˜dirty war' in Argentine the military abducted, tortured, and killed anyone they claimed were "˜subversive', including all political opponents or the military regime. Similarly in Balochistan the victims of Pakistan's "˜Dirty War' are mainly youth people, educated and politically conscious section of Baloch society."

BSO-Azad International representative, Sohaib Mengal, urged the Western powers to stop supporting Pakistan as it was a threat to their own security. He said "If you leave a state like Pakistan nurture. and strengthen herself, than many 9/11s and 7 /7s will happen again. Baloch nation is the only hope for the civilized world in that region but if the world doesn't act on time than the secular Baloch will also be converted into extremists because Pakistan is investing huge amounts of money in madrassas. The world should act because their security is at stake."

Dr Lakhu Luhana a leader of World Sindhi Congress said that Pakistan was the only state in world that is responsible for killing of millions of Bengalis and disappearing the highest number of people. He said Pakistan must have been tried in International Court of law long before it started committing crimes in Sindh and Balochistan. He said killings and abduction will not deter the people of Sindh and Balochistan from struggle for Independence. "It is certain that Sindh and Balochistan will be independent sooner or later - whether in our life time or after us but the freedom is inevitable", said the Sindhi leader.

Meanwhile simultaneous demonstration were held in Perth and Sydney cities of Australia, Gothenburg city of Sweden and Oslo in Norway where activists of Baloch Student Organisation -Azad and International Voice for Baloch Missing Persons distributed leaflets, and displayed pictures of victims of state barbarism and dump and kill policy.

Protestors in the Gulf

In Oslo a dozen Baloch demonstrated outside Parliament. Waheed Baloch, President of Baloch Student Organization (BSO -Azad) told a Norwegian newspaper that "We want to highlight what intelligence services in Pakistan are doing with our people." The Baloch protesters also urged that the Norwegian authorities should pressurize Pakistan to release Ehsan Arjemandi Baloch. According to a Norwegian daily, there are around 400 Baloch in Norway.

Anwar Baloch and Hafeez Baloch told the Norwegian media that thousands of Baloch have 'disappeared' Balochistan. "People disappear without anyone taking responsibility. Intelligence blames rogue gangs and criminals. But most often it is the military intelligence behind these abductions", they say.

The Baloch activists in Sweden and Australia appealed the Human Rights Organisations to intervene in Balochistan to stop the genocide of Baloch people. They requested the UN delegation, due to visit Pakistan, to meet with families of Baloch victims of enforced-disappearances and those extra-judicially killed by Pakistani forces.

Germany:

Baloch Diaspora in Europe have held simultaneous protest demonstrations against continuous disappearances and extra judicial killings of Baloch activists by Pakistani and Iranian security forces in Balochistan. The International Voice for Baloch Missing Persons and Baloch Student Organisation Azad had given the call for worldwide protest on 30 August "˜the International Day of Disappeared'.

In this regard the Baloch Community in Germany has also held a protest in city of Koln in front of Koln Dom. The Baloch activists distributed leaflets to passers-by held placard inscribed with slogans against human rights violations in Balochistan.

In a press release the Baloch Community Germany (BCG) said that Pakistani security agencies abducted thousands of Baloch and killed hundreds in captivity. They said due to Pakistani security forces barbarism the human rights situations in Balochistan were deteriorating rapidly and due the forces' dump and kill policy there was an alarming tendency toward violence in the society. The BCG said there were enough evidence of Pakistani FC and ISI's involvement in abductions and killings of Baloch activists.

They said recently the Pakistani Anti Narcotic Forces and agencies have abducted four Baloch fishermen from Peshukan area of Gawadar among them Samad Bilal was killed and dumped after one day of his abduction. "According to eye-witnesses report Samad's face was acidified and his legs were drilled. Such acts exposes the very brute nature of Pakistani forces which an unacceptable and unpardonable crime."

The BCG press release further said that over 14000 Baloch have been disappeared by Pakistani security agencies and over 500 Baloch have been killed in custody. "The lives of abducted Baloch persons at risk and immediate actions are needed for their safe release."

The Baloch Community Germany appealed the UN, EU and the United states to play their due role and save the lives of Baloch detainees. They appealed the UN to pressurise Pakistan to give the status of Prisoner of conscience to Baloch political detainees and treat them as prisoners of war according international law. The appealed the UN delegation, due to visit Pakistan next month, to visit different areas of Balochistan, hold talks with families of Baloch missing persons and those who have been extra-judicially killed. They also appeal the UN delegation to meet the representatives of Voice for Baloch Missing Persons and urged Pakistan to immediately release abducted Baloch unharmed.

The BCG urged appealed United States and other international powers stop supporting Pakistan army unless they show respect for human rights laws in Balochistan. The Baloch Community Germany appealed to the government of Germany to urge Pakistan to stop the bloodshed in Balochistan.