FBM protest outside UN Headquarters against HR violations in Balochistan

NEW YORK: The Free Balochistan movement organised a protest demonstration outside UN Headquarters in New York on Tuesday. The Baloch protest coincided with the beginning of 71 session of UN General Assembly.  The protest was aimed to highlight the illegal occupation of Balochistan and Pakistani state aggression against Baloch people.

Protester were carrying Dolls painted with red color to show the world that Pakistan is killing innocent Baloch children and women by indiscriminate bombardment on Baloch civilian populations. They were also carrying banners and placards inscribed with different slogans including demands from United Nations to intervene in Balochistan and take notice of Pakistani state sponsored terrorism against Baloch nation.

They requested the United Nations to send a fact-finding mission to Balochistan to investigate the Pakistani state aggression against Baloch people. The state of Pakistan continues its rampage against Baloch nation in all corners of Balochistan. Thousands of people have been killed, disappeared and displaced by the Pakistan Army and other security forces.

It is the first ever protest that Baloch activists has held at UN Headquarters at a time when world leaders have arrived there to attend UN General Assembly.

Balochi language poet, writer and member of Free Balochistan Movement Shams Uddin said, “We want the UN to recognise Balochistan as an occupied territory and urge Pakistan to end the illegal occupation of Balochistan. We also expect the UN to bring Pakistani war criminals and army generals to the International Court of Justice for their crimes against humanity in Balochistan.”

Exiled pro-freedom leader Hyrbyair Marri had announced the international awareness campaign after from the platform ‘Free Balochistan Movement’ in July 2016. Mr Marri is regarded as the architecture of the current Baloch liberation movement which was started in early 2000 continues all over Balochistan to this day.

Free Balochistan Movement organised its first phase of International awareness campaign from Germany where it has organised a long march from Dusseldorf to Berlin in July 2016 that ended with a massive protest in Berlin on 5th of August in front of the German Parliament.

In the second phase of Free Balochistan Movement campaign pro-independence activists from UK, Canada and different cities of USA gathered in front of UN Headquarters to express their hatred against Pakistani occupation in Balochistan.

Aziz Baloch Canada coordinator of International Voice for Baloch Missing Persons said, “We are hopeful the UN as well as the representative of other nations will take note our protest and our plea for help.”

The protesters said that there was no doubt Prime Minister Modi’s mentioning of Balochistan in his speech has given exposure to Balochistan issue on international level including in India. But, the issue of Balochistan is much larger and the Baloch have long a history of struggle against Pakistan.

“Baloch nation started their freedom struggle and resistance against Pakistani occupation in 1948 when Pakistan forcibly and illegally occupied Balochistan. The Baloch diaspora have been organising protests in London, America, Geneva, Canada, Norway, Sweden, Germany since long time but there was no media coverage to their activities. Now the media, especially Indian media, is giving more coverage to our protests which we appreciate,” another activist of the FBM said.