25 December 2008

Policeman gunned down in Quetta, Baloch National traitor killed in Dera Bugti

Quetta: Baloch Freedom Fighters shot dead a policeman on wedensday at Joint road Quetta, after he finished duty and was on his way to home when two Sarmachars on Motorbikes opened fire on him..According to sources Mohammad Yousuf who was believe to be one of the active police constable in arresting and torturing Baloch activists and Freedom fighters.Spokesman of Baloch Liberation Army claimed responsibility of the attack Meanwhile BRA Saramchars attacked the house of Baloch national traitor Dura khan mondarani Bugti with latest weapons and rockets. In a result He died and his two sons along with bodyguards injured.Spokesman of Baloch Republican Army Mr. Sarbaz Baloch claimed responsibility of the attack via phone to newsmen. Dura Khan Bugti was a Baloch National traitor and informer of Pakistani agencies and forces. Said Spokesman.

21 December 2008

complete shutter down and wheel jam strike was observed in all over Balochistan

Quetta: Complete shutter down and wheel jam strike was observed in all over Balochistan on Friday against ongoing military operation. The strike was observed on a call by the Baloch Republican Party (BRP) and other Baloch nationalist parties. all business establishments shopping centres, plazas, and markets remained closed in Quetta and all over Balochistan.

15 December 2008

Two Baloch National Traitors killed in Dera Bugti

Dera Bugti: Baloch Republican army killed Mewa Khan bugti in a bomb blast along with his bodyguard in Dera bugti.According to sources Mewa Khan Bugti a former commander with his bodyguard were killed in a remote controled explosion in dera bugti. His nephew also injured in the attack. however it is not confirmed yet if he survived.meanwhile Baloch Sarmachars killed another traitor with his security guard in Dera Bugti.
meanwhile Baloch Sarmachars killed another traitor with his security guard in Dera Bugti.Wadera Hanif Khan Bugti with his bodyguard was on his way to sui from Dera Bugti when Baloch Sarmachars opened fire on his vehicle. In a result Wadera Hanif khan with his bodyguard died on the spot.Spokesman of Baloch Republican Army (BRA), Mr Sarbaz Baloch claimed responisbility of the both attacks via phone from undisclosed location.

6 December 2008

Take the Necessary Action on Releasing of the Young Baloch Ibrahim

REPOTED BY JAWED BALOCH FROM SARAVAN


Balochistan Human Rights Activists Association:Urgent: Take the Necessary Actionon Releasing of the Young Baloch Ibrahim Mehrnehad in Custody of IslamicRepublic of IranIbrahim Mehrnehad has been in jail for a long time by now. He is the youngerbrother of Ya'qoub Mehrnehad who was sentenced to death penalty last year byIslamic republic of Iran. The only issue that Ya'qoub had in his conscionce wasto be a civilian activist and human rights fighter against the unfairness thatBaloch people has been facing from a brutal undemocratic political establishmentin Iran under the islamic regime. Meanwhile the only issue that IbrahimMehrnehad has on his conscience is the resolute effort that he made forconvincing the authorities in Iran that his brother had committed nothing butonly raising his voice regarding the unfairness against civilians, keeping inmind that Ya'qoub was even carrying out his activities within the permittedboundaries.Now where the regime has silenced the voice of Ya'qoub for ever, the regime doesnot still consider its mission as completed, and continues its constantlyongoing suppression in every possible way. Is the voice of human rightsactivists and freedom fighters silenced for ever now? That is the question thatthe Islamic establishment in Iran must ask itself. How many Ya'qoubs they intendto kill, and how many Ibrahims they want to hold in their custody? We allalready know the only answer and response from the Islamic republic of Iran.Ibrahim who, as mentioned, was arrested innocently, was removed from the jail inZahedan to Kerman without further notice. He has not been dedicated an attorney,and his family has been permitted to meet him in jail only three times since hewas arrested.Even we are convinced that Islamic Republic of Iran would not waste a second forkilling any raised voice, we would like to call for attention of all humanrights organisations, the Amnesty International in particular, to take theurgent action for making all possible efforts for releasing Ibrahim. It is now,he needs us and our support. We fear justly for his fate, and therefore we allmust make a hast before it is too late, and before he faces the same destiny hisbrother Ya'qoub faced.

5 December 2008

Balochistan businessmen condemn Karachi killings

QUETTA: The business community in Balochistan has condemned violence against Baloch businessmen in Karachi and appealed to the federal government to protect the interests of businessmen.
Addressing a press conference on Sunday, Balochistan Anjuman-e-Ittehad President Rahim Kakar alleged that Baloch businessmen settled in Karachi for many years were now being subjected to ‘government-backed ethnic violence’.
Kakar said five Baloch people had been killed and dozens other injured in Saturday’s clashes in Karachi, and called the violence an effort to expel Pashtun businessmen from the city. He said the burial of the five victims in Karachi showed that Pashtuns considered the city their home.
“We believe Karachi does not belong to a single ethnic community. It is the business capital of Pakistan and people from all four provinces should be allowed to work there fearlessly,” Kakar said. He regretted the Balochistan government’s silence on the killing of its people by ‘certain elements’ in Karachi.
He also held the federal government responsible for the recent ethnic clashes, saying it had also made no efforts to protect the Baloch people in Karachi.
“We denounce President Asif Ali Zardari’s statement that all visitors to Karachi should be registered and will not accept the registration of the countrymen in their own cities,” he said, adding the government should register those “who came from India 60 years ago and their citizenship is still controversial”.
He said Baloch businessmen would use democratic modes of protest to express solidarity with their Baloch brethren working in Karachi

Khan of Kalat - asylum case UPDATE

Ruling expected in two or three weeks
Threats from Pakistan Embassy alleged
London and Cardiff - 1 December 2008
“The asylum appeal of the Baloch monarch, His Highness Beglar Begi, Suleman Khan Ahmedzai, concluded in Newport, Wales, on Friday 28 November,” reports human rights campaigner, Peter Tatchell.
“The judge will now deliver a written judgement in two to three week’s time.
“I am hopeful that the Khan of Kalat will be granted refugee status, but the British asylum system is notoriously harsh. It is very difficult for anyone to be granted asylum nowadays. The government’s priority is to reduce asylum numbers. Often claimants with a well-founded fear of persecution are refused and deported back to their home countries.”
“Suleman Khan Ahmedzai says that he has received threats from phone numbers that he alleges are traceable to the Pakistani Embassy in London. It is definitely not safe from him to return Pakistan. There is a serious risk that he would be jailed or assassinated,” said Mr Tatchell.
A report about the Khan’s asylum hearing last Friday, from the South Wales Echo newspaper, follows below.
Further information contact:
The Khan of Kalat, Suleman Ahmedzai - 0786 4033 185
Peter Tatchell - 020 7403 1790
Royal leader fears death if deported to Balochistan
29 Nov 2008 - South Wales Echo
http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/2008/11/29/royal-leader-fears-death-if-deported-to-balochistan-91466-22368125/
The Royal leader of a Pakistani province told an asylum appeal hearing yesterday he feared assassination if he was deported.
His Highness Beglar Begi, Suleman Khan Ahmedzai, says he fled his homeland in Balochistan for South Wales to escape persecution by the Pakistani military and intelligence services.
Mr Ahmedzai, who is referred to as the Khan of Kalat, opposes Pakistan’s annexation of Balochistan in 1948. He arrived in Britain in June 2007 following the killing of another Baloch national leader, Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti, in a military raid in 2006.
In October 2007, the Khan’s application for asylum in the UK was refused.
At yesterday’s appeal hearing, the 45-year-old father-of-three, who now lives alone in Cardiff, said despite sometimes having up to 100 armed bodyguards with him in Balochistan, his safety could not be guaranteed there.
“If the government wants to get rid of you, it will get rid of you,” he said.
He claims several death threats have been made to him directly and indirectly by telephone since he came to this country.
He claims these calls were made from the Pakistani embassy in London.
At the appeal hearing in Newport, Irwin Richards, the Home Office’s presenting officer, disputed the threats were ever made.
He told Immigration Judge A Cresswell: “Even if in the alternative you are inclined to accept these phone calls were received and made of a threatening nature there is no evidence to link such calls with the Pakistani embassy in this country.”
The appeal hearing’s decision is due to be handed down within the next few weeks.
Outside the appeal hearing, the Khan said: “I have three palaces, a house on five acres and other houses. Whatever I have is there (Balochistan). Other people come into this country on banana boats or on containers or underneath trucks but they become refugees for a better life.
“My everything is there and I have come to this country for my own safety.
“I want to make the international community aware of what is going on over there.”
He claims thousands of his people have “disappeared” over the years because of their opposition to the Pakistani authorities.
“There is a carrot and stick approach,” said the Khan. “I didn’t take the carrot because of my conscience.
“I was told whatever was taken from my grandfather in 1958, which was millions of acres of land, I could have some back.”
His cause is being supported by human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell.
“The Khan is seen by many Baloch people as their head of state,” said Mr Tatchell.
“Suleman Ahmedzai is the direct descendant of the Khan of Kalat, the monarch of the state of Kalat, who signed a Treaty with the British government in 1876, making what is now Balochistan a British Protectorate.
“His grandfather was head of state when Balochistan secured its brief period of independence in 1947, before it was invaded and annexed by Pakistan in 1948.
“He attended the Queen’s Coronation in 1953, with other world leaders, as the honoured guest of the British government.
“Refusing Suleman Ahmedzai asylum is symptomatic of a pattern of harassment of Baloch refugees by the UK authorities.
“Pakistan’s military and intelligence services have threatened to end all cooperation with the UK unless our government cracks down on Baloch dissidents exiled here.”
echo.newsdesk@mediawales.co.uk
Background to the Khan’s asylum case
Baloch royal leader seeks asylum
Khan of Kalat appeals this Friday
London - 27 November 2008
His Highness Beglar Begi, Suleman Khan Ahmedzai, the Khan of Kalat, aged 45, will appeal for asylum in the UK this Friday, 28 November, at a tribunal in Newport, Wales.
Regarded by many Baloch people as their monarch and head of state, he was refused asylum in October 2007.
Fridays appeal hearing will take place at 10am at the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal Newport, Columbus House, Chepstow Road, Langstone, Newport , NP18 2LX (0845 600 0877).
Suleman Ahmedzai is head of the royal household and a national leader in Balochistan, where Pakistan is waging a war against the Baloch people - a war that has been condemned for its widespread human rights abuses by Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch (see the links to human rights reports below).
In June 2007, he sought sanctuary in the UK, fearing arrest and murder, following the killing of another Baloch national leader, Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti, by Pakistani forces during bombing raids in 2006. Bugti was former Pakistani Minister of Defence, and former Governor and Chief Minister of Balochistan.
Suleman Ahmedzai’s fears are well founded. A fellow nationalist leader, Balaach Marri, was murdered by Pakistani government agents in November 2007.
His asylum appeal is supported by human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell:
“The Khan is is seen by many Baloch people as their head of state. His treatment by the British government has been squalid and disrespectful,” said Mr Tatchell.
“Suleman Ahmedzai is the direct descendant of the Khan of Kalat, the monarch of the state of Kalat, who signed a Treaty with the British government in 1876, making what is now Balochistan a British Protectorate.
“His grandfather was head of state when Balochistan secured its brief period of independence in 1947, before it was invaded and annexed by Pakistan in 1948. He attended the Queen’s coronation in 1953, with other world leaders, as the honoured guest of the British government.
“Refusing Suleman Ahmedzai asylum is symptomatic of a pattern of harassment of Baloch refugees by the UK authorities.
“Pakistan’s military and intelligence services have threatened to end all cooperation with the UK unless our government cracks down on Baloch dissidents exiled here. This may be part of the reason why Suleman Ahmedzai has had such difficulty in gaining asylum.
“The government wants to appease the Pakistanis, in order to secure their continuing cooperation in the ‘war on terror’. It is embarrassed by the Khan’s presence in the UK and is trying to make things difficult for him.
“The UK government aided and abetted the illegal dictatorship of Pervez Musharraf, selling him military equipment used to prosecute Pakistan’s illegal war in Balochistan - a war that has involved the perpetration of war crimes and crimes against humanity.
“Under threat of arrest and imprisonment, in 1948 Suleman Ahmedzai’s grandfather signed the treaty of accession which surrendered the independence of the Kalat state (Balochistan) and incorporated it into Pakistan. Both houses of the Kalat parliament - and Baloch public opinion - opposed the incorporation. The Baloch people have always been refused a vote on self-rule by successive Pakistani regimes. Ever since, for 60 years, Balochistan has been under military occupation and its people crushed by five bloody wars launched by Islamabad,” said Mr Tatchell

3 December 2008

Drop all charges against Marri and Baluch, Protest at london

Drop all charges against Marri and Baluch
Stop abusing the anti-terror laws
Human rights campaigners are not terrorists
London – 1 December 2008On Monday 1 December, the Baloch ‘terrorism’ trial resumed in London.Friends and supporters of the defendants, Hyrbyair Marri and FaizBaluch, staged a protest outside the court, calling for the trial tobe halted and the charges dropped.
Although the police and court officials were needlessly bullying,forcing the protesters to leave the court grounds, the supporters ofthe defendants made their point and were seen by court staff and byeveryone who came to the court and who passed by it.
The Balochistan human rights campaigners Hyrbyair Marri and FaizBaluch are being prosecuted on terrorism charges, which are widelybelieved to have been concocted by Pakistani intelligence.
Monday’s protest was supported by Baloch and Sindhi rights campaignersfrom Pakistan and by members of CAMPACC, the UK Campaign AgainstCriminalising Communities, which opposes abuses of the anti-terrorlaws.
Mr Marri and Mr Baluch are represented in court by two of the UK’sleading human rights barristers, Henry Blaxland QC and Dame HelenaKennedy QC.
Mr Marri is a former MP and government minister in the regionalassembly of Balochistan – a previously independent state, which wasinvaded and annexed by Pakistan in 1948, and which has ever since beenunder illegal Pakistani military occupation . Mr Baluch is his campaignassistant.
“The Pakistan High Commissioner , speaking on behalf of the newdemocratic government of Pakistan , says his government wantsreconciliation in Baluchistan and opposes the prosecution, effectivelycalling for the charges to be dropped,” says human rights campaignerPeter Tatchell , who helped coordinate Monday’s protest.
“Previously, the acting Interior Minister of Pakistan, Rehman Malik,announced that terror charges against Mr Marri in Pakistan have beencancelled; stating that the case against him had been politicallymotivated by the Musharraf dictatorship. This discredits the wholebasis on which Marri and Baluch have been charged in London.
“The trial is another abuse of the anti-terror laws, wherebylegitimate human rights campaigners end up on trial.
“It appears that the UK government has been blackmailed into arrestingthese men and harassing other Baloch exiles and refugees. It isreported that Pakistan’s military and intelligence services havethreatened to end all cooperation with the UK government in the ” waron terror ” unless critics of its war in Balochistan are silenced andjailed. That is probably why Marri and Baluch are on trial.
“The UK authorities seem to have decided these men are expendable forthe sake of the ‘greater good’ of tackling terrorism by maintainingclose relations with the Pakistani military and intelligence services.
“Marri and Baluch have campaigned for self-determination forBalochistan and helped expose Pakistan’s annexation and oppression ofthe Baloch nation. They are defending their people against militaryoppression and economic exploitation. Pakistani military chiefs wantthem prosecuted because they have been such effective campaigners,exposing to the world Islamabad’s tyranny in Balochistan.
“For nine years, the UK’s Labour government aided and abetted theillegal dictatorship of Pervez Musharraf , selling him militaryequipment that was used to prosecute Pakistan’s illegal war inBalochistan – a war that has involved the perpetration of war crimesand crimes against humanity and which has been strongly condemned byinternational human rights groups,” said Mr Tatchell.

Balochistan Human Rights Watch

Balochistan Human Rights Watch:

The Security forces in Islamic Republic of Iran’s regime kidnapped a Baloch man from Berahoui tribe from his home and returned his tortured and dead body to the family.



According to the reports obtained by activists in Balochistan Human Rights Watch, the security forces of Iraianian Islamic Republic in Zahedan, attacked a home in Zahedan Thursday 27th november 2008 at 8:00 and arrested two men ‘’Bahman Rigi’’ and ‘’Mohammad’’ son of Chakar from Berahoui tribe. Mohammad was beaten almost to death and unconsciousness while family members were winess to the brutality. The men were taken away and moved to an unknown place.
The family members, while extremely worried for the destiny of Mohammad, addressed the authorities for the reason why he was arrested and where he had been moved to. As it is commonly used procedure by the security forces, the family received no information about the case nor about the background. 4 days after the arrest Monday 1st december, the security forces contacted the family and explained that Mohammad was a ‘’Crystal’’ drug addict, and he has passed away because he had no access to the drug while he was in detention. The family was ordered to hurry up for taking his body, otherwise the body would be burried without further notice.
Mohammad’s family refuse all false claims from the security forces saying that he was a drug addict, and are sure that he died because of being subjected to extreme torture. Mohammad was 37 year old and father of 4 children. The family of Mohammad, flowingly, received the body. There were clear and extensively obvious physical traces on his body proving that he was tortured, such as cranial fracture, holes under his feet, bruise on his body and fractures between the fingers.
The security authorites, in addition, explained that Mohammad was involved in the ‘’episode of Ahmad-Abad Boulevard in Zahedan’’ (1) where several persons belonging to Jerizahi family of Rigi tribe were wounded and killed. As the security authorities have claimed, they received the intelligence report from Rigi tribe saying that Mohammad was involved in the episode, while the head members of Rigi tribe have denied any link between Mohammad and the mentioned episode, and in this regard, they consider it as a false accusation and as a tool and factor used by the regime for making conflicts between different Baloch families and tribes(2).
We in ‘’Balochistan Human Rights Watch’’ condemn the barbaric act of killing of inocent Mohammad and would like to draw the attention of all freedom fighter/seeker individuals and organisations to an urgent call for acting against the Islamic republic of Iran’s deliberate policy making more and more conflicts between different tribes and families in Balochistan

2 December 2008

Royal leader fears death if deported to Balochistan

The Royal leader of a Pakistani province told an asylum appeal hearing yesterday he feared assassination if he was deported.
His Highness Beglar Begi, Suleman Khan Ahmedzai, says he fled his homeland in Balochistan for South Wales to escape persecution by the Pakistani military and intelligence services.
Mr Ahmedzai, who is referred to as the Khan of Kalat, opposes Pakistan’s annexation of Balochistan in 1948. He arrived in Britain in June 2007 following the killing of another Baloch national leader, Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti, in a military raid in 2006.
In October 2007, the Khan’s application for asylum in the UK was refused.
At yesterday’s appeal hearing, the 45-year-old father-of-three, who now lives alone in Cardiff, said despite sometimes having up to 100 armed bodyguards with him in Balochistan, his safety could not be guaranteed there.
“If the government wants to get rid of you, it will get rid of you,” he said.
He claims several death threats have been made to him directly and indirectly by telephone since he came to this country.
He claims these calls were made from the Pakistani embassy in London.
At the appeal hearing in Newport, Irwin Richards, the Home Office’s presenting officer, disputed the threats were ever made.
He told Immigration Judge A Cresswell: “Even if in the alternative you are inclined to accept these phone calls were received and made of a threatening nature there is no evidence to link such calls with the Pakistani embassy in this country.”
The appeal hearing’s decision is due to be handed down within the next few weeks.
Outside the appeal hearing, the Khan said: “I have three palaces, a house on five acres and other houses. Whatever I have is there (Balochistan). Other people come into this country on banana boats or on containers or underneath trucks but they become refugees for a better life.
“My everything is there and I have come to this country for my own safety.
“I want to make the international community aware of what is going on over there.”
He claims thousands of his people have “disappeared” over the years because of their opposition to the Pakistani authorities.
“There is a carrot and stick approach,” said the Khan. “I didn’t take the carrot because of my conscience.
“I was told whatever was taken from my grandfather in 1958, which was millions of acres of land, I could have some back.”
His cause is being supported by human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell.
“The Khan is seen by many Baloch people as their head of state,” said Mr Tatchell.
“Suleman Ahmedzai is the direct descendant of the Khan of Kalat, the monarch of the state of Kalat, who signed a Treaty with the British government in 1876, making what is now Balochistan a British Protectorate.
“His grandfather was head of state when Balochistan secured its brief period of independence in 1947, before it was invaded and annexed by Pakistan in 1948.
“He attended the Queen’s Coronation in 1953, with other world leaders, as the honoured guest of the British government.
“Refusing Suleman Ahmedzai asylum is symptomatic of a pattern of harassment of Baloch refugees by the UK authorities.
“Pakistan’s military and intelligence services have threatened to end all cooperation with the UK unless our government cracks down on Baloch dissidents exiled here

Martyr remembered, brother faces U.K. jail

Selig Harrison shames Americans for arms supplies to Pakistan.By Ahmar Mustikhan, Freelance JournalistGlowing tributes were paid to Nawabzada Bala'ach Marri at a meeting at Busboys and Poets in Washington DC on Saturday afternoon. The victim's brother Hairbiyar Marri and Faiz Baloch face jail in the U.K. for trying to organize Baluch resistance against military brutalities.WASHINGTON DC: Glowing tributes were paid to the Shaheed-i-Baluchistan Nawabzada Bala'ach Marri at a meeting in downtown Washington DC Saturday afternoon.Baluch activist Nabi Baloch, who became close to the Baluch Che Guevra after meeting him in London in 2001, said Marri had shunned worldly comforts to adopt the path of struggle so that the Baluch people could live their life in freedom.“He could have gotten the chief ministership or the governorship handed to him on a silver platter,” Baloch said at the Busboys and Poets memorial meeting organized by the American Friends of Baluchistan. He said the the slain leader and his father, legendary Baluch leader Nawab Khair Bakhsh Marri, had for decades challenged the Pakistan army injustices in Baluchistan.On th occasion, the A.F.B. demanded a Congressional Fact Finding Mission to Baluchistan.Selig S. Harrison, Asia Director of the DC-based Center for International Policy, in his message to the American Friends of Baluchistan, said, “Americans should be ashamed that U.S. military equipment supplied to Pakistan in the name of the “war on terror” has been blatantly diverted and misused to inflict widespread human rights atrocities on ethnic minorities fighting for their legitimate rights.”Harrison, who could not attend the meeting because of his wife's sickness, congratulated the A.F.B. for commemorating Marri's passing, and said the struggle of the Baluch people for their rights in the face of repression bu successive regimes that have been directly, or indirectly, controlled, by the armed forces, deserves the admiration and support of the United States and the international community.The Baluch in Texas-sized Baluchistan province in southwest Pakistan have repeatedly risen up in arms against the annexation of their land in March 1948—seven and half months after the British left India divided in August 1947.“Bala'ach Marri personified this struggle with his courageous leadership of Baluch resistance forces against the might of the Musharraf regime's U.S.-supported Army and Air Force,” the U.S. scholar said.Harrison, in an oblique reference to friction in the Baluch nationalist movement, said to the extent that Baluch leaders are able to cooperate and resolve their internecine factional and personal conflicts, the Baluch movement will merit the respect and support of the international community, adding he will continue his own efforts to help build that support.Personal rivalry was a major contributing factor in the Baluch losing their statehood in March 1948 and remains a bane of Baluch politics to this day. The De Jure Ruler of Baluchistan, Khan of Kalat Beglar Begi [Prince among Princes] Suleman Khan Ahmedzai appeal for asylum is still pending in a U.K., while Nawabzada Hairbiyar Marri, a brother of the slain leader, faces a terror trial in the U.K. for trying to repulse the Pakistan army. But the two are not on talking terms.“Bala'ach symbolized a Baluch national movement that has been led with remarkable determination for five decades by his father Khair Bux, Attaullah Mengal and other Baluch patriots. This movement will undoubtedly be broadened and deepened in the years ahead as part of the larger unfinished struggle of all the ethnic minorities to win justice in Pakistan,” Harrison said.Baluch nationalists say historically they had no truck with Pakistan, as the word itself was coined barely 70 years ago while Baluchistan, or the land of the Baluch, has a history of many centuries. Marri and his father Nawab Marri have long demanded the Baluch right to self determination.London-based human rights activist Peter Tatchell, in his message, said Baluchistan is where Pakistan is waging a war against the Baluch people – a war that has been condemned for its widespread human rights abuses by Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch."For 60 years, Baluchistan has been under military occupation and its people crushed by five bloody wars launched by Islamabad,” Tatchell said. He said Pakistan's illegal war in Baluchistan is a war that has involved the perpetration of war crimes and crimes against humanity.“We remember with pride and honor Bala'ach Marri and all those people who have sacrificed their lives in the cause of justice and freedom. Their courage and ideals live on, in the hearts of all people who seek a better, fairer world,” Tatchell said.He added, “Freedom for all nations and peoples struggling for their liberation from tyranny. Their victory has been long delayed, but it can not be denied.”Iqbal Tareen, coordinator of the Forum for Justice and Democracy in Pakistan, recalled the humble beginnings of the Pakistan army and its growth into a virtual empire that dominates all facets of Pakistan society. “The army today owns one-third of the national assets, from gas stations to sugar mills,” he said.But he said the most ominous aspect of politics in Pakistan was the shadowy political wing of the Inter Services Intelligence who are in plainclothes and answerable to none.Fauzia Deeba, an activist of the World Sindhi Institute, said the question of Baluchistan was basically a human rights question where Baluchistan is one of the richest lands in the world, but its people live in abject poverty.“I saw a family in Baluchistan which had just one bag of dates to survive the entire year,” Deeba said. "The elders were not letting children play as the kids would then feel exhausted and demand food.”Baluchistan has one of the highest infant mortality rates anywhere in the world.In conclusion, the A.F.B. hoped the new Obama administration would undo the wrongs done to Baluchistan by successive U.S. administrations.“The first baby step is to send a high-level Congressional Fact Finding Mission to investigate the killing, tortures, the case of 900 missing Baluch, the loot and plunder of Baluchistan resources over the last 60 years, the forcible annexation of Baluchistan in March 1948 and the horrific nuclear tests of may 1998 that left thousands of Baluch lands destroyed,” the A.F.B. said.In an oblique reference to the I.S.I. role in the Mumbai mayhem, the A.F.B. said, “Whether it is the Deccan Mujahideen, Kashmir Mujahideen or Afghan Mujahideen, the source of these jihads are one. Whether it is Mumbai on November 26, 2008 or Sarlath in Baluchistan on November 20, 2007 and whether it is Nawabzada Bala'ach Marri or the more than 150 people killed in the Mumbai mayhem, there is enough evidence against Pakistan's I.S.I.”The A.F.B. said the victims of terrorism in Mumbai included Hindus, Jews, Christians and Muslims and they were all brothers and sisters of the secular Baluch people “because we are all humans.”The A.F.B. said it considers President Asif Ali Zardari blood and bone of the Baluch nation, but the I.S.I. and army G.H.Q. would never allow him to make peace with the Baluch or India. “There was almost a coup last July when an executive order was issued to put the I.S.I. under civilian control,” Mustikhan recalled.Meanwhile, the A.F.B. chided the British authorities for the terror trial of Nawabzada Hairbiyar Marri and Mr. Faiz Baloch and said the only sin of the two was to defend Baluch rights against the onslaught of the Pakistan army – the fourth largest in the world and one armed with nuclear weapons.“President Zardari has publicly apologized to the Baluch people and the new government in Islamabad has clearly said the cases against Marri and Baloch were politically motivated. The continued prosecution of the two violates the principles of fair play and simply defies human logic,” the A.F.B. said.Peter Tatchell has organized a protest rally on Monday at Woolwich Crown Court, to show the British government, police and public that people care about the fate of Marri and Baloch.Tatchell has requested all people who believe in fairplay and justice to defend Balochistan and oppose thismiscarriage of justice.Court address and directions:Woolwich Crown Court2 Belmarsh RoadLondon SE28 0EY020 8312 7000

1 December 2008

Still Iranian Regime Torturing Innocent Young Baloch After Execution of Yagoub Mehrnehad






REPORTED BY JAWED BALOCH FROM SARAVAN

Yaqoub Mehrnehad, 28, a cultural and human rights activist from the capital city of Zahedan, Sistan-Balochistan, was arrested on May 2007 by Iranian security forces. He was taken to an unknown location and never explained what his crimes were. Nor was he given any opportunity in the court to prove his innocence before the court of law. He was torutured and tormented by the Iranian security officials. Amnesty International, London based human rights organization, expressed its concerns of his illegal arrest and safety.

He was the founding head of, “The Voice of youth justice associations” which is a non-governmental organization; his activities were purely about the promotion of Baloch culture and education. The main aim of his organization was to reach out Baloch youth in order to help them in many fields including education. He was a writer and a reporter of Mardomsalari, a Tehran based newspaper.

On August 4, 2008 he was executed in the city of Zahedan, Balochistan, Iran.

After execution of Yagoub Mehrnehad, the Iranian regime has been arresting his fellow Baloch who are associated with his organization, Voice of Youth Justice Association. Many of arrestees come from various parts of Balochistan, among them five members were arrested in the city of Saravan on October 2008.

The following persons are still languishing in Iranian prisons without any proper trial:

Behrooz Nusrat zehi,
Behzad Rigi,
Waheed Nusratzehi,
Shambeh Askani,
Gulbaig Mullazahi,


The family members of these detainees fear that the regime would eventually hang them after a show trial.
Iranian Government links these people to Jondulla, an armed resistance group and claimes that they all have connections with this group, however, in truth, they all from Sedaye Edalat (The voice of Justice association). During the past few months, it is learned that the detainess were subjected to severe toruture by the regime's officials. The Voice of Justice Association said that its members were arrested and taken to unknown location and the regime has not provided plausable explanation about their arrest.

Baloch of Sistan-e-Balochistan are predominantely come from the Sunni sect of Islam, and ethnically differ from majority Persian population. Various human rights reports point to the ijustices and mistreatment of the Baloch people in the hands of Iran's theocratic regime.

29 November 2008

Gwadar will remain a Baloch majority area: Raisani

QUETTA: Balochistan Chief Minister, Nawab Mohammad Aslam Raisani, has said he would resist every move aimed at converting the Baloch majority population into minority in the port city of Gwadar.
'I will not allow anyone to convert the majority Baloch population into minority in Gwadar at any cost,' he told Dawn while talking from Gwadar on Saturday.
The Balochistan Chief Minister said only the indeginious people of Gwadar have the right to vote here as the people coming from other parts of the country would have no right of vote. He said the Gwadar Deep Sea Port Project should not be politicised rather it should be used for business purposes.
Nawab Aslam Raisani stated that the sensitive political situation of Balochistan calls for a political solution of the issues. He said the Baloch people have to be given the assurance that they are part of the federation and their rights on their resources should be accepted.
The Chief Minister observed that the area can only get developed if locals are given their rights. He said the delay in making the Port functional is giving rise to the doubts among the Baloch masses and the provincial government. He said the people fear that there are some elements who are deliberately applying the delaying tactics in terms of making the Port functional.
Raisani said the future of province is linked with the development of Gwadar, adding that the province is bestowed with rich mineral and natural resources. He, however, made it clear that all attempts of making the Gwadar Port a failed project will be foiled.
www.dawn.net

26 November 2008

Seven injured in two Balochistan bomb blasts

QUETTA: At least seven people, including a female police constable, were injured in two separate bomb blasts in the Dera Murad Jamali and Dera Bugti districts of Balochistan on Tuesday.According to details, six people were injured in Dera Murad Jamali when a powerful bomb that had been fixed to a motorcycle, exploded outside the main gate of the local Session Court. Consequently, a female police constable Aysha Bibi and five others were injured. Two of the victims were critically injured and immediately shifted to Larkana for treatment. In a remote-controlled bomb blast in the Sui area of Dera Bugti district, Baloch militants tried to kill a former aide of Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti and his son. Though the father, Wadera Lal Mandarani, escaped the attack, his son, Shaukat Lal Mandarani, was hurt in the blast. Police said the blast had taken place in Mohammad Colony of Sui tehsil. The injured man was taken to a local hospital administered by Pakistan Petroleum Limited.
Baloch Republican Army spokesman Sarbaz Baloch claimed responsibility for the blast.
According to sources, two rockets exploded near the Dera Allahyar residence of Nawabzada Shahzain Bugti, a grandson of the late Nawab Akbar Bugti.Two rockets were fired on a police team chasing a vehicle of suspected people in Loralai. One rocket exploded in a dairy farm and the other in a field. Police found a large quantity of arms and ammunition in the abandoned vehicle

25 November 2008

Pakistani army began a massive operation in Dera Bugti. 500 Baloch huts torched 5 innocent martyred. 35 injured.

Dera Bugti: Paksitani brutal army backed with latest american aid weapons and helicopters began a massive Operation in Dera bugti on monday. More than 500 huts were set on fire. 70 farmers and shepherds were arrested and taken to army garrison. According to Mr. Sher Mohammed district president of BRP. 5 innocent Baloch martyred early hours of monday when they were offering monring Salah in Mosque. The martyred are Sori S/O Marzian, Gul Mohmmad S/o Peer mohammed, Molavi Bari S/o Peer mohammed, Duro and Aouran. More than 35 innocnet baloch were injured. Said Sher mohammad.The wheat and valuable of innocent and poor farmers were torched and looted in Rasal, Khanodor, ganja Matt, Meerag and Nelagh areas of Dera Bugti. Thousands Baloch women and children are left without shelter in this cold weather in the area after there houses were torched by brutal pakistani army. He said while talking to the media. The operatin still continues in Dera Bugti and surrounding areas. More reports are awaiting

Senator accuses US, India, Afghanistan of creating trouble in Balochistan

Talha says countries want disintegration of Pakistan to create ‘Greater Balochistan’QUETTA: Senate Standing Committee on Interior Chairman Senator Talha Mehmood has accused the United States, India and Afghanistan of conspiring to carve out a ‘Greater Balochistan’ by causing the disintegration of Pakistan.Mehmood was addressing a news conference on Monday in the Officers’ Club along with several other members of the Senate.He reacted angrily to a recent map published in an American newspaper, the New York Times, which showed Balochistan as a ‘free state’ and parts of the NWFP joining Afghanistan. He said it was a part of the conspiracy the three countries had hatched against Pakistan. The countries want to create trouble in Balochistan and extend support to the cause of a ‘Greater Balochistan’, he said, adding the Pakistani government and people, however, would never allow such plans to materialise. He said Pakistanis should demonstrate unity in their ranks and foil all attempts to break up the country.“We want the government to negotiate with the Baloch brothers who have gone in the mountains and waged a war against the state,” he said, adding the government was sincerely trying to reach a political settlement to the Balochistan issue. The government has issued the reinstatement orders of 177 personnel of the Levies force in order to build the trust of the Baloch people, he said. “We do not care what happened to the previous committees formed to settle the Balochistan issue. We believe in constant engagement of the federal government with Balochistan. We will continue to deal with the Baloch issue until it is resolved. The government should agree first to grant autonomy to the provinces so that their complaints are addressed,” he said.Disappearances: Mehmood said the Balochistan chief secretary (CS) had been instructed to update the Senate Standing Committee about the state of the missing persons in Balochistan.He said according to the information provided to him, the government had a list of 900 missing people from Balochistan. “We have recovered 52 people while 32 of them are still in various jails. Yet, we do not know anything about the whereabouts of the remaining missing persons,” he confessed, hoping the Balochistan CS would provide details about the remaining missing persons. He said the government had provided licences to 22 national and international companies to explore oil and gas in Balochistan, adding these companies, however, had not initiated work due to security reasons. Mehmood rejected reports about the presence of Taliban in Quetta and elsewhere in Balochistan, saying such reports were false and incorrect.

21 November 2008

Pakistan is not a nation, but a multi-national state

Pakistan is not a nation, but a multi-national state composed of four nations that were independent and sovereign in the past. Smothering the identity of a nation to needlessly produce an absurd monism is characteristic of imperialist impulses. There is a stigma attached to nationalism which 'nationalists' around the world have not been able to shake off. This stigma exists due to a deliberate confusion created by the anti-nationalist forces and vested interests that seek to discredit genuine nationalists. To clarify the position, it is necessary to draw a distinction between two types of nationalism. One type may be described as 'aggressive' nationalism, while the other type may be referred to as 'protective' nationalism.

The impetus for action and the nature of change brought about by these diametrically opposed ideologies is very different. Whereas aggressive nationalism is an ideology that readily lends itself to imperialist and fascist tendencies that seek to oppress and stifle, protective nationalism acts as a barrier against oppression and can be a fertile breeding ground for positive change, leading to freedom and liberty.
The brilliant Oxford Don and philosopher, Sir Isaiah Berlin, wrote, "The sense of belonging to a nation seems to me to be quite natural and not in itself to be condemned, or even criticized. But in its inflamed condition - my nation is better than yours, I know how the world should be shaped and you must yield because you do not, because you are inferior to me, because my nation is top and yours is far, far below mine and must offer itself as material to mine, which is the only nation entitled to create the best possible world - it is a form of pathological extremism which can lead, and has led to unimaginable horrors."
This bellicose and belligerent form of nationalism is aggressive nationalism and has thrown up the Hitlers, the Mussolinis and the colonial empires that history is riddled with. It is an extreme form of nation-worship that leads to suffering and subjugation and must be abhorred by any liberal who values the freedom of man.
What defines and indeed distinguishes protective nationalism from aggressive nationalism is the basic principle that whereas aggressive nationalism is a matter of ideology promoted by a militarily and materially advanced nation to hegemonize a less advanced and less powerful nation, protective nationalism is an attempt on the part of the less advanced nation to survive in the face of hegemonic designs of the aggressor who seeks to obliterate its national identity.
Protective nationalism is thrust upon nations by history and circumstances. It is the agonized throes of a nation as it struggles to resist the current in an effort to stay afloat. These natural instincts for self-preservation are erroneously referred to as nationalism whereas it is, in fact, no more than a desperate struggle for the political, economic, social, cultural and territorial survival of a nation under siege.
If the struggle is successful, the nationalists are hailed as revolutionaries and liberators. Statues and monuments are erected in their honour and boulevards are named after them. If the struggle fails, they are imprisoned and executed as traitors and terrorists. The process of recording history is highly subjective. The victor has his say while the voice of the vanquished is silenced.
Pakistan, too, has experienced protective nationalism in its relatively short history. The secession of East Pakistan and the consequent birth of Bangladesh was a direct consequence of Bengali protective nationalism. They were pushed into a corner and forced to fight for their national and cultural survival, which in their view was impossible within the framework of Pakistan.
Sindhi, Baloch and Pushtoon nationalism, too, has, at one point or another, been viewed as a threat to the state and treason cases have been filed against a number of nationalist political leaders. More recently, their brand of nationalism has been held responsible for impeding development with reference to Kalabagh Dam.
The sad and frustrating part of all this is that no attempt whatsoever is made to understand the protective nationalism that is fermenting in Sindh, Balochistan and the Frontier, and the causes and circumstances that gave birth to it and the fears that sustain it continue to elude the grasp of those who seek to crush it. Preconceived, prefabricated and highly inappropriate solutions are applied that further aggravate the situation rather than repair the harm already done.
Understanding requires more than a mere superficial knowledge of how things are. It implies an appreciation of why things are the way they are. Rather than understanding and addressing the motives, fears, hopes, ambitions and historical factors that generate ripples of nationalism, we prefer to gag all dissent and plaster over such ungainly, embarrassing and hard to deal with realities in order to give the appearance of a veneer of calm, no matter how unacceptable and distasteful it might be.
A good example of this is the way in which the federal government is insistently pushing ahead with the Kalabagh Dam project in the face of strong opposition in Sindh, Balochistan and the Frontier, even though the provincial legislatures of these three provinces have passed resolutions against this project.
Instead of trying to understand the apprehensions and causes of the objections to the dam and allaying these fears in a spirit of accommodation and trust, the government seems to have adopted a highly provocative three-pronged strategy. Firstly, an all out attempt is being made to discredit the opponents of the dam by labelling them as feudal vested interests. Secondly, the political parties and representatives of the people have been distanced and isolated and the task of resolving the conflict and forging a consensus has been placed upon the shoulders of the Civil Service and technocrats, who have no nexus with the public and are, thus, incapable of swaying public opinion.
The only way to resolve this deadlock is through a political dialogue between political leaders from all the four provinces, including nationalists, aided by technical experts and perhaps with the assistance of independent foreign experts to provide an impartial view. The President is right in believing that this issue has to be resolved soon, but the civil servants cannot resolve this issue and if any agreement reached by them is imposed upon the nation, there could be serious trouble.
Thirdly, the President has taken it upon himself to promote Kalabagh Dam at every forum instead of remaining impartial. This has only served to elevate the debate to a higher level and further antagonize the opponents of the dam. Sensitive national issues require finesse and a deft touch. They cannot be bulldozed or be stamped out under a heavy boot.
It has been my experience that those in power simply do not understand the problems of the three smaller provinces and continue to live in denial of their genuine and urgent needs. Their ignorance on matters of vital interest to the people of the three smaller provinces is astounding.
During a recent visit to Lahore, a classmate of mine from Atchison College whom I had not seen in over twenty-five years, and who now happens to be a power to be reckoned with in Punjabi politics, invited me for dinner with his family and some other mutual friends. The conversation inevitably steered itself to politics, and I was telling him about the mess in Sindh compared to which Punjab seemed like an island of tranquillity, development and stability.
After listening to me patiently, my friend's wife finally spoke. "The solution seems quite obvious to me," she said. "A Punjabi man should be appointed the chief minister of Sindh so that he may set things right for you."
For a moment I was not sure I had heard her properly or whether she was serious or merely jesting. She was not jesting. This was not a careless remark from some insignificant, illiterate person. It came from an educated, responsible and knowledgeable member of a highly respected and powerful family.
There followed a brief awkward silence. To break the tension, her husband joked, "Why don't we get someone from Singapore?" I went a step further. "Why don't we hand the whole country back to the British? They seemed to have done such a marvellous job here in the past!"
To be fair, I also had a rather pleasant meeting with an advisor to the Punjab Chief Minister who surprised me with his balanced approach and an understanding of the issues at hand. We need more people like him who realize that nationalists are not out to dismember the country but are merely protecting the vital interests of their regions. Alas, men of that ilk are few and far apart up north.
Pakistan is not a nation but a multi-national state, composed of four nations that have been independent and sovereign in the past. Each nation possesses, in the words of Johann Gottfried Herder, a distinct "centre of gravity". Multiple values and interests of each component nation, which are an essential, indeed objective, part of their identity, flowing inexorably from their past experiences, often produce a diversity of opinion and sometimes conflict.
This cultural and national diversity, whether it be political, social or economic in nature, need not be perceived as a threat to Pakistan. It can become our strength if we let it evolve and flourish. Variety and a difference of opinion unleash a dynamic process of creativity and progress, but the inescapable prerequisite for that is an atmosphere of mutual trust that can only be born of mutual respect. Protective nationalism surfaces in response to a threat. Eliminate the threat and nationalism loses its raison d'etre.
In Pakistan we have evolved a deep distrust of national diversity and cultures and we view competing interests as a threat to state interests. The nations constituting Pakistan have enough in common to coexist and cooperate to their mutual benefit with a healthy display of tolerance and accommodation, but problems arise when an attempt is made at an unnecessary artificial unification of cultural and national identities and interests to the extent of forging one all-encompassing identity at the expense of its component parts. This cannot be done and can lead to serious trauma, as it already has in our history.
Modern times demand a tolerant, pluralist approach. Smothering the identity and vital interests of a nation to needlessly produce an absurd and meaningless monism of national culture is characteristic of imperialist impulses and is a crime against nations. Dawn Magazine Sunday 25.1.2004

20 November 2008

Multiple attacks on Pakistani forces in Balochistan by Baloch Freedom Fighters

Quetta: Baloch Freedom fighters fired at least five rockets at the Police Training College in Sariab area from nearby mountains late on Wednesday night. �One rocket landed in the play ground of the college and exploded with big bang rocking the entire area, sources said. However, other rockets exploded in the abandoned place causing no damage.after firing rockets Baloch Sarmachars also attacked the main gate of the college. They opened fire using automatic weapons. Police personnel deployed at the gate retaliated and returned fire. Heavy exchange of fire continued for about 15 minutes. however no casualty reported so far in this clash.Meanwhile, one person was injured in a powerful bomb explosion that rocked the provincial capital Quetta. According to sources Baloch Freedom planted bomb with the boundary wall of the park located in front of Quetta railway station that went off with big bang.Grill and boundary wall of the park was damaged in the blast while windowpanes of railways building and many vehicles parked in the area were smashed. In a separate incident Quetta Karachi highway was partially damaged in an explosion that occurred under the bridge in Khuzdar. sources said. however no loss of life reported in the blast.In another incident Baloch Sarmachars hurled a hand grenade in the house of a security official in the industrial town of Hub late evening. Sources said that grenade exploded in the courtyard of the house damaging the doors and windows of the house. However, no casualty was reported in the attack.A spokesman of Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) Mr. Beebargh Baloch while calling from unknown location claimed the responsibility of Quetta and Hub blasts

12 November 2008

Iran: Nearly 3,000 students gathered in Sistan and Baluchistan University

Wednesday, 12 November 2008
NCRI – Nearly 3,000 students gathered on campus of Sistan and Baluchistan University in the southeastern city of Zahedan, on Tuesday. Protesting students chanted anti-government slogans such as: "The incompetent university chancellor must resign," "The incompetent chancellor must be fired."

Angry demonstrators protested to an earlier attack by the school security guards on students which left two casualties among their classmates.

The striking students gathered outside Examinations Hall on the university grounds and called for an end to student harassments by the university officials.

According to last reports, a graduate student was stabbed by the mullahs' agents and is in critical condition at a nearby hospital.

Sistan and Baluchistan province is the most deprived part of Iran. Mullahs' regime pays no attention to the problems of the local residents and utilizes extreme measures in suppressing popular protests in the region.
Religious beliefs play an important role in Sistan and Baluchistan region. The majority of the people are Sunnis and that alone is considered a big crime in the eyes of the ruling clerics in Iran.

In September, an entire theology school belonging to Sunni denomination was completely leveled by the State Security Forces (SSF) – mullahs' suppressive police in Sistan and Baluchestan. The mullahs' inhuman regime leveled Abu Hanifa Sunni School of Theology on August 27, using bulldozers and other heavy building machinery in Azimabad, a suburb of the city of Zabol.The school belonged to Sunni Muslims who are brutally suppressed by the Iranian regime since the early days of the clerical rule. The SSF demolition units arrived at the school in the early morning hours and leveled all the buildings including a few mobile homes used by the summer students as sleeping quarters. The SSF units also brought down a few donated houses by local residents providing much needed class rooms. Despite the mullahs hypocritical claim that they respect the Sunni followers of Islam when it comes

Sunni cleric gunned down in southeastern Iran

Washington, 11 November (IranVNC)—An Iranian Sunni prayer leader was gunned down yesterday in front of a mosque in Iran’s southeastern Sistan-Baluchistan Province, the Tabnak news website reports.

CLERIC – ASSASSINATION – SISTAN-BALUCHISTANWashington, 11 November (IranVNC)—An Iranian Sunni prayer leader was gunned down yesterday in front of a mosque in Iran’s southeastern Sistan-Baluchistan Province, the Tabnak news website reports.Molawi Sheikh Ali Dehvari, who was also the director of a local Sunni seminary, was killed by two bikers last night after finishing prayers in the town of Saravan.While the motives behind the killing are not yet known, the report cites informed sources as saying that the attackers wanted to sow discord between Shiites and the local Sunni population.According to the semi-official ISNA news agency, security forces in Saravan have begun their investigation of the attack.There is a large Sunni population in Sistan-Baluchistan Province, which borders Afghanistan and Pakistan. Sunnis compromise about 10 percent of Iran’s population, and are concentrated in parts of southern and southwestern Iran.In August, Iranian security agents demolished a Sunni seminary in Sistan-Baluchistan. The semi-official Fars News Agency reported at the time that the school premise was the subject of a hereditary dispute.Following that action, the 15-member Sunni caucus of Sunni deputies in Iran’s Majlis [parliament] called on the president to intervene and punish those responsible for destroying the seminary.

10 November 2008

Balochistan Human Rights Watch: Death Sentence Against 2 Brother

Balochistan Human Rights Watch:
Death Sentence against two brothers belonging to ‘’Rigi’’ tribe in Balochistan as part of Iranian Regime’s policy for ‘’ deleberately making conflict’’ among baloch tribes.


According to reports from the activists from ‘’Balochistan Human Rights Watch’’, two young baloh, brothers, ‘’ Jamshid Rigi’’ and Hamid rigi’’ sons of Chakar belonging to ‘’Rigi’’ tribe have been sentenced to death in Zahedan.
Friday evening 6th july 2007, Haji Ghafour Rigi (1)belonging to ‘’Rigi’’ tribe (Sindzahi family) was shot and killed by unknown gun men. However, it is well documented and as well as commonly well known that Islamic Republic of Iran deleberately conducts the policy of spreading and making conflicts between different baloch tribes and even between different family sections within the same tribe, the regime consequently started to spread rumours among the Sindzahi family section that Haji Ghafour was shot and killed by ‘’Jeri zahi’’ family section of ‘’Rigi’’ tribe. The regime, furtherly, started to incite the youngest son of Haji Ghafour to rebel against the Sindzahi Family section of ‘’Rigi’’ tribe, while, as it is said, he was armed by the regime for this purpose.
The youngest son of Haji Ghafour accompanied by Jamshid Rigi and two other , after a while, Monday evening 14th July 2008 attacked a house suited in Ahmad Abad Boulevard in Zahedan where an assembly was taking place with participation of several highly ranged persons from ‘’Jeri Zahi’’ family section of ‘’Rigi’’ tribe. During the attack some persons were killed while several were injured(2). ‘’Jamshid Rigi’’ who was accompanying the youngest son of ‘’Haji Ghafour’’ during this armed attack was arrested while the youngest son of ‘’Haji Ghafour’’ and two other involved persons were able to run away after the attack.
The security authorities of Islamic Republic of Iran in Zahedan, a few days later in order to furtherly escalate the episode, attack the home of ‘’Chakar Rigi’’, the father of Jamshid. During this attack, the security forces arrested ‘’Hamid Rigi’’ the 26 year old brother of Jamshid who never was involved in the latter attack where Jamishid had participated. The father of Jamshid, ‘’Chakar Rigi’’ was arrested later on.
Chakar, the father of Jamishid and Hamid, was subjected to such a sever torture procedure in the jail by security forces which has resulted in a sever spinal disability that has been followed by a movement disabilty on the lower part of his body. As if it was not enough for him, both his sons have just been sentenced to death few weeks ago.

As mentioned earlier, we all know by now that Islamic Republic of Iran deleberately contributes to making conflicts between different baloch tribes and even between different family sections within the same tribe. In order to highlight the issue and emphesize the role of regime on this fatal policy, we draw your attention to following examples:
1. The terror act of security forces commited against ‘’Delawar and Haibatullah Narouni’’ two persons from ‘’Naroui’’ tribe in1993 in Karachi – Pakistan. After committing this crime, the regime spread rumours among the Naroui tribe that ‘’Delawar and Haibatullah’’ had been killed by pople belonging to ‘’Shahbakhsh’’ tribe. This led to unfortunately several armed conflicts between the two mentioned tribes. These conflicts resulted in killing of Haji Jahangir Shahbakhsh and Mohammd Naroui, son of Malek Shah Khan and several other persons.
2. The armed conflict between ‘’Naroui’’ tribe and ‘’Rigi’’ tribe in 1997 was initiated and escalated by Islamic Revolutionary Guard of Iran in Zahedan and Bam. During this particular conflict, the Revolutionary Guard in Zahedan was cooperating with ‘’Rigi’’ tribe, while the Revolutionary Guard in Bam supporting ‘’Naroui’’ Tribe. During this conflict, Haji Saeed Naroui, Mansour Naroui and several persons from both tribes were killed.
3. The almost ‘’ever’’ lasting conflict between ‘’Gamshadzahi’’ tribe and ‘’Yar Mohammd Zahi’’ tribe which started by killing of ‘’Sardar Mohammad Sharif’’, the Clan leader of Gamshadzahi. He was killed by people belonging to ‘’Yar Mohammad Zahi’’ tribe supported by the Islamic Regime. Approximately, 9 years ago, ten persons belonging to ‘’Yar Mohammad Zahi’’ tribe had been killed by people from ‘’Gamshadzahi’’ tribe in the area of Dalbandein’’ in Pakistan which was the initiating factor for whole conflict.
4. Killing of Haji Baloch Khan Shahbakhsh in 1990 by Abdoul Rahman Shahuzahi who was strongly supported by the security forces of Iranian Islamic Regime. This led to a very gory conflict between these two tribes.
5. Killing of ‘’Ali Mohammad Azizi’’ (3)one of the highly ranged person in the ‘’Azizi’’ tribe in Ghasr Ghand – Nikshahr. He was killed by the security forces in 2007 for making and intiating conflict amnog different branches withing ‘’Azizi’’ tribe.
6. Killing of Haji Mohammad Omar Barakzahi, the sardar of ‘’Barakzahi’’ tribe in 2003. He was killed near Bazman – Iranshahr by the security forces of Islamic regime, and afterwards they made a huge propaganda procedure in order to blame two persons belonging to ‘’Zardkouhi’’ tribe for the killing of ‘’Mohammad Omar Barakzahi’’.
7. Killing of ‘’Haji Jalal Irandoust’’ a well known person in ‘’Meinan’’ area – Sarbaz. He was killed in 2005 by the security forces with cooperation with some of his close relatives , purely in order to make conflicts among different persons within the ‘’tribe’’. For further escalation of conflict, the security forces incited some of the close relatives to ‘’Haji Jalal’’ to fight against the other relatives and persons by giving them arms. They, unfortunately, 2-3 years later in februray 2008, killed 4 persons (Haji Moula Bakhsh Hossein Zahi, Taj Bakhsh Irandoust, Cheragh Mollazahi and Rostam Mollazahi) in the area between Sarbaz – Iranshahr.
Furthermore, there are hundreds of examples which document the fatal role of Islamic Regime in dissolving the historical solidarity between all tribes and nevertheless the very strong link among different family fractions within one tribe.

We in ‘’Balochistan Human Rights Watch’’, strongly, condemn the systematic fatal role and policy of Islamic Regime in order to make the conflicts between the tribes and and escalate the conflicts between them. In our point of view, it is a policy that the regime deleberately conducts for weakening the solidarity that historically has been a major important factor for the baloch nation in its entirely. Furthermore we urge you to call the regime for unconditional cancellation of death penalty of ‘’Jamshid and Hamid Rigi’’

9 November 2008

Balochistan University reopens after three weeks

QUETTA: Balochistan University was reopened today after suspension of classes for three weeks wherein the political parties and students organizations in consultation with the vice chancellor of university agreed on 24 point code of ethic to respect discipline and abide by the rules to maintain peaceful atmosphere in the campus.
The university was closed on October 15 following clash between the two factions of the students’ organization as one group supported merit for admissions and tests whereas other group wanted the quota system.
The vice chancellor Dr. Masoom Khan Yasinzai chaired a meeting that was attended by the Habib Jalib Baloch of BNP-Mengal, Usman Kakar of Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party, Khudadad Khan of Awami National Party, Mir Tahir Bizenjo of National Party, Shahzeb Baloch of Baloch Students Organization (Azad), Ahmed Jan of Pakhtunkhwa Students Organization, Javed Baloch of Baloch Students Organization (Mohinuddin), Jehanzeb Tareen of Pakhtun Students Federation, Abdullah Baloch of BSO (Pujar) Ataullah Kakar of Jamait Tulba Islam and Zakir Hussain of Hazara Students Federation.
The representatives of the student bodies that signed the agreement assured the meeting to honour the accord and major points of the code of ethic. Students organizations would use university notice board for activities and no organization could write wall-chalking, university administration would have full authority to take action against the candidate involved in cheating in tests, students in the hostels would strictly abide by the code of ethics, 75 percent attendance in classes would be necessary for submission of examination forms, no outsiders could reside in hostels and allotment for rooms in hostels would be on merit basis and the heads of the educational institutions would be bound to implement the code of ethic.
Vice Chancellor thanked the representatives of the political groups and the student organizations for extending cooperation to the university administration to run the academic affairs peacefully to promote congenial atmosphere in the campus.

Balochistan: Ceasefire against occupying enemy holds on, brother killing and self destruction continues undebated

Abdullah Marri and his son killed in Quetta, Bomb blast in Sui kills one
QUETTA: Unidentified armed men on Saturday gunned down a provincial information officer and his father in Satellite Town, police said.
According to police, Murtaza Marri, an information officer from the Balochistan Directorate of Public Relations (DPR), and his father Abdullah Marri, a senior banker, were going to the market in their car when motorcyclists intercepted them at Khatm-e-Nabuwat chowk at around 9am and opened fire on them.
As a result, both received multiple bullet injuries and died before reaching the hospital. The attackers managed to escape from the scene. The reasons for the murder could not be ascertained.
Police have registered a case against the unknown assailants. No group has accepted responsibility for the murder of the Marri tribesmen. BLA is the main suspect according to some influential people in Balochistan Govt.
Bomb blast in Sui kills one
QUETTA: A remote-controlled bomb planted on a motorcycle killed a passer-by and wounded five others Sunday in a market in Sui, police said. An ethnic Baloch nationalist group claimed responsibility.
The blast occurred in the town of Sui in Balochistan province, police officer Abdul Majid Dasti said. Two of the wounded were in serious condition, he said.
In a phone call to reporters, Balochistan Republican Army spokesman Sarbaz Baloch said the group was behind the attack. He claimed the explosion killed an opponent of the movement, but police would not confirm that.
The Balochistan Republican Army is part of a low-level insurgency that has long rattled the province. The insurgents are seeking greater provincial autonomy and more control over the area's natural resources.
The Balochistan violence is just part of the militant threat facing Pakistan's US-allied government. The Muslim nation's northwestern regions bordering Afghanistan have been bedeviled by Taliban- and al-Qaeda-linked extremists involved in attacks throughout the country.

8 November 2008

Baloch has no rights to live. We are fighting to come out of the cage. Nawab Khair Baksh Marri.

Baloch is one body which has been cut and divided to Iran, Pakistan and Afghanistan. We dont accept the self determination of one part. Baloch Nation is bigger then Punjabi. Once we get control on our land and resouces. Then see how the world will run behind us.EX- chief justice, Governer and Chief minister are not Baloch practically. To fight for rights is not wrong religiously. Said Nawab Marri in a TV interview.Karachi: Baloch Struggle began from Mehrab Khan's Era. It is necessary for a nation to have own country. Baloch Nation is much bigger then Punjabi. Governer and chief justice are just Baloch by name. Jinnah is not a prophet that I should recognise his Pakistan. Said Baloch Nationalist Leader Nawab Khair Baksh Marri in a TV interview.>>> Click to listen the audio Interview of Nawab Khair Baksh MarriAnswering a question about the change. He said The change will never stop. The change came in Baloch nation also. They more aware then before about their rights. To tell the extent of change one has to go deep. The change I want that never come yet, But I am not disappointed.Answering a question about the struggle Nawab Marri said, It is not necessary that people only should fight in mountains. They can fight in planes, streets also.During the interview when calling him again and again Nawab. He said I dont like the title of Nawab which is given by English( British). When asked about the agreements between english and Marri Balochs. He said he dont know much about those agreements. But my grandfather fought with english. He defeated by english army. But he did not give up. Baloch had never accepted the slavery of English. Baloch Struggle began when the english invaders entered in Balochistan during the Mehrab Khan's era. After the martyrdom of Mehrab Khan. The struggle got further momentum. While describing a nation he said, There should be one language, one Culture, Freedom, Geography, Then the justice also will come. But these all come afterwards. First you have to have own country.In a question about the Baloch Sardari system. He said It is a patriotic system. No one can say that this system is worse then American and Punjabi's democracy. About the Future of Sardari system he said the path Baloch are moving will change the Sardari system automatically. But there are good things about Sardari system that may remain.In a question about elimination of Saradari system in Bhutto Era. He said that if a coummunist would talk about Public Perhaps I would understand but if a Billionaire say this then I dont think it is acceptable. Answering a question about whether Patriotic Society (Tribal system) is cruel or Capitalism. He said Tribes are backward but they are not cruel. In a question about Brahui and Baloch, He said there is no difference between Brahui and Baloch. Brahui are the first one who came to Balochistan. But they were Baloch. There is no doubt between us and Brahui. About the Tribal fueds Nawab Marri said. The Tribal fueds existed everywhere in the world. Refering to Tribal fueds he said this kind of feuds will go on. Fueds are also part of evolution. When asked if he believe in Evolution, and doesnt he love his own things? He said I love my own things very much but not so blindly that I remain backward from the world. About the Globalisation he said. The world has become a country. America attacks Iraq for his national interests. Israil attacks Palestine or Tmail tigers are symbol of the Nationlism. He said we are in the evolution stage. First we have to achieve the goal as a nation. Then we have to move toward Humanisam. He said I did not understand the significance of small and big Nationalities Until today. He asked whether English is a big Nation? France, Germany, Sweden are small nations? He said Baloch is bigger nation then Punjabi. Once we get control over our resources and land. Then the whole world will run behind us. About the development he said. English also came to Balochistan to Develop Baloch. The Schools were Built to make Babos (Clerks). The roads and infrastructure were to loot Baloch Resources. Baloch is not able to live freely. You talking about Schools.We are fighting to come out of this cage. He furthur said that Mohajir and Punjabi brings infrastructure for their self interest. The development by Mohajir and Punjabi make us BONA( Short) not powerfull. When asked about Self determination, he said Baloch was like a body and has been cut and divided to Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan. How can I accept a self determination of one piece. Jinnah was not a prophet that I should recognise his pakistan. I feel, That I have to achieve Freedom. Then why should not I struggle for this. Answering a question about the Struggle for freedom He said. Everywhere people are fighting for freedom. Tamil and Hamas also fighting. IRA Fighting. Should they wait for any big war? Should they wait for a big earthquake to come and move small stones from there path? From my opinion it is better to fight rather then wait. Therefore we fighting. About the foreign help. he said Pakistan herself alive on American aid. We are not getting any help from outside. If anyone offer us help we will accept it happily. Pakistan herslef depends on others. If Poor Baloch take help from someone else is not a great sin. While answering a question he said, to achieve something is necessary to struggle. Therefore we have to struggle. Even religiously there is nothing wrong to struggle for your rights. About chief Justice He said. Justice chaudary never spoke about Balochistan, I dont consider him Baloch Governer and Chief Minister are Baloch by Name but not practically. He furthur said there is extent of Nation. According to that extent they are not Baloch. Baloch Nation has to decide about this. Whether I am right or wrong?

5 November 2008

972 Baloch have been arrested in Balochistan, Iran only in November 08

Tyranny has no any limits in Iran now. You as a human being and international community can prevent the expansion of tyranny in Iran. Tyranny began to grow when you as an individual, you as a leader, and you as a nation believed that you cannot stop it.
The Tortured body of Mohammad Brahouee was delivered to his family after being kidnapped on the first of December 08 by Iranian security forces, according to Balochistan Human Rights Watch. Mohammad was seriously beaten up in his own home, in front of his four children and wife and some neighbors. When he became unconscious, the security forces kidnapped him and informed his family after four days that he was dead.
When the family received the body, it was full of traces of torture, fractured fingers, and holes in his feet, scarves on his back and chest and severe injuries to his head. His whole body showed that he has been severely torture to death. This 37 years old victim of the Islamic Republic of Iran leaves behind a young wife and four small children.
The official Iranian Isna news agency also reported that one Baloch has been killed on second of December 08. The name of the victim was identified only as Abdullah. The Islamic regime usually does not give full details of identities of its victims. It is generally known in Iran that the Islamic regime usually arrests human rights and political activists mostly from Baluchistan and Kurdistan and executes them with ordinary criminals collectively to prevent the outrage of civil society activities.
Radio Baluchi, a reliable information source of Baluchistan, quoted Iranian official news agencies that 37 Sunni and Baluch have been killed in December 08 in Baluchistan and its neighbouring areas. Chief Sardar Nekouee announced that the security forces have arrested 972 men in Baluchistan during an operation which was aimed at establishing and promoting social stability in Baluchistan.
Colonel Molla Shahi, the commander of Iranian security forces in Baluchistan announced that three Baluch have been arrested and one was killed during an operation in which 28 tonnes of rice was confiscated. This is not the first time that the ordinary Baluch people are getting arrested or killed for trading foodstuff within the borders of Iran. The Baluch businessmen face severe limitations in conducting their legal businesses. The Islamic Republic of Iran deliberately limits the import of food in Baluchistan to create maximum poverty in this province which is the poorest province in Iran according to all United Nations researches. The three tracks that were carrying the rice were also confiscated. This is a clear indication of impoverishing policies of the Iranian regime in Baluchistan. .

2 November 2008

Man killed in landmine blast

QUETTA: A man was killed while another was injured when a landmine exploded near the residential camp of a grandson of late Nawab Akbar Bugti in Jaffarabad district on Sunday morning, police said.The landmine planted on the farmland of Shahzain Bugti went off when the two men stepped on it, police said, adding the dead man was identified as Ghaus Bakhsh while the injured as Yar Ali. The injured was moved to hospital for treatment while the body was taken for autopsy and handed over to the heirs for burial. The police have registered a case and started investigation.

20 August 2008

Yaqoub Mehrnehad


Yaqoub Mehrnehad, 28 years old, married with three children, resident of Zahedan, a Baloch, a peaceful political activist, journalist and writer was executed on August 4th, 2008, along with another young Baloch human rights activist, Abdolreza Taheri Sadr. When his family was allowed to meet after that he said that he was quite innocent and had no contact with any armed group. He said that he campaigned for equality and Justice and if death is the price for equality and Justice he would accept it with all his heart as accepting tyranny is giving the tyrants the opportunity to terrorize the innocent people. The execution was carried on despite our numerous appeals since his arrest in 2007 and the appeals of the international community and a large number of international human rights organizations. Mr. Mehrnehad was convicted in February of being a member of Jundallah and of "crimes against national security". He was arrested in Zahedan last year while reporting for a Tehran newspaper. This execution took place in Zahedan prison along with another young Baloch human rights activist, Abdolreza Taheri Sadr. He was sentenced to death some time ago. Abdolreza Taheri Sadr was accused of being a member of Baloch armed group Jundallah. Jundallah, also known as the popular resistance movement of Iran, says it is fighting against the political and religious oppression of the country's Sunni minority. The government says it is a terrorist group.

Yaqoub Mehrnehad was also a social worker that gathered support for the people who had lost their relatives and properties in natural calamities and earthquakes. He was striving to provide support for those who did not have any support from anywhere.



He was 28 when he was executed. He has joined the long line of Baloch martyrs who have chosen to have a graceful life and a dignified death. He will go in the history of Balochistan as a hero who did not submit to the brutalities of the tyrants. His main crime was that he was a Sunni and a Baloch. The Islamic regime of Iran is a Shia fundamentalist that has a long history of persecuting of the Sunnis, specially Baloch people.
Gholamali Nekooee, the commander of the Balochistan Security Forces announced that 4022 Baloch have been arrested in the last five months. Another commander announced that one Baloch has been shot dead. He added that person had a long history of armed struggle against the regime. This commander did not identify the dead man. Nekooee reported that 117,000 alien citizens were arrested and expelled from Iran. The Iranian regime has been engaged in a policy of ethnic cleansing by expelling the Baloch people from Iran as citizens of Pakistan or Afghanistan. Since the Baloch people in the 3 countries wear the same clothe and speak the same language, it is easy for the Iranian regime to continue its ethnic cleansing policy by uprooting the original native Baloch people of Iran and sending them to Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Another report said that 726 Baloch men and women have been arrested recently. In another piece of news it was said that 22 Baloch have been arrested.

The news of execution of Yaqoub Mehrnehad and Taheri, the killing of another Baloch person as a rebel, the arrest of 4022 Baloch, the arrest of 726 more Baloch men and women and the arrest of 22 more Baloch is just frightening. Every human being with a conscience cannot see this news and accept any legitimacy in Iranian regime. These kind of figures have been published in Iranian media regularly but they have been ignored by human rights organizations and Iranian opposition groups. These figures can fit in the frame of crime against humanity. Human rights organizations, the United Nations and political activists must be warned of such widespread crimes.

The death of Yaqoub Mehrnehad and Taheri, the peaceful political activists, means legality and legitimacy of armed struggle in Balochistan.

Yaqoub Mehrnehad, The leader of Voice of Justice, the only civil society organization in Balochistan, has been condemned to death for organizing a lawful meeting between the public and the local authorities in Balochistan. He had official permission for holding this meeting. The local authorities, security forces and the Governor of Balochistan were present at the meeting. The meeting started peacefully and ended peacefully without any disturbance.

Some members of the public raised some questions and the questions were answered by the different local authorities. There was no violence. There was no disturbance. There was not any other illegal activity. It was fully in the framework of the Iranian law and constitution.

The security forces raided the office of the Voice of Justice after the end of the meeting and arrested all the organizers including Yaqoub Mehrnehad. Those who were arrested were tortured by police but released after few months. Yaqoub Mehrnehad was tortured and sentenced to death. The authorities alleged that he had contacts with Abdul Malik Rigi, the leader of People's Resistance Movement of Iran.

Yaqoub Mehrnehad and Rigi had severe of differences over conducting political activities. Yaqoub Mehrnehad reasoned that like all the Iranian citizens, the Baloch had the right to engage in political and civil activities peacefully. He argued that some of the civil campaigners in prison were even allowed to conduct interviews with foreign media, that the government of Iran shows some kind of flexibility for political activities. Abdul Malik argued that they began their activities peacefully but their members were arrested, tortured and executed. He argued that it was the lack of opportunities for political activities that forced him and his friends to take arms.

These arguments happened in their web logs. They never met. They never had direct contact. Yaqoub Mehrnehad did not accept this argument and began his political activities peacefully within the framework of the Iranian law and constitution. Within a short time, he and his friends were arrested and tortured and he was condemned to death.

Yaqoub Mehrnehad now is condemned to death and his death sentence has been confirmed by the Supreme Court of Iran proving that Abdul Malik was right in his arguments.
The death sentence for the civil and peaceful political campaigner, Yaqoub Mehrnehad, proves the following points:

1. The civil campaigning and political activities are illegal and illegitimate in Balochistan and therefore, anybody who engages in civil campaigning and peaceful political activities can be condemned to death.

2. When civil campaigning and peaceful political activities are banned, political activists have not any other alternative but resorting to armed struggle.

3. The claims by Abdul Malik, the leader of People's Resistance Movement of Iran, proved to be true when there was no opportunity for peaceful civil campaigning armed struggle BECOMES legitimate, legal, moral and acceptable.

4. There are 100 armed groups in Balochistan. They have always claimed that their armed struggle is legitimate and legal as the last resort because the Islamic Republic of Iran has not provided the right political environment for peaceful political activities.

5. All of these groups have claimed that they began their political activities peacefully through legal means and in the framework of the Iranian constitution. All of them claimed that their members were arrested, tortured and condemned to death because of the legal, peaceful and civil campaigning.

6. All of these groups claim they resorted to armed struggle only after all other actions were tested and considered by the Islamic Republic of Iran as illegal and illegitimate.

7. The Baloch people and Baloch political activists and human rights organizers have come to one shared and common conclusion: the Iranian regime is determined to force the Baloch people to complete submission for their complete eradication.

8. The Iranian policies towards the Baloch people are very clear: starvation to death or migration to other countries.

9. The evidence for this claimed is rampant:

10. According to official figures of the Iranian regime, 76 percent of the Baloch people live and poverty line. Such high level of poverty is the result of deliberate policies of the Iranian regime for eradicating the Baloch people through starvation. Poverty line is about 12 percent nationally.

11. Disease is widespread in Balochistan. The Baloch people are deliberately denied access to acceptable health care facilities. Consequently, there are more sick people in Balochistan than any other part of the country.

12. Illiteracy rate in Balochistan is the highest in the country. This is also the consequence of the official policy of the regime to exclude the Baloch children from formal education and consequently driving them to poverty and starvation.

13. Famine in Balochistan is more widespread and regular than any other part of the country. This is the result of the government's policies of abandoning the land without any developmental projects to create sufficient water reservoir.

14. The deforestation of Balochistan is moving fast and wide to transform Balochistan into a complete desert to force the people to starve to death or migrate to other countries.

15. The fertile lands of Balochistan have been confiscated and given to agents of the Iranian regime.

In such circumstances the Baloch people are responding to measures designed to their complete elimination.

When Baloch people saw the consequences of the regime's policies in Balochistan, they took the following actions:

1. Like all other citizens, they began complaining and informing the government officials.

2. The complaints led to the arrest of the people who filed the complaints.

3. The Baloch people consulted their religious leaders and persuaded them to see the supreme leader of Iran and inform him of the plight of the Baloch people.

4. Their religious leaders met the supreme leader and other authorities but no action was taken except that the religious leaders were put in very difficult situation.

5. The educated groups began a series of lobbying, meeting different government officials but their meetings did not bring any positive action.

6. They began to write in the Internet sites and Blogs. Consequently some of them were arrested, tortured and hanged under the false accusation of drug trafficking.

7. Some of the less educated people of Balochistan began armed struggle as they did not see any positive results coming from peaceful activities.

8. Abdul Malik Rigi began his activities as a civil campaigner and distributed leaflets about the plight of the Baloch people. His colleagues were arrested, tortured and executed under the usual allegation of drug trafficking.

9. Abdul Malik Rigi concluded that the Iranian regime was determined to completely eliminate the Baloch people through different ways and therefore, he took farms and conducted several armed attacks on the security forces. He became quickly popular in Balochistan and turned into a hero and legend. The other people of Balochistan who witnessed his popularity followed his strategy of armed struggle.

Now there are about 100 armed groups in Balochistan who are campaigning to prevent the Iranian regime from suppression, oppression, and starvation of the Baloch people.

Conclusion:


By executing of Yaqoub Mehrnehad and the arrest of his 16 years old brother, and the arrest of more than 5000 Baloch in a short time, the regime has proved the credibility of the claims of the Baloch people that their armed struggle was the only strategy for preventing the Iranian regime from the genocide of the Baloch people.

No people will sit idle and witness his own demise. According to all laws and human rights conventions and organizations, individuals and peoples have the right of survival and have the right of defending themselves. The Baloch people are not an exception. They have their rights to defend themselves like all other people. If the United States of America has the right of invading Afghanistan and Iraq and removing their regimes for self-defense, if Turkey has the right of attacking the Kurdish fighters for self-defense, if other people had the right of defend themselves through out history, Baloch people have the same right.

At the same time the Baloch people have done their best to comply with international law. When Amnesty International published its report on Baloch people and requested Abdul Malik Rigi to stop taking armed action against the civil targets of the Iranian regime, he responded by stopping his armed struggle completely. But when Amnesty International requested the Iranian regime to stop the killing of the Baloch people, the Iranian regime did not pay any attention to it and followed its policy of repression, oppression and violence against Baloch people.

Keeping in mind that the Iranian regime has banned civil and peaceful political activities in Balochistan, the international community, human rights organizations and democratic governments of the world must recognize the right of the Baloch people for self-defense.


We, the Baloch Nation, appeal to you the world leaders and the international community to condemn today’s execution of Yaqoub Mehrnehad and latest wave of arbitrary arrests and executions. We urge you to call upon the Iranian authorities to halt the imminent execution of the others. We request that you further call upon Iran to ensure due legal process in accordance with internationally recognized standards and to uphold its obligations with regard to civil and political rights, including the provision of equal rights to

ethnic, religious and minority groups in Iran, including the indigenous Baloch people

2 July 2008

The poet of Balochistan

Mir Gul Khan Naseer (Politician, Scholar, Historian, Poet) 1914-1986 PRIVATE



"The poet-politician gave a new meanings and form to Balochi poetry. The concept of freedom and sovereignty were beautifully portrayed. He opposes Balochistan losing its independence.The degrading poverty .His poetry is the greatest manifestation and the most profound expression of the Baloch political and social approach since the early thirties .His exhortation to the Baloch to up hold their tradition is a clear sign of the deep-rooted hatred felt towards the new political dispensation.His poems soon turned to popular slogans and were the subject of discussion by the elite. Mir Gul Khan Naseer was the greatest revolutionary poet in Baloch literary history. His work embraced some fifty years of his life. He participated in the Baloch struggle for national independence and remained behind bars for several years from 1941 to 1979. He was a socialist by inclination and opposed the tribal system and its attendant injustices. His contribution to Baloch political awareness is overwhelming. Mir Gul Khan Naseer considered himself destined to guide the people towards social awareness and the achievement of their political rights. He assigned himself the task of educating the youth for the great cause for which he suffered immensely during his lifetime.He was uncompromising, honest and respectable. As far back as November 1936 he composed a poem praying that he might have courage and strength to awaken the people from ignorance, so that they would be able to find a proper place among world nations once again. The poem, which is in Urdu, shows his determination for a lifelong struggle in a cause, which was very close to his heart6.Mir Gul Khan Naseer is an institution in Balochi poetic history. His message is impressive. It circles round the Baloch and their history. His works portray a deep hatred for Pakistan and its institutions, which he regarded as corrupting and degenerating in substance and nature. The new generation of revolutionary poets has been greatly influenced by his philosophy. 1 have not attempted any translation of his work for the simple reason that none of his poems can be singled out for omission for the purposes of this chapter. A separate treatment would be required if Mir Gul Khan’s poetry were to be analyzed in the context of the Baloch national struggle and its impact on youth.Mir Gul Khan Naseer is the author of many books on Baloch history and traditions. His poetic work includes three books: Gul Bang, Shapgerouk and Grand, Gul bang, published in 1952, contains fifty-one poems. His second publication, Shapgerouk was printed in 1964. It includes forty-three poems. The Grand appeared in 1971 and contains some seventy poems. Mir Gul Khan had a prolific pen and a philosophical mind. His treatment of the Baloch social and traditional ethos depicts a high sense of history and culture. His poems describe the Baloch and their country in a true historic perspective. Mir Gul Khan was the product of agonizing socio-political conditions. He saw the British Raj in Balochistan, a brief period of Baloch sovereignty and ultimately Balochistan losing its independence and merging into a newborn state. British rule perfected a tribal system molded to the requirements of an alien rule, with the sardars exploiting the Baloch masses. The pre-independence era was also the period of the Khan’s oppressive rule with the connivance of his British masters. The short period of Baloch independence from August 1947 to’ March 1948 witnessed conspirational maneuvers against the Baloch, culminating in the merger of their state into Pakistan. The post—1948 years are the time of constant struggle to gain some sort of political and social rights. Mir Gul Khan Naseer participated actively in the process and his attitude was clearly shaped by these events.The periodic uprisings and deep discontent among the Baloch after 1948 are by no means an isolated phenomenon. It is fairly common in Balochi literature and folk traditions. Disapproval of the accession to Pakistan was widespread. The Khan is greatly hated. This hatred is widely depicted in folk literature as well as in poetry. To quote a single instance, a cartoon was carried by Balochi, (Karachi) in December 1957 showing the Khan of Kalat prostrate before the Pakistan authorities, asking for privileges. The cartoon is captioned” Dream, this is your luck. Our ‘Khan-e--Muazim’, do not dream for the power (and respect) of previous days”Since the ‘great betrayal the Baloch poet watches every event with distaste and expresses his resentment for the socio—political set—up. The opposition to the accession of the Khanate to Pakistan was upheld and his hero Abdul Kareem Khan, the brother of Khan of Kalat, Ahmed Yar Khan, is regarded as one of the great patriots. In 1958 came the first encounter with the Pakistan Army, when Mir’ Namrouz Khan and a few others revolted and took to the mountains. Apparently they were aggrieved because of the arrest of the Khan of Kalat by Pakistan’s army in a pre-dawn attack on his residence in Kalat on 6th October 1958; but the causes were deep down. Mir Namrouz Khan and his followers were clearly against the Khan’s decision to accede to Pakistan, and when the Khan showed a semblance of authority by demanding certain rights, they readily pledged their support. The Insurgency had, however, wider repercussions. Leadership of that uprising was in the hands of petty tribal notables, and in some cases they behaved in a manner prejudicial to their professed aims; still they were regarded as heroes by the masses. In certain places many people were harassed by elements claiming contacts with the Yaghis, the rebels, sometimes alienating people in the Makkuran region; but as a whole the people considered them the upholders of their pride and self—respect. Baloch literature during and after this period is full of praise for them. The pattern then changed, and the educated class played a greater role in 1973-77 uprising. This event hap been regarded as the beginning of the Baloch ‘Liberation Movement’. Every Baloch in all walks of life supported the ‘movement’, which was so popular with the people that the Pakistan government decided not to trust the local people and brought in on a massive scale, army officers seconded to the civil services, to hold the administrative assignments in the province. By 1975—76 almost every district head was an army officer or a civil servant from the Panjab and North West Frontier Province.