A Baloch sister’s open letter to UN

An open letter to the Secretary-General of the United Nations

His Excellency Mr. António Guterres,

United Nations Secretary General,
United Nations Secretariat Building
405 E 42nd St, New York,
NY 10017, USA
23-07-2019

Mr Secretary General,

You are the ninth Secretary-General of the United Nations, a position in the world’s most powerful organisation. The UN came into being after two horrific World Wars; the UN has played a great role in sustaining peace and playing a great role in the reconciliation of disputes across the globe. Since the establishment of the United Nations every persecuted, starved, and oppressed have been looking upon it for a remedy. When there is no hope left, and the paths are blocked then the last support has always been United Nations and as the head of this organization, I am presenting my statement before you.

Respected Secretary-General,

It is said that injustice with one person is a threat to the justice of the whole world. Therefore, the most historical and admirable work that United Nations did after its establishment, was the foundation and declaration of “Universal Declaration of Human Rights” and it’s very first article is that we all humans are equal in dignity and rights and have been born free. Thus, everyone should be treated equally.

Before I present my case in front of you, I would like to have the courage to remind you of something. The third and most important article of these thirty articles of “Universal Declaration of Human Rights” declares that “Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person.” And the fifth article of this historical document states that “No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.” The sixth important article is that “Everyone has the right to recognition everywhere as a person before the law.” Respected nobleman, the ninth article of this human rights document states that “No one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest, detention or exile.” The tenth article declares that “Everyone is entitled in full equality to a fair and public hearing by an independent and impartial tribunal, in the determination of his rights and obligations and of any criminal charge against him.” And the eleventh most significant article is that “everyone has the right to be presumed innocent until proved guilty.”

Respected Secretary-General,

The reason to write you this open letter and mention of the above articles of human rights declaration is purely that, I appeal to United Nations that my brother Rashid Hussain should be considered a human and shall be granted the rights endowed to him within the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

My brother, Rashid Hussain is a political and human rights activist, who moved to the United Arab Emirates so that he does not become a victim of human rights violation, enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings of political activists in Balochistan. More than five innocent family members of mine were extra-judicially killed by the Pakistan Army.

My brother Rasheed Hussain was also not spared and on 26th December 2018, he was arrested and taken away by the personnel of the secret services of the United Arab Emirates while travelling from Sharjah to Dubai. He was deprived of all human rights and was a captive in the United Arab Emirates’ jail for more than six months. He was denied access to lawyers and right to a trial in open courts of the country. He was kept disappeared all this duration in the UAE and family members were not allowed to visit him. There were no charges against him in UAE and Pakistan. On 3rd of July 2019, we were informed via media that he was deported and handed over to Pakistan on 22nd June 2019 via a private jet.

Respected Secretary-General,

Rashid Hussain, who had left Pakistan for the sack of his life and went to Emirates, was arrested and handed over to the regime from whom he had escaped. We are very much positive that, he will be killed and thrown away and his family will continue to remember and wait for him as a missing person likewise to families of other thousands of Baloch missing persons for the rest of their lives.

Your Excellency, is it possible that the tyrant gives justice to the oppressed? I am sure your answer will be in no. Imagine, if Jews were handed over to Nazis in World War II to give them justice or expecting from ISIS that it will give justice and treat the Yazidis according to the laws of the civilised world.

Respected António Guterres,

I am concluding my letter with these words that, may God grant you wisdom, ingenuity and strength so that you fulfil the dream of universal peace and play your part in providing justice to oppressed all around the globe like Rashid Hussain.

I hope that my letter will attract your attention and you will play your due role.

A sister waiting for her brother,

Farida Baloch

Occupied-Balochistan