Seminar and Protest at UNHRC, Geneva: Human Rights Situation in Balochistan
YouTube | September 25, 2012 Video;
Also see DailyTimes report | September 29, 2012 Baloch in Europe slam rights violations in Iran, Pakistan
Seminar at UNHRC, Geneva - Human Rights Situation in Balochistan
On 20th September, a a seminar was held alongside the 21st session of UN Human Rights Council on human rights violations by Pakistan against the people of Balochistan. The event was chaired by Baloch representative Mehran Baluch and speakers included Noordin Mengal, Tarek Fatah, Dr Charles Graves, Paulo Casaka, a former Member of European Parliament, Zafar Baloch of BHRC (Canada) and Baseer Naveed of the Asian Human Rights Commission.
The event drew attention to the deteriorating human rights situation in Balochistan and the disturbing level of enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings by the Pakistani military. The participants condemned the Pakistani government's efforts to extensively obstruct the recent visit of the Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary disappearances in order to hide its atrocities in Balochistan and expressed deep concern about the Pakistani establishment's campaign to Talibanize Balochistan and the region and promote extremist groups against the secular and progressive Baloch nationalists.
L to R: Zaffar Jawaid, Noordin Mengal, Tarek Fateh, Mehran Baloch
L to R: Zaffar Jawaid, Noordin Mengal, Tarek Fateh, Mehran Baloch, Baseer Naveed, Dr. Charles Graves
Condemning the state's agenda, they said that the radicalization of Balochistan would also target women and religious minorities, which are the most weak and vulnerable parts of society. The participants alleged that the Pakistani establishment has consistently promoted hatred and division on sectarian and ethnic basis to facilitate its sinister agenda of subjugating and oppressing the masses and perpetuate its own existence. Participants said that the Pakistani military and establishment was not only a threat to the Baloch, but also a threat to world peace and humanity. The participants appealed to the international community to take serious note of the atrocities being committed and to intervene in Balochistan. The seminar was attended by a large number of human rights campaigners, NGOs, delegates from various countries and senior UN representatives.
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DailyTimes.com.pk report | September 29, 2012 Baloch in Europe slam rights violations in Iran, Pakistan
GENEVA: A number of protesters from several Baloch organizations based in Europe including the BPP and BHRO gathered at the Broken Chair in front of the Palais des Nations in Geneva to denounce the ongoing human rights violations against the Baloch people by Iran and Pakistan. Among the participants were Baloch representatives Noordin Mengal and Nasser Boladai.
The Baloch community in Europe staged the demonstration alongside the 21st session of the UN Human Rights Council to protest against executions, forced disappearances, and extra judicial killings in Balochistan. They were holding banners protesting the extrajudicial killings of Balochs at the hands of the military and intelligence agencies of Pakistan and Iran.
The protesters condemned the brutal military operations in Balochistan that has resulted in the death of thousands of innocent civilians in women and children and the displacement of hundreds of thousands. The protesters also condemned the media blackout imposed by the states.
They held placards with the pictures of Baloch who had been assassinated and were executed without trial. They also held pictures of Baloch Civil rights activist and blogger, Yaghob Mehrnihad, who was arrested by the Iranian forces in March 2008 and executed on 4th September 2008. He was the first blogger to be executed for his activities as a blogger and human right activist.
The participants denounced the arbitrary detention, harassment, enforced disappearances and extrajudicial executions of Baloch students, teachers, journalists, intellectuals and political social, and cultural activists and human rights defenders. The participants highlighted the issues of economic exploitation, militarization and nuclear expansion, state support for religious fundamentalism and the role of the Pakistani state in sponsoring and exporting terrorism to endanger regional and global peace and security. They appealed to the international community and UN to stop supporting Pakistan and to immediately intervene in Balochistan and take stern action against Pakistan and Iran for the continuous atrocities taking place in Balochistan and hold the perpetrators accountable for crimes against humanity.
