In a statement issued on Friday, the Commission said, “This year HRCP is
commemorating December 10, the International Human Rights Day, in
solidarity with the people of Balochistan in support of their
aspirations to realize their rights. This is because we believe that the
human rights situation facing the people in Balochistan, irrespective of
their ethnic, religious or sectarian identity, is an issue of foremost
concern in the country today. HRCP reiterates its grave distress at the
absence of adequate measures to resolve lingering issues of human rights
violations. It is a matter of grave alarm that 107 new cases of enforced
disappearance have been reported in Balochistan in 2011, and the
‘missing persons’ are increasingly turning up dead. Bodies at least 225
‘missing persons’ have been recovered from various parts of the province
since July 2010. It is scandalous that not a single person has been held
accountable for these disappearances and killings. The situation is
particularly grave for non-Muslims and minority Muslim sects. As many as
80 members of the Shia Hazara community have been killed in the province
this year alone, for no reason other than their religious belief. HRCP
also has serious concern at targeted killing of teachers, intellectuals
and non-Baloch ‘settlers’ in Balochistan and calls upon all political
elements in the province and beyond to unequivocally condemn these
killings and play their role in ending such callous acts of violence.
The precarious situation in Balochistan has been further compounded by
targeting of human rights defenders in the province by the various
parties to the simmering conflict, making access to reliable information
on the human rights situation all the more difficult. The murder of two
HRCP activists and three journalists in the province in 2011 signifies
the dangers that those highlighting human rights violations face on a
daily basis.
HRCP calls upon the government to deal with threats to human rights
defenders and facilitate their safe access to all parts of the province.
It also expects the civil society and the media to engage more
diligently with the issue and play their role in ending the silence on
violations of human rights and demand justice for violations.
The primary responsibility for ensuring rights and tackling this
unfortunate state of affairs lies with the government, but that does not
mean that the people have to remain passive spectators until the state
is woken from its slumber. The people must realize that these problems
are not Balochistan’s problems alone and that their resolution is a
vital prerequisite to the progress and prosperity of the country. It is
time for every citizen to join the people of Balochistan in their
struggle and reassure them that they do not stand alone in their
struggle for the realisation of their rights.
HRCP urges the government to take immediate and meaningful measures to
ensure all human rights for all people in Balochistan, including their
right to life, justice, peace, progress, control over their resources
and democratic management of their affairs.”
Zohra Yusuf
Chairperson, HRCP