|
Mr Ban
Ki-Moon
Secretary General
United
Nations 21st
Feb 2007
New-York
USA
Re:
Security Council’s Press Statement No. SC/8957 dated 15th
Feb 2007
Dear Mr Ban Ki Moon,
We
the undersigned political parties of Balochistan which strive for
democracy and a civic society would like to express our concerns in
relation to the press statement No. SC/8957 of Security Council on 15th
February 2007.
The statement failed to address the sufferings and injustices of
oppressed people of Balochistan. It regrettably was concerned solely
with the demand and appeasement of Iranian regime hence it lost sense
of purpose to serve humanity. The Security Council under its Charter
has the responsibility to promote peace and stability. Under Article
1,
the
purposes of the United Nations are to promote and encourage respect
for human rights and for fundamental freedoms for all without
distinction as to race, sex, language, or religion.
Millions of innocent peace-loving and law-abiding
Baloch people in Balochistan are left at the mercy of a brutal regime
in Iran. They have been constantly under relentless oppressions,
discriminations by the Iranian regime, and marginalised in every
aspect of life (political representation, religion, culture,
education, economics and social advancement). Grotesque violation of
basic human rights of the people of Balochistan by the Iranian regime
is a routine dilemma. Kangaroo Court style public executions of
innocent Baloch people and freedom fighters are rampant in Balochistan.
In the past year alone over a hundred people were hanged in a
pre-medieval manner in public under false and fabricated allegations
with full publicity. An innocent man, Mr Nasrullah SHANBEHZAI was
summarily put to death following the impetus provided for by your
statement to cruelty of cruel regime of Iran. He was arbitrarily
arrested following the bombing of Revolutionary Guards in Zahidan and
put under degrading tortures to extract confession. He under duress
had no choice but to confess in taking part, and appeared in a
state-sponsored TV. His execution may have not taken place, had the
Security Council shown restraint and wisdom by declining to issue the
statement of condemnation. Article 9 of Universal Declaration of
Human Rights prohibits the Iranian regime from arbitrary arrest and
detention of Mr SHANBEHZAI, and his subsequent execution. His arrest
was arbitrary as the regime stated that no one was caught at the
bombing scene. No evidence of being involved was found or announced.
He did not have a fair trial for the reasons that no attorney
represented him and the all saga i.e. from his arrest to execution
took less than five days!!!
The
Iranian regime has never hidden its policies and stance on
intimidating Baloch people and on suppression of them to total
subjection. But unfortunately it is the UN and its main body the
Security Council which up to now has been failing to acknowledge
violation of Baloch people’s human rights in the hand of notorious
regime in Iran let alone safeguarding them. The UN has not only failed
to protect the innocent Baloch people, but also failed to implement
its own obligations since the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in
its preamble clearly states: Whereas recognition of the inherent
dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the
human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the
world.
According to the Declaration the foundation of freedom, justice and
peace in the world is the recognition of dignity and equal rights of
the human family which Baloch is one. It is ineptness of the Security
Council not to see and redress the level of inflicted indignity and
imposed inequality coupled with systematic state-led discrimination
upon Baloch people by the regime in Balochistan for the past 28 years.
The Declaration requires the Security Council to envisage the fact
that erosion and deprivation of dignity and equality of Baloch people
could not bring peace and security to the region. As a mater of fact
ignorant perpetual denial of such fundamental rights by tyrant rulers
will result in popular uprising and conflicts as it is happening in
Balochistan.
Furthermore the Security Council should have at least considered (if
not followed) the spirit of the UDHR as it states that: Whereas it is
essential, if man is not to be compelled to have recourse, as a last
resort, to rebellion against tyranny and oppression, that human rights
should be protected by the rule of law. We are sure that it is within
the knowledge of the Security Council that Iran as a member state and
signatory to the UN’s Charter and Universal Declaration of Human
Rights is one the most persistent violator of human rights in the
world, if so how it allowed itself to ignore the relevant facts on
Iran’s record in relation to fundamentals of human rights and freedom
which would have concluded that the recourse of Baloch fighters as a
last resort to rebellion against tyranny and oppression is a direct
response to lack of any protection by law in Iran.
The
article 30 of UDHR precludes any justification by states for having
any right to engage in any activity or to perform any act aimed at the
destruction of any of the rights and freedoms set forth in it.
Therefore the Islamic Republic of Iran is no exempt and has no right
to oppress Baloch people and deny them freedom and right of
self-determination. Baloch political parties and fighters are
struggling for right of self-determination which is enshrined in
Article 1 of the United Nations International
Convention on Civil and Political Rights.
It states that: All peoples have the
right of self-determination. By virtue of that right they freely
determine their political status and freely pursue their economic,
social and cultural development.
We the
political parties and organisations of Balochistan are being
vigorously persecuted by the regime, and have no means to exercise our
right of association and expression of opinion in our homeland,
Balochistan.
The
Islamic Republic of Iran has shown to be a threat to the peace and
security of not only to its people and region but to the international
community by negating the values and principles of the United Nations.
Such defiant acts are oppression of Baloch people and direct
interference in the internal affairs of Iraq, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia,
Bahrain and elsewhere. On behalf of Baloch people we call upon the
Security Council to recommend expulsion of Islamic Republic of Iran to
the General Assembly of United Nations under Article 6 for
persistently violating the Principles contained in the UN Charter. We
also demand that a special representative to be sent urgently to
prevent wave of arbitrary arrests, tortures and executions of innocent
Baloch people to rectify the tragic effects of ill-thought statement
of Feb 15th.
We look
forward to your affirmative actions in defence and protection of
Baloch people’s human rights, freedom and right of self-determination.
Yours sincerely,
Balochistan National Movement-Iran
Balochistan People’s Party
Balochistan United Front of Iran
Balochistan United Front (Federal Republican)
Balochistan Mobarezeen Movement
CC: Mr Peter Burian
President of The Security Council
United Nations
New-York
Luis Alfonso de Alba
President of
the UN Human Rights Council
Prof. Philip Alston
Professor of Law NYU,
UN Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary
executions
Ms. Yanine Poc
Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. Head of Asia
Desk
Ms. Angelika BEER
Chairwoman
European Parliament Iran delegation
Mr. Romano Maria LA RUSSA
Vice-Chairman
Ms. Christa PRETS
Vice-Chairwoman
Ms. Hélène FLAUTRE
Chairperson
European Parliament Subcommittee on Human Rights
Mr. Marino Busdachin General Secretary
UNPO The Hague The Netherlands
Amnesty International UK The Human Rights Action Centre
Amnesty
Switzerland
HRW UK
HRW
Geneva
|