20 February 2006

Dear Mr. President,

Re: The military operation of Pakistan Army in Eastern Balochistan (Pakistan)

I am writing on behalf of the Balochistan People’s Party (BPP), a party which struggles to establish a federal democratic government in Iran inspired by federalism, to present our deepest concern regarding the military operation of the Pakistan Army in Balochistan, Pakistan.

The Pakistan Army has launched a massive and full-scale military operation in Marri, Bugti and Makkuran areas of East Balochistan. The Pakistan Army is using helicopter gun ships and air strikes to bomb civilian areas. It is ironic to observe that the same Army has been complaining to the UN and the international community about the shortage of helicopters for recent earthquake relief in northern Pakistan. According to media reports this military operation has claimed hundreds of innocent lives, thousands of Baloch women, children have been injured and displaced from their home, and the Pakistan Army and the Frontier Corps (FC) have demolished their houses, leaving them literally homeless.

The current army operation was triggered by unidentified elements firing rockets at a public meeting addressed by President Pervez Musharraf at Kohlu city (district) during his visit to Balochistan in the middle of December 2005. Musharraf is exploiting this incident to take revenge on the Baloch people in the same way that Saddam Hussein did in the village of Dujail in Iraq in 1982. The international community did not stop Saddam Hussein there and then for the killing of 148 Shi’as. By the grace of American policy for democratization of greater Middle East he is now on trial for the crimes he committed against humanity decades ago. In order to save its credibility and image of supporting democracy and human rights all over the world, it is the international community’s responsibility to act to stop General Musharaff’s atrocities against the Baloch people now.

We would hereby like to bring this matter to your urgent attention, to use the United States of America’s influence to persuade General Pervez Musharraf of Pakistan and his army to stop using force against poor, defenseless, civilian Baloch. I believe your persuasion of the Pakistani President to stop the violence against the Baloch will further enhance the United States of America’s image and for the great American tradition of democracy building and support for democracy. The Pakistani army’s attack on the Baloch people will hinder global efforts to combat terrorism in the Middle East and will create pockets of safe havens for terrorists.

Pakistan’s military establishment and its civilian partners are not popular in Pakistan; they have been attacked in various places. There was an attack on Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz in Attock and there have been two attacks on the President in his own cantonment, but none of these places were bombed in response, as collective punishment for the people in these areas.

Balochistan’s resources have been exploited by the various Pakistani military establishments, with little benefit to the local people, to pursue their chauvinistic policies; hence, Balochistan is one of the most backward areas in the region. The Baloch in Pakistan are deprived of their national, cultural and economic rights, and are treated as second class citizens.


Further to Balochistan's geopolitical importance, it is rich in natural resources including gold, oil and gas. Natural gas was discovered in 1952 in the Sui area of Balochistan but was not available even in the provincial capital Quetta until 1982 only when the Pakistan Army cantonment needed it there, while Sui gas had reached far-flung towns in Punjab and other non-Baloch areas. Balochistan gas meets more then 40 per cent of Pakistan’s needs yet only six per cent of Balochistan’s people have access to it.

We ask you and your administration, US congress and other governments and international organisations to take notice of Pakistan’s military activities and operation in Balochistan; there are indications that Pakistan’s military is planning even larger military expeditions against the Baloch people. In a visit to Balochistan on January 4, 2004 General Musharaff threatened Baloch people with yet harsher treatments if they do not submit to his dictatorial rule. He took to the national airwaves and delivered an apocalyptic threat to Baloch: “Don’t push us. It is not the 1970s. This time you won’t even know what hit you.” In many circles this statement was interpreted as meaning the Pakistan military junta was ready to use weapons of mass destruction or even its atomic power against the Baloch. In the ongoing military operation the Pakistan military used its helicopters, airplanes and napalm bombs against civilians.

Balochistan People’s Party kindly urges you to persuade Pakistan’s military junta to:
• Stop its military operation in Balochistan, and withdraw its army from Balochistan and start negotiation with the Baloch people’s popular political representatives, to settle the situation through peaceful negotiations.
• Release all political prisoners who have been arrested by police or kidnapped by the intelligence services
• Compensate civilians who have suffered during military operations and who have lost family members, their possessions and livelihoods
The unjust and harsh policies of the Pakistan Army and the chauvinistic establishment toward the Baloch people as outlined above are the root cause of Baloch grievances. The Baloch are only asking for their legitimate and natural rights on their ancestral land. For these legitimate demands, they are facing gross human rights violations by Pakistan’s police force and intelligence agencies. Arrests, kidnappings, extrajudicial executions, summary executions, illegal detention of Baloch political leaders, party workers and students are routine in Pakistan and Iran.

It would be greatly appreciated if you would give due consideration to the appeal and request contained in this communication.

Yours sincerely,

Nasser Boladai
nasser.boladai@balochpeople.org
Spokesperson for Balochistan People’s Party (www.BalochPeople.org)
 

download this in MSword