Balochistan National Party
Date: November, 03, 2010 Ref: No: BNP-UNSG/03
His Excellency Ban Ki-moon
Secretary-General
United Nations
Subject: Urgent Action: Pakistan, Balochistan; Crimes Against Humanity
Dear Secretary-General,
First of all I would like to thank and congratulate you for your tireless and sincere efforts for
addressing pressing human rights and humanitarian challenges globally.
I on behalf of people of Balochistan, a Texas-sized region straddling Pakistan, Iran and
Afghanistan, would like to bring in to your kind attention the crimes against humanity committed
by the Pakistani authorities, and encourage your good office and human rights mechanisms to
publicly address pressing human rights crisis in the region.
Although there is a so-called democratic government in Pakistan but under current dispensation
cases of politically motivated detention, killings and disappearance of Baloch people has
increased manifold.
With the government refusing to end the practice of enforced disappearances, currently, more
than 2,000 people are “missing” and arbitrarily detained in illegally established military and
paramilitary cantonments in all around Balochistan, where they are subjected to torture
(including electric shocks and whippings with electrical wire) to death. Detainees and victims of
enforced disappearances include Baloch nationalists, students, journalists, researchers, and social
workers.
Pakistan’s gross human right abuses against Baloch people have been well documented by the
established international organizations. Amnesty International in its October 25, 2010 report has
urged the Pakistani government to must investigate the torture and killings of more than 40
Baloch leaders and political activists, killed over the past four months. Report says that “the
Pakistani government must act immediately to provide justice for the growing list of atrocities in
Balochistan.” Furthermore, the AI statement says that the “Baloch political leaders and activists
are clearly being targeted and the government must do much more to end this alarming trend.”
Excellency, in last two years the human rights violations are taken a very dangerous and serious
twist. The government backed “serial killers” are openly targeting moderate Baloch leaders and
security agencies are disappearing, torturing and throwing mutilated bodies of political activists
on the streets.
The recent killings include the cold-blooded murder of Balochistan National Party leaders and
former Senator Mr. Habib Jalib Baloch in July 2010, Haji Liqat Mengal in July 2010, Chief
Attahullah Baloch in August 2010, Mir. Noordin Mengal in October 2010, killing of National
Party’s senior leader Maula Bakhsh Dashti in July 2010, BNP Karachi president Zahid Baloch in
2008, brutal daylight abductions and killing of three senior Baloch leaders in April 2009, Rasool
Bux Mengal in August 2009 and assassination attempt on prominent Baloch intellectual Jan
Mohammad Dashti in February 2009 are a fraction of systematic and slow-motion “ethnocide” in
Balochistan.
Excellency, Pakistan made a significant number of human rights pledges in its successful
campaign to join to the UN Human Rights Council, but few have been implemented. There are
some core instruments that Pakistan has not even signed, while others have been signed but not
ratified, this includes International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced
Disappearance, 2006.
Furthermore, the Pakistani government continues to use draconian powers to suppress basic
human rights of ethnic and religious minorities and provide authorities with effective immunity
from prosecution.
Despite being party to, and claiming to implement principal human rights treaties, the Pakistani
government violates all of them and has consistently failed to comply with international
standards in the administration of justice.
United Nations and international community cannot be silent in situations where the violation of
human rights is systemic, grave, and widespread, and where States dismiss issues of human
rights and refuse to engage in meaningful dialogue. In appalling situations the international
community has no choice but to express its views and voice its concern. Hence, I write
concerning the gross human rights situation in Balochistan, Pakistan
We urge you to forcefully raise and address following human rights issues
. Seek explanations from government of Pakistan regarding unabated cases of enforced
disappearances, targeted killings by the “death squads”, extra-judicial killings, torture,
military operation and systematic discrimination against Baloch people.
. Urge the government to welcome all UN special rapporteurs who wish to visit
Balochistan to monitor and document gross human rights violations.
. Press the government to end the practice of enforced disappearances, political
assassinations, and torture and permanently close notorious detention centers where
political activists are detained and abused.
. Ask that the High Commissioner for Human Rights and UN special rapporteurs be
invited to visit Pakistan and particularly Balochistan province.
. Invoke UN mechanisms to address Baloch people longstanding demand for national right
of self-determination .
Excellency, history has shown us that indifference and silence never resolved anything. On the
contrary, scrutinizing and speaking out against systematic abusers of human rights can make an
unmistakable and lasting difference.
We welcome any mediation and political initiative by the United Nations to resolve the Baloch
question according to the UN charters and mandate and promotion of human rights in the region.
With profound thanks,
Sincerely,
Mohammad Akhtar Mengal
President, Balochistan National Party
http://www.balochistannationalparty.com
No comments:
Post a Comment