London rally coverage from Voice of Baloch Missing Persons | January 11, 2011 | Link to article
London rally link to photos
Quetta rally BRSO protests against non-recovery of missing Balochs
Karachi rally Voice of Baloch Missing Persons (VBMP) holds hunger strikes in Karachi and Quetta to protest abductions
Background story: '72 bullet-riddled bodies found in six months' VBMP
Background story: 2010: Bloody year for Baloch Political prisoners

Voice of Baloch Missing Persons (VBMP) holds hunger strikes in Karachi and Quetta to protest abductions

A note from CrisisBalochistan: in the recent New York Times article outlining U.S. administration concerns over the disappearances and murders of Baloch citizens and activists, Human Rights Watch Ali Dayan Hasan says: "It is very difficult to put numbers on disappearances as they are accompanied by intimidation of the next of kin of the disappeared...People are unable to speak publicly. But we can safely say that disappearances are the order of the day across Pakistan, particularly in relation with counterterrorism." CrisisBalochistan wants to draw attention to the fact that the Baloch have been speaking publicly about the disappearances and holding very public demonstrations for the past several years. There are numerous lists one can consult for names of the missing. While we realize there may be fears associated with advocacy for the missing in other provinces of Pakistan, the problem with regards to the Baloch is NOT getting friends and relatives to speak up, but rather getting Pakistani officials to identify where the persons are held.

Photo: Voice of Baloch Missing Persons (VBMP) protest, hold hunger strike in Karachi, Day 24

Report from Balochwarna: The families of several illegally detained Baloch persons are continuing their token hunger strike protests in Karachi and Quetta. Several political parties from Sindh and Balochistan have visited the camps to show solidarity with families and friends of Baloch abducted activists. The vice chairman of Voice of Baloch Missing Persons (VBMP) has said that Pakistani security forces continue to raid the houses of Baloch disappeared persons in a bid to harass family members. He also strongly condemned the security force's attempt to arrest Sayed Yousaf Baloch of BNM, as well as the raid on the house of Mir Wadood Raisani.

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UK Baloch activists staged a protest demonstration against human rights violations in Balochistan

London: A large number of Baloch and their friends have gathered at 10 Downing Street, London to protest against the continuation of Human Rights abuses in Baluchistan by Pakistan and Iran. The protesters demanded of the British government to stop supporting Pakistan as the country was committing atrocities in Balochistan and carrying out the genocide of Baloch Nation.

Photo: London demonstration over missing persons in Balochistan

The fundamentalist states of Pakistan and Iran are presently engaged in a vicious competition in their policy of abduction, torture, hanging and under-custody killing of Baloch political and human rights activists. The aim of the protest was to highlight such atrocious actions of Iran and Pakistan and to bring the plight of the Baloch Nation to the attention of International community. The protest was part of our monthly "Save Balochistan Campaign" by International Voice for Baloch Missing Persons. Activists from South Azerbaijan Independence Party, CAMPACC and Al-Ahwaz Democratic Popular Front have also joined the protest to show their solidarity with the people of Balochistan.

Speaking on the occasion the Baloch activists said that both Pakistan and Iran are continuing their atrocities in Balochistan with impunity and the International Community and International Human Rights Organisation have failed to take notice of the arrests, disappearance, under-custody killings and executions of numerous Baloch civilian and political activists by these occupying states.

Describing the atrocities of Iran and Pakistan the Baloch activists said that Iran has executed at least six innocent Baloch (confirmed) in January 2011 and dozens have been arrested during raids from different town of Balochistan.

Pakistan also continues it "kill and dump policy" in Balochistan. The Pakistan military intelligences and Intelligence agencies killed at least 80 Baloch activists under-custody in the last six months of 2010. Year 2011 seems no different than the previous years as the state (Pakistan) continues to commit the genocide of Baloch nation.

On 3 January 2011 a member of Baloch student Organisation (azaad), Faraz Baloch was shot dead by Pakistan government agents in Karachi and seriously injured four of his friends. On the night of 4 January 2011 the dead body of Sardarzda Yousaf Langov Baloch was found in a cannel in Kirani area of Quetta. On 4 January 2011 three Baloch including father and brother of an abducted Baloch student Yasir Baloch have been arrested from Trubat on the same night.

On 5 January 2011 further two bodies of Baloch students were discovered from Turbat. The victims were identified as Chakar Qambar Baloch, a Central Committee Member of BSO-azaad, and Ilyas Nazar Baloch. Ilyas was a young journalist who was working for a Balochi language magazine Dhorant. The occupying states have been targeting and killing the most conscience and well-informed section of our society. On 6 January 2011 the body of Aazam Badini has been found in Noshki whereas on 8 January 2011 bodies of two Marri Baloch were discovered near panjgor town of Balochistan.

The International Voice for Baloch Missing Persons has urged the Baloch Diasporas to join the "Save Balochistan Campaign" by organising meetings and protests in the respective countries where they reside. The IVBMP also urged the Baloch to meet the representatives of different human rights organisations, MPs, MEPs and Human Rights Groups affiliated with the UN Human Rights Council to inform them about the plight of Baloch people.

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BRSO protests against non-recovery of missing Balochs

Occupied Balochistan: The Baloch Republican Students' Organisation on Saturday staged a protest demonstration outside the Quetta Press Club, condemning the non-recovery of missing persons and killing of innocent people in the province. Carrying placards and banners inscribed with writings in support of their demands, the protesting students chanted slogans against the government and judiciary for their failure to recover the missing people.

They claimed that the whereabouts of BRSO President Altaf Bugti and other students' leaders, including Sana Sangat and Jalil Reki, who were whisked away by security forces years ago, were still not known. Recalling a statement of the prime minister which he made during the joint sessions of parliament that "all the missing persons will celebrate Eid with their families", they said that PM Gilani's announcement was a mere hoax and he had told a lie before the public representatives.

On the contrary, they added, more people had been picked up and still many were being taken away by state functionaries. The irate students further said the "so-called" free judiciary had also failed to resolve the issue of missing persons. "It has cheated Baloch people by backing the hostage-taking of political opponents and dropping genuine cases," they remarked.

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Photo: Voice of Baloch Missing Persons (VBMP) protests in Karachi

Photo: London demonstration over missing persons in Balochistan

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