Western Balochistan: serious human right violations reports against the Iranian authorities

Report by Reza Hossein Borr:
“25 Baluch have been killed and hundreds of Baluch people have been arrested since Sunday in Zahedan. Dozens of shops that belonged to the Baluch people have been completely destroyed. The security forces are searching a large area of Zahedan house by house. Anybody who wears Baluchi clothe is searched and possibly arrested. There are security forces everywhere”.

According to reports from the activists in BHRAA “the Islamic Republic of Iran still continues arresting people and spreads terror, horror and fear in Zahedan, even several days after Zahedan ‘’Imam Ali’’ mosque bomb attack. Some of local reports suggest that more than 100 persons have been arrested.The most recent report obtained by our reporters in Zahedan suggests that the security police forces arrested more than 25 Baluch in Zahedan on Sunday 31 of May 2009 and transferred them to yet an unknown place. These detainees include people a) who were admitted to the ‘’Khatm-ul-ania’’ hospital in Zahedan because they had been beaten by the pro-regime ultra-conservative groups, the relatives to the wounded while were visiting them.

Furthermore, the reports suggest that the relatives dare not ask any investigation into what happened to their family members, as they fear for their own safety and destiny”.

Henry Newman of www.guardian.co.uk, writes “Iran, embarrassed by the attacks in Zahedan, has been quick to act. Less than 36 hours after the mosque bombing, three rebels were executed following a rushed trial. The judiciary head of Sistan-Baluchistan has been keen to stress that due process was observed but this trial and previous trials of terrorist suspects have been criticised by human rights organisations. In the case of the Zahedan bombing, statements regarding the trial, the plot itself and even the numbers affected are divergent, even contradictory.

The bombings highlight ongoing ethno-religious tensions within Iran and across the broader region. Despite the attempts of Iranian officials to deflect attention onto external scapegoats it is clear that there are serious domestic problems: the country's integrity is not yet in real danger but the Islamic regime and Iranian society at large must seek a more equitable accommodation for its diverse population”.

Referring to the Baluch activists, political parties and media The London based Baluch analyst Mr Hossein Borr complains that perhaps media and political parties from Eastern Balochistan are not taking the tention in Westersn Balchistan as seriously.

He asks “Can anybody explain why the Baluch activists, political parties and media in different parts of the world and specifically in East Balochistan are silent about the mass arrests and killings of Baluch people in the last few days in Western Baluchistan”? He further writes “This is a very defining moment in our history. The Baluch people want to know who is working to achieve the rights of the Baluch people and whole is doing business in politics.

Those who are engaged in politics in every corner of Baluchistan or the world, now face a determining choice which will shape the view of the Baluch people on them. The Baluch people now see with their own eyes, who are working for the achievement of Baluch rights and who are in politics to make a name, find a seat in parliament or in government or benefit from it financially in different ways. This is also a determining phase in the direction of Baluch movement. This is a time to make your stand very clear”. He is optimistic that "The Baluch people will succeed in achieving their rights only if all Baluch intellectuals, political activists, political parties, newspapers and Internet media focus their attention on developments that are taking place right now inside Zahedan. These circumstances are effective test to indicate who is really committed to Baluch cause and who is in politics for financial gains".