Baloch rights group intensifies advocacy efforts in Geneva against violations by Pakistan
Jun 29, 2024
Geneva [Switzerland], June 29 : The leaders and activists of the Baloch National Movement (BNM) are holding meetings with diplomats, international organisations, and academics in Geneva to intensify advocacy for the Baloch cause on the international stage against rights violations by Pakistan.
Niaz Baloch, the Deputy Coordinator of the BNM Foreign Committee and Member of BNM's Central Committee posted on X: "Over the past two days, we had meetings with diplomats, international organizations, and academics. We discussed the challenges the Baloch nation is currently facing and sought support for our national movement. The response was positive and impressive.
https://x.com/Niaz_Zehri/status/1806785755924349141
Earlier, BNM chairman Dr Naseem Baluch raised the issue of enforced disappearances on social media. In a post on X, he said "In the modern era of the 21st century, forced disappearances have become an integral part of life for many Baloch people, filled with unbelievable horrors that we endure daily. Over the past fifteen years, this experience has not been a mere passage of time but a continuous series of agonizing, anxiety-ridden, and unjust moments. For the family and friends of Deen Muhammad Baloch, these years have been marked by terrible waiting and uncertainty."
The ongoing enforced disappearances in Balochistan are a stark example of serious human rights violations. Thousands of Baloch men, women, children, and elderly individuals have fallen victim to this persecution.
"These disappearances not only violate human rights but also suggest that human life and dignity hold no value in the eyes of the Pakistani state," said Baluch.
Dr Naseem highlighted that the silence of international justice institutions exacerbates this problem. "Why do these organizations, which are supposed to protect human rights and deliver justice, neglect their responsibilities? Their indifference and silence have granted the Pakistani state immunity, allowing the continued, unabated series of enforced disappearances," he asked.
The BNM chairman emphasized that the Baloch nation is striving to alert the world to this cruelty.
He urged saying "We must stand up for the oppressed, who have been forced into this dark path without any crime. We need to do much more than our current efforts to recover the missing persons. The fight for justice for Dr Deen Muhammad Baloch and other forcibly disappeared Baloch individuals are not just the responsibility of his family and party but of all individuals. Our silence or indifference will turn our country into a symbol of pain and an unbearable place. We appeal to the international community and human rights institutions to fulfill their responsibilities and take notice of the atrocities committed in Pakistan. It is time for the international community to awaken and meet the demands of justice."
The BNM continues to push for international attention and action regarding the human rights abuses and enforced disappearances occurring in Balochistan.