A culture split between Iran and Pakistan, Persecuted, they are struggling for survival Then there are thousands more in South Afghanistan, Hoping for reunification and revival
There's not even a reference to it in my desk encyclopedia! (Signet/Penguin updated edition from 1989 - It's got a lot, but they missed that!)
Until recently I've only heard of it in an occasional cryptic reference, but then I came across a photo that intrigued me and I started looking into the story behind it. One thing has led to another and now I am in the midst of a flurry of communications from around the world - to read them all is almost like grasping snowflakes and trying to comprehend their shapes before they melt in your hand!
You see, the last time that the Baloch were a self governing people was in 1948, when the Khan of Kalat ceded the governance of his people to Pakistan without proper authorization from the tribes that he represented. With that paper and force of arms, Pakistan has since retained dominance over what is now generally recognized as the southwestern portion of their country and about six million members of the Baloch tribes. Ever since then Pakistan has had to deal with simmering resentment from a large portion of it's population and periodically that resentment has turned into armed insurrection.
The Punjabi government of Pakistan quickly found out that they were chasing ghosts when the Baloch freedom fighters were able to retreat into their mountains and they cold heartedly turned to the tactic of bombing and strafing unarmed civilians in exposed villages, forcing the Baloch fighters to come out of the mountains to defend their tribal lands and families. It seems that they are equally ruthless when it comes to dealing with members of opposition groups even if they only engage in peaceful protest:
Right now I am still learning a lot about the Balochi people and their history. It's an understatement to say that there's a lot of persecution and injustice that takes place. By the way there is still a Khan of Kalat and he still speaks for his people. The deceit and force of arms that has subjugated his nation and their allies has been ongoing for almost sixty years. Earlier this year he made a presentation to the House of Lords in Great Britain and the text can be seen at http://thebaluch.com/presentation_102407.php . *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** 11/21/2007 There has been a death today... Nawabzada Balach Marri has been Killed (confirmed by the BLA) I've received the news ahead of any official announcements due to my own connections to the Baloch community. Of course, on any given day there are many deaths, but this is a leader from the Balochi armed resistance to Punjab rule, regarded as many as a leader and a hero of the resistance and he will doubtless be seen as a martyr now that he has been lost in action, fighting for the freedom of his nation from the oppressive regime led by Pervez Musharraf. *** . ***
11/24/2007 This letter was sent on my behalf following my inquiry as to the fate of the young men in these photos.
Dear _____: Please give more information about the young man in the picture being strangled by an agent. Please answer the questions of our new member Karl Stuart Kline who has opened a page on Balochistan in his web site. Whether this and other young men has/have been detained, released, waiting for trial, tried, sentenced, disappeared etc.
I look forward for your reply. _____
And this was the reply: Dear _____,
Sorry for the late reply... the young boy seems in the pictures named nabeel and now police transfer in to the jail... and the court demand 25thousend for relese... and they are very poor peoples, when i saw her mother and talked with her she said he was nothing doing there police arrested him without any reson...
and the other guys are relesed .. police take rishwat in police station
but nabeel still in jail waiting for his relese
_____
It made sense for me not to divulge the names of the persons, lest they be endangered for doing nothing more than providing some of the information that should be available from the local news media, but it seems that this government is afraid to allow a free press. This news is a couple of days old, but it's the most recent that I have - I trust the source enough to believe what I am told, but it is not a sound journalistic practice to rely upon a single source. Unfortunately, I am unable to confirm this independently, so if anyone can offer some further information, I will be pleased to know more.
Of course this generates more questions:
What is "rishwat"? Is that Urdu for "ransom"? In context, that is what it sounds like.
Is that what the 25,000 (Rupees?) are for? As opposed to legally ordered (by an independent judiciary) fines or bail money?
Always more questions...
Karl!
*** *** *** *** ***
11/25/2007 Updated information (and some answers to my questions...)
First, I've found out that "rishwat" is a Hindi word for "bribe"! So "ransom" would be an accurate translation under the circumstances. I also understand that the amount demanded was in Rupees.
I sent this letter last night.
Dear _______:
Removing the names first, I have posted your letter and the response on my Balochistan web page. I did leave in the name of the young man, since I believe that the more people that know of his circumstances, the better his chances are of being returned to his family without further harm done to him. Please look to see if this is acceptable for you.
I also posed a few additional questions that you might be pleased to answer.
Also the three pictures are obviously of different individuals... Do you know which one is Nabeel?
Thank You very much,
Karl Stuart Kline
This is the gist of the response - I didn't print the rest of the letter because it was not in English and I could unintentionally compromise my source.
Nabeel Baloch is the one which police get by his neck... Still he is on jail near
malir
This is all my information to date, but I will continue to provide what updates I can that I believe to be from reliable sources.
>^.\/.^<
11/26/2007
Late this morning, I posted the following letter to my source. I don't have any answers yet - some answers I might get right away, but others will take more time. However, the letter should be interesting in and of itself and my readers can anticipate the answers.
Hello, __________!
I have updated the information on my web page, if you would like to take a look.
I've also done a few e-mails to bring the page to people's attention and encouraged them to bring it to their friends' attention.
If my "reliable resource" can continue to provide me with up to date information, then we might just develop a following until this story is resolved...
Let me say this once, although it should be self evident - I also say this for the benefit of those people who might read this letter if I post it later on my web site. This information must remain as reliable as possible. (I realize that there are limitations - it would not go well for our contacts in Pakistan if they were found to be giving us information, so they must be careful.)
Also I have suggested to a few people that if they have any good and relevant questions that I could pass them on. If this story reaches enough people, it could trigger an internal investigation into what local police are doing when they represent their government before the world at large and foster at least a temporary crackdown on those officials who misuse public responsibility and fatten their purses at the expense of the people who they are supposed to be protecting - At least at the lower levels of corruption might be affected and some of these brutes might be called to task for what they do!
Even if they are only punished for being an embarrassment to their superiors, then that is an accomplishment!
For now I have a few more questions and will post this letter on my web site as well, so that people will realize that this is an ongoing story and that they can anticipate some answers. By the time we can get some answers, I hope to have generated more interest... and more questions!
What are the extent of Abeel's injuries? Are they being treated at all?
(I know that is a question that involves some access to the jail where he is being held, but if his mother or family has been allowed to visit, there might be some information available.)
Can we get some information about the jail where he is being held? Perhaps even a photograph?
Perhaps someone who has been released from that jail can tell us what kind of treatment is he likely to be getting and what the conditions are like inside the jail? Perhaps some specific questions will help.
Are the cells small and the jail crowded? Multiple prisoners to each cell?
Would he have a cot or a mat or is he likely to be sleeping on the floor?
Is there any provision for sanitation? A shared toilet and sink perhaps? In good repair?
Is he being fed more than once a day? Anything more than rice and lentils, if that?
Are conditions such that a healthy man is likely to come out sick?
We can see that the arrests were abusive... Is the abuse likely to continue in the jail?
I know that this is only one arrest out of many and that the government's abuses of its' power go far beyond what we discuss here. However, people can identify with an individual's experiences and become more involved in his story than that of a more generic newspaper story that's only there for a day.
I thank you very much and I give special thanks to the people who are taking risks by providing us with this information.
Karl Stuart Kline
>^.\/.^<
11/27/2007 This is the initial response that I received yesterday afternoon...
Dear Karl: Thanks for your effort for the the detainees I am sending your mail to my source. As soon I get any update will send it to you. Jails in Pakistan are like sheep pens and not at western standards. Sincerely, _________
I've received a response to my questions this morning... I was reasonably certain that conditions would be bad, but it seems that the reality of the situation is even worse!
___________________________ wrote:
Dear _____ ________,
I do answer whatever I understand in karl's email...
Q) What are the extent of Nabeel's injuries? Are they being treated at all?
A) At first they wait for prisoner's parents for the bribe, if they can't pay any bribe then they do the FIR, and then the person go to the jail.
Q) Are the cells small and the jail crowded? Multiple prisoners to each cell?
A) Jails in Karachi are very very congested places in Pakistan, 50 to 70 inmates live in a single cell.
Q) Would he have a cot or a mat or is he likely to be sleeping on the floor?
A) The jail in charge demand like 2000/= Ruppees for a week to allow a person not to sleep in the crowd, they sleep on the floor Q) Is there any provision for sanitation? A shared toilet and sink perhaps? In good repair?
A) There is nothing provision for sanitation. for a whole cell just one toilet, and it's very much dirty (without asking your cell in charge even u can't go to toilet)
Q) Is he being fed more than once a day? Anything more than rice and lentils, if that?
A) they are fed once a day and rice once in a week, just a half baked stale bread and some thing with the bread.
Q) Are conditions such that a healthy man is likely to come out sick?
A) HEALTHY conditions? they torture prisoners just for the money.. and if someone come to meet the prisoners they demand money for the visit of the prisoner.
Q) We can see that the arrests were abusive... Is the abuse likely to continue in the jail?
A) as I said before it depends.. if u give money for your prisoner they will not be abusive with him.
Q) Can we get some information about the jail where he is being held? Perhaps even a photograph?
A) He is held at (Landhi Jail) Karachi.. No Camera Allowed to get any photograph in the jail.
Note : it's all based on my own experience in the same jail where Nabeel is right now.. I was there for 3 moths because of my protest against the killing of Nawab Akbar Bugti.
That is still the last that I've heard regarding Nabeel's condition...
I'd hoped for a picture of the prison to include on this page - not from the inside, of course! That would be much too big a risk for anyone else to take. Simply a picture from somewhere nearby to use as a visual aid would suffice.
What can we do to help?
As someone else asked me what do I propose other than having people come to this web page?
My honest response was this: "Whether or not I can actually help this particular young man is a good question. From the description that I've received, it sounds like he's found a little corner of Hell where torture, disease and filthy conditions are considered a normal state of affairs. He might be dead before we even have a chance to make a difference for him."
This is sadly true... There's also the possibility that if someone sensed the possibility of an international embarrassment at any level, then he could disappear and there are already too many reports of "disappearances" in his country - thousands of them! I do not wish to inadvertently trigger his disappearance if he has a chance of coming out of jail alive...
Whatever comes of this at least it is a start. I had the idea that perhaps we could make a difference for one man and to make his freedom possible might enable others in turn, however I have not had the kind of response that would make me think that this is likely. Still it is something to be able to give this persecution a face and a name that people can identify with. Being introduced by name makes him a person - a young man with a mother and a family - all of them with hopes, fears and aspirations for the future.
Still, I hope that people will continue to come to this web page and learn of what happens to these young men and others whose culture is under systematic attack even though they are in their own ancient homeland, divided as it is between Iran and Pakistan. I hope that they will meet Nabeel and the brutal thugs who have taken him and continue to hold him. I cannot reach out and pluck him from the jail where he is held. Nor can I prevent some self serving "public" official from claiming that they never had such a person in their jails. There's a good reason that there may be no written records - it's a reason that our own political leaders sadly acknowledge and proliferate. The catch phrase is no longer "The Buck Stops Here!" It's now more like "Can we maintain Plausible Deniability?"
12/07/2007
Still no more word of Nabeel's condition...
Now there's word of Balochi that have been detained in England - and that Pakistan is trying to extradite them. I don't know the particulars of the arrest(s?), but I should doubt the likelihood of extradition, considering the topsy turvy state of affairs with Pakistan's justice system, esp. since martial law was declared.
I would also think that the inhumane conditions that exist in Pakistan's prisons (as we've seen described in Landhi Prison) would arguably be grounds to block extradition.
It makes sense to me that to allow someone to be extradited into those conditions would be tantamount to maintaining those conditions in your own country and that should be unacceptable!
12/8/2007
I've been made aware of a news article that provides some background on the arrests. here's a link: http://www.gulf-times.com/site/topics/article.asp?cu_no=2&item_no=188680&version=1&template_id=41&parent_id=23 The charge named in the article is suspicion of the "commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism." This should be interesting to follow. Many Baloch have sought shelter in England from the government that is strongarm rule by a Punjabi military led by Pervez Musharraf .
12/10/2007 - this came my way this morning! I can't make it across the pond, but I'll definitely be watching the news for it!
STOP THE EXTRADITION OF BALOCH HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVISTS TO PAKISTAN
Nawabzada Herbiyar Marri and Faiz Mohammad Baloch have been arrested by British authorities, likely on behest of Pakistan. The Government of Pakistan has long been seeking the extradition of Baloch nationalists exiled in Britain to suppress the voice of the secular Baloch people.
We request all individuals and organisations who believe in the upholding of human rights to join the demonstration to protest the arrest and harassment of Baloch activists and urge the British government not to give in to pressure from the corrupt Pakistani military establishment and immediately release those detained.
The extradition of these peaceful activists who have have been engaged in an entirely lawful and constitutional struggle for the rights of the Baloch nation, would result in their arrest, torture, imprisonment and possible execution without a fair trial.
Event Information:
Sunday 16 December
From 2-4 pm
In front of
10 Downing Street
Nearest Tube: Westminster and Charing Cross
Organisers and Contacts:
Balochistan Action Committee
Samad Baloch - 07825087032, Mir Hussain Baloch â?“ 07506696954
Ambreen Hisbani - 07930397082, Rahim Baloch - 07770771100
*************************************************************************************** hmmmm? 12/12/2007 I received the following note and press statement today... I am only just becoming acquainted with Mr. Tatchell's work, but from what I've found out he has been active in gay rights specifically and Human Rights in general for about 30 years. In that time he has acquired a reputation and published a good deal of material.
He states in his release that he is personally acquainted with both men and vouches for their good character - It's definitely worth reading!
Please find attached the press statement of Mr. Peter Tatchell, a renowned human rights activists. Please could you forward it to media and human rights groups.
Thanks Terror detainees are human rights activists Baluchistan activists remanded in custody on terror charges
Pakistani bid to frame nationalists and silence critics?
Westminster Magistrates’ Court - London - 11 December 2007
“The evidence of terrorism against the Baluchistan human rights campaigners Herbiyar Marri and Faiz Baluch is flimsy, circumstantial and flawed,” said human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell.
“These terror charges are likely to have been at the instigation of the Pakistan government, which has long sought to silence critics of its repressive occupation of Baluchistan.
“President Musharraf is pressing Britain for the extradition of Baluch nationalists exiled in London. If these men are extradited they will never get a fair trial and they could face a death sentence,” he said.
Mr Tatchell was commenting after attending Westminster Magistrate’s Court in London this morning, when the two Baluchistan freedom activists were remanded in custody on terrorism charges.
“I know both the detained men, “added Mr Tatchell.
“They are Baluchistan nationalists and human rights campaigners. We worked together to expose Pakistan’s persecution of the Baluch people. The defendants have never expressed to me any support or sympathy for terrorism. All our campaigns have been lawful and peaceful. I would be very surprised if either man was involved in any terror plot.
“Mr Marri is a former MP and government minister in the provincial assembly of Baluchistan during the 1990s. A member of one of the most distinguished and esteemed Baluch families, he is a rather unlikely terrorist.
“Britain and Pakistan have been in secret negotiations for a terrorist prisoner swap. The UK police want to extradite Rashid Rauf from Pakistan. They are keen to question him in connection with the 2006 plot to blow-up transatlantic airliners. In return, the Pakistani government is demanding to extradite from Britain several Baluch nationalists, in order to silence their highly effective campaign which has exposed Pakistan’s repression in Baluchistan. This repression includes detention without trial, torture, extra-judicial executions and the strafing of villages suspected of being sympathetic to the Baluch independence movement.
“Herbiyar Marri and Faiz Baluch are campaigning for a free and independent Baluchistan. Their homeland was a former British Protectorate. It secured independence in 1947. Less than a year later, Pakistan invaded and annexed the newly-independent nation. The Baluch people have, however, never given up their struggle to reassert their freedom.
“In court this morning, the prosecution claimed that Marri and Baluch had incited acts of terrorism but the prosecutor provided no evidence of who had been incited and how they were incited. None of the documents read out in court constituted an incitement to terrorism. Most were website press reports and news releases, many of which are available on dozens of media websites.
“The allegation that Mr Marri possessed a weapon that could be used for terrorist purposes has been questioned by a relative, who claims it was a self-defence spray device that Mr Marri had acquired because he feared violent attack by Pakistani government agents. His fears are real and credible, given the kidnapping and assassination of Baluch nationalists by the Pakistan authorities.
“The two defendants were arrested on 4 December in London on suspicion of the ‘commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism,’ relating to alleged terror plots abroad, and were yesterday charged with inciting terrorist acts.
“I urge the British government to not give in to pressure from the Pakistani dictator, President Musharraf. The extradition of these men would result in their arrest, torture, imprisonment and probable execution.
“The Pakistan authorities have repeatedly arrested peaceful Baluch nationalists and human rights campaigners on trumped up charges.
“Earlier this year, there was an attempt by Pakistan to secure the extradition from Britain of Mehran Baluch, the Baluch representative to the UN Human Rights Council. The charges against him were false.
See this Guardian newspaper report on the case, 28 March 2007:
“Mehran’s brother, Balach Marri, was recently murdered by the Pakistan army.
“These arrests look like another stitch-up orchestrated by the Musharraf regime, which wants to crush those who speak out against Pakistan’s murderous oppression of the Baluch people,“ said Mr Tatchell.
The lawyer representing Herbiyar Marri is Jim Nichol: 0207 272 8336.
The lawyer representing Faiz Baluch is Fadi Daoud: 020 7266 4333.
For further information:
Lakhumal Luhana, Baluch human rights campaigner, also in London: 07912 219 471 lakhuluhana@yahoo.co.uk
Ambree Hisbani, Baluch human rights campaigner, also in London: 07930 397 082
Mehran Baluch, the Baluch representative to the UN Human Rights Council, based in London: mehranbaluch@hotmail.com
Hussain Baluch, Baluch human rights campaigner, also in London: 0750 66 969 54
Peter Tatchell, human rights campaigner: 020 7403 1790
Baluchistan freedom struggle - Pakistan colludes with Taliban
By Peter Tatchell
Baluchistan was a former British Protectorate. It secured its independence in 1947. But less than a year later Pakistan invaded and annexed the newly-independent state of Baluchistan. The Baluch people have, however, never given up their struggle to reassert their freedom.
After six decades of occupation and bloody repression, Pakistan is once again escalating its war against the people of Baluchistan, detaining without trial thousands of Baluchs and executing hundreds more. Because Britain and the United States want Pakistan as an ally in the “war on terror” they are arming Pakistan and acquiescing with its suppression of the Baluch people.
Pakistan’s war against non-fundamentalist Baluchistan and its moderate nationalist forces is strengthening the position of the Taliban who have exploited the situation to establish bases in the region. From these bases they seek to enforce the Talibanisation of Baluchistan. The Pakistani government colludes with the Taliban’s murderous campaign, on the grounds that it helps to crush the Baluch people and their movement for independence.
Some Taliban leaders and fighters have hidden out in Baluchistan, from where they plan and launch their military operations to overthrow the democratically elected government of Afghanistan. Their campaign to usurp power in Kabul is taking place with the tacit collusion of key figures in the Pakistani government, military and intelligence services. The Pakistan authorities seem to be allowing the Taliban to use Baluchistan as a base for their war against democracy and human rights.
The international community is looking the other way, allowing the Baluch people to be suppressed and ignoring their right to self-determination.
Dec.10th is a little late to be posting this for those of us who might be sympathetic enough to show their support by wearing black - however, this is still a good summarization of the current state of affairs in Pakistan.
Observe Dec 10 as 'black day' : HRCP urges civil society
Lahore 05 December 2007:
The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan calls upon all members of civil society to observe the Universal Human Rights Day as a "black day". The worst human rights abuses, in the history of the country, were recorded in 2007.
The rights of ordinary people have been violated by the government with impunity. More than 400 people have been picked up by security forces and many remain missing. The Musharraf regime obstructed the Supreme Court in providing justice to those who remain disappeared, as well as those who recorded their statements of having suffered extreme forms of torture at the hands of the security forces. Reports of torture, threats, intimidation, and arbitrary arrests run into thousands. Incidents of extrajudicial killings continue to be reported but never investigated.
The situation has now reached alarming proportions.
The coercive apparatus of the State are being blatantly used against all sections of civil society.
The media is chained and free expression censured. Thousands of lawyers, journalists, students, teachers and human rights activists were arrested. A number of them remain incarcerated under deplorable conditions. Lawyers and others have been accused of offences falling under the Anti-Terrorism Act. Thirty-five judges of superior courts have been put under house arrest. The family of the Chief Justice of Pakistan is also confined to their residence. This is unprecedented.
The rights of the people are being usurped on the pretext of curbing terrorism. It is the people who are suffering terrorism; both at the hands of non-state militants and state agents. The government has failed to bring militants to justice or to disarm them. On the contrary, at several occasions, the government and its agents have patronized or in the least, ignored criminal acts carried out by militants acting in the name of Islam.
HRCP warns that the claim made by Musharraf of moving towards a transition to democracy is a total farce. The assertion is yet another smack on the face of the people of Pakistan. Amendments to the Legal Practitioners and Bar Council Act as well as the Army Act are only a few examples of the government's grand plan to subjugate the spirit of peaceful members of civil society. Much more is to follow.
HRCP, along with other civil society groups, will organize a black day on the 10th of December. Black flags and bands should be displayed on this unworthy occasion. In order to record the laudable struggle of the legal fraternity of Pakistan HRCP will award the best documentary film made on this movement. All entries are to be submitted by 30 June 2008.
Asma Jahangir
Chairperson Human Rights Commission of Pakistan '' *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** 12/16/2007 Rally at 10 Downing Street!
12/17/2007 Last evening I searched all over the internet looking for some reference to the demonstration that took place yesterday at 10 Downing Street. I"m afraid that I did not have much luck, but I did find this article that was written for the Dawn Publishing Group (Pakistan and South Asia)... This is the link:
