Amnesty calls for Pak probe over Balochistan violence

Rage

DFI TEAM
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This is a request to raise awareness of the Balochistan issue wherever you're at. Speak, talk about it, raise voices, engage with organized discourse and civil society, to put light on the plight of Balochistani students, freedom fighters, aid workers, activists and civilian citizens alike. Human rights violations like these, should not go unpunished.


Herein, also lies a request to let this thread remain independent for seven days before being merged with the Balochistan Dossier thread


x-x-x-x-x-x


Amnesty calls for Pak probe over Balochistan violence


Amnesty warned that the rise in disappearances and bodies being dumped in
Balochistan has aggravated political tensions.—Photo



ISLAMABAD: Rights group Amnesty International called on Pakistan Tuesday to investigate the alleged torture and killing of more than 40 political leaders and activists in Balochistan.

Amnesty said the cases have occurred in the last four months against a backdrop of increasing political unrest and Pakistani military activities in the southwestern province which borders Iran and Afghanistan.

Violence has surged this year in Balochistan and human rights activists have raised concerns about an increase in targeted killings in the province.

"The Pakistani government must act immediately to provide justice for the growing list of atrocities in Balochistan," said Sam Zarifi, Amnesty International's Asia Pacific director.

"Baloch political leaders and activists are clearly being targeted and the government must do much more to end this alarming trend."

Amnesty warned that bullet-ridden bodies of those who have been abducted, many showing signs of torture, are increasingly being found across Balochistan whereas previously bodies of the missing were rarely recovered.

Victims' relatives and activists often hold Pakistan's security forces and intelligence agencies responsible.

Amnesty said a previously unknown group, Sipah-e Shuhada-e Balochistan, has also claimed responsibility for some of the killings.

"The Pakistani government must show that it can and will investigate the Pakistani military and Frontier Corps, as well as intelligence agencies, who are widely accused of playing a role in these incidents," said Zarifi.

Amnesty warned that the rise in disappearances and bodies being dumped has aggravated political tensions and led to reprisal killings by Baloch groups.

On August 14, gunmen shot dead at least 16 people in Balochistan. Amnesty said 17 people —all from Punjab province —were killed and that the Balochistan Liberation Army claimed responsibility.

In response to the report, Pakistan said it was working to implement a package of political and economic reforms, which was unveiled last November in a bid to grant the province more independence and boost wealth creation.

"The democratic government is trying its best to protect human rights as enshrined in the constitution," said foreign ministry spokesman Abdul Basit.

The victims' relatives and activists often accuse the Pakistani security forces and intelligence agencies of carrying out these violations, it added. A previously unknown organization, Sipah-e Shuhada-e Balochistan, has also claimed responsibility for some of the killings.

"The Pakistan government's ongoing failure to prevent abuses has emboldened the perpetrators behind these atrocities," said Zarifi.

"The Pakistani government must show that it can and will investigate the Pakistani military and Frontier Corps, as well as intelligence agencies, who are widely accused of playing a role in these incidents," he added.

The HR group has warned that the "rise in enforced disappearances and kill and dump incidents has aggravated political tensions in Baluchistan and led to reprisal killings by Baloch armed groups." (ANI)


http://public.dawn.com/2010/10/27/amnesty-calls-for-pak-probe-over-balohistan-violence.html
 

pmaitra

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I was never particularly impressed with Amnesty or Greenpeace. They seem to selectively target instances or regimes as they please (or depending on who is currently funding them). They have been harping on the Kashmir issue for too long and ignored Balochistan. Also, more often than not, they typically go against the apparently-more powerful government forces and side with the terrorists or rebels.

However, I must state, that the violence in Balochistan and the economic and political overexploitation of Balochistan, including thier energy resources by Pakistan needs to stop.
 

ajtr

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Amnesty never speak about the genocide perpetrated by the west in various countries be it vietnam ,iraq,afghanistan,pakistan korea,japan.....Infact amest,and UN are west's stooge.
 

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