حزب مردم بلوچستان Balochistan People’s Party بلوچستانءِ اُستمانءِ گــَل
26 June 2008
UNPO has received a report from the South Azerbaijan National Awakening
Movement (SANAM) in Tabriz, that the Iranian Government has murdered
Southern Azerbaijani political activist and human rights campaigner, Afshin
Irfan Khosroshahi, 30.
Mr Khosroshahi had reported being threatened several times by the Iranian
Intelligence & Security (ETTELAAT). His dead body was found in the bathroom
of is own office. According to a colleague, Mr Khosroshahi had received some
visitors from ETTELAAT some minutes before his body was found and forensic
investigations indicate that Mr Khosroshahi was severely beaten, including
skull fractures.
UNPO condemns this cowardly crime against humanity of the Iranian Government
and calls upon the Iranian government to abide by the rule of law in its own
territory, as well as international law and protect and promote the rights
of its own citizens.
http://www.unpo.org/
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Brother Iirving Sylvia passes away
27-06-2008
With profound grief, I have to share the passing away of Brother Irving Sylvia, 81, founder member of the American Friends of Baluchistan. Baluchistan and Baluch people were always very dear to Brother Sylvia's heart. He had lived in Baluchistan and the doors of his home in California were always open for the Baluch.
Brother Irving Sylvia called himself an "uncle" or nako of the Baloch. He first learned about the Baloch people in 1943, while he was a student at university in Seattle, USA. "My heart strangely warmed toward them," he recalls. He read as much as he could about Baloch culture, literature and history and says he was impressed by their traditions of loyalty and hospitality as well as their courage. "I was also saddened to learn of the injustice and oppression they had suffered," Brother Sylvia said. "I determined that I would do whatever I could to benefit them."
In 1947, he along with his young wife and baby daughter arrived in Pakistan during the difficult days of Partition. "Early in 1948 we came to live in Quetta and made friends with many Baloch," he recalls. The family spent about two years there learning the language and visiting villages. Upon return to the USA, he obtained an advanced degree in the teaching of English, and began a career of teaching in universities in Turkey, Iran and the U.A.E.. While teaching at the University of the U.A.E., he was helped by several Baloch young men to translate the New Testament into Balochi. In 1989, Brother Sylvia was welcomed as a Visiting Research Scholar to the University of Balochistan and continued his research into Balochi language and literature under the mentor ship of Professor Abdullah Jan Jamaldini. "In 1991, I was able to publish the New Testament in the Balochi language for the first time,"Brother Sylvia said. He taught English at colleges in California, USA from 1991 to 2001 at which time he retired, and is now living with his wife in a retirement community.
In 1995, he was able to visit Balochistan for a short period and visited many of his Baloch friends in Panjgur, Turbat and Pasni. "Although I am now advanced in age, I am ready to serve the Baloch people in any way I can and support the Baloch struggle for freedom and justice," Brother Irving Sylvia said at the time of the founding of the American Friends of Baluchistan. His absence will be sorely missed at a time when the Baluch question of statehood will be put on the world agenda of unresolved issues.
May his soul rest in peace.
Ahmar Khan
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British companies warned over money laundering threat from Iran, Pakistan
The Associated Press; 27-06-2008
LONDON: Britain's Treasury is warning
businesses in the country that trading with companies in Iran or Pakistan
threatens to assist money laundering or terrorist financing.
Treasury minister Kitty Ussher said Friday that British companies have been
warned over the risks of business dealings with a host of countries.
She said businesses have been told to use extra scrutiny and due diligence,
particularly in transactions with Iran.
Britain's Financial Action Task Force has issued advice on Uzbekistan, Iran,
Pakistan, Turkmenistan, Sao Tome and Principe and northern Cyprus.
Ussher said the task force told businesses those countries lack sufficient
safeguards against terrorist financing and money laundering.
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Baluchistan:
Noordin Mengal Detained in US
Friday, 27 June 2008
Baluchistan
human rights activist and British citizen Noordin Mengal has been denied
entry to the US and detained without access to a lawyer or the British
consulate.
Below is a press release issued by the Baluchistan National Party:
On June 23rd, Baluch human rights defender Noordin Mengal was detained at
Newark Liberty International Airport in the US on his arrival from the
United Arab Emirates. After being held for nearly 26 hours in the custody of
the United States Department of Homeland Security, he was sent back to Dubai
after being denied entry to the US. Noordin Mengal, grandson of veteran
Baluch leaders Sardar Attaullah Mengal and Nawab Khair Bakhsh Marri, is a
British citizen and a representative to the United Nations Human Rights
Council on behalf of Interfaith International and is also a member of the
Baluchistan National Party.
Upon arrival at Newark Liberty at 6:35 pm, Mengal was detained for
questioning by the Customs and Border Protection Enforcement of the
Department of Homeland Security. Mengal was questioned about Baluchistan and
the purpose of his human rights activities. Mengal was subsequently told
that he would not be granted entry to the United States and could return
only after being issued a visa by a US State Department abroad. Under the
visa waiver programme, however, British nationals are exempted from formal
visa procedures and can freely visit the US for a maximum stay of no more
than three months on each entry. Mengal asked an officer if he could call an
official at the British consulate. The official confirmed his right to do
so, but told him it would only be possible just prior to his departure.
Mengal was denied access to a telephone to contact his family and no one
from the US government informed Mengal’s family of the developments. At
approximately 9:30 pm, Mengal was told that he would be sent to the UK.
According to Mengal, the detention room was empty by 11 pm. At 2 am he was
once again taken for formal questioning, of which a transcript was supposed
to be given to him. Mengal stated that officers had decided to send him back
prior to the second interrogation, and that this was to be just a formality.
He also stated that at the end of the questioning, he was asked if he would
like to call someone within the US, as he could not call internationally. He
was told it was late, but was assured that he could make a call in the
morning.
Mengal was informed that he would be given a place to rest, but was made to
sit on a chair for nearly another 10 hours, during which time he was
repeatedly told that he would soon be taken to another facility. At
approximately 6 am he was given a thermoplastic blanket (disposable
emergency sheet made of yellow polythylene with a cellulose matting
insulation) to use. At around 11 am, a group was sent to take Mengal to
another facility. The authorities shackled Mengal, locked his handcuffs to a
heavy chain looped around his waist, and led him through the airport lounge
to the back of a white armored detention vehicle parked outside the airport.
The vehicle was outfitted with a padlocked caged door in the rear and two
caged partitions inside. Mengal was driven to the Elizabeth detention
facility in New Jersey, where he was held in a white detention cell with an
armored steel door. Mengal estimates he was there for over 5 hours, during
which time a number of prisoners from the Republic of Columbia, convicted of
illegally residing in the US, joined him in the cell. On questioning the
officer regarding his status, Mengal was told that he was not a criminal,
nor an offender. Mengal asked the officer if a British citizen had ever been
detained at this facility. The officer replied, “Never.”
In the evening, Mengal was once again restrained with fetters and manacles
and transported back to the airport, where he was escorted through the
arrivals lounge to the offices of the Department of the Homeland Security.
Mengal asked an official if he had the right to call a lawyer. He was told
he was not now entitled to one and could only have done so on the day of his
arrival. On the day of his arrival, however, he was not informed of any of
his rights, nor was he allowed to contact anyone. By 8 pm, Mengal was
escorted to a Qatar Airways aircraft by officials of the US Immigration and
Customs enforcement, who continued to interrogate him for another half hour
while criticizing his human rights activities. Mengal was told he was being
sent back to Dubai and that even if he returned, having attaining a visa,
there was still a possibility he could be denied entry. Mengal was informed
that he was not being deported, but rather was regarded as inadmissible.
Throughout his detention, Mengal was denied the right to contact an official
from either the British embassy or consulate.
Mengal boarded Qatar Airways flight QR 84 in which he flew to Geneva,
Switzerland, where he was escorted to an isolated lounge before being
escorted back to a plane departing for Doha. On arriving in Doha, he was
again escorted to a Dubai bound plane QR 114. Mengal's documents were not
returned to him until he arrived at the immigration investigation department
in Dubai International airport.
It is pertinent to state that throughout his detention, Mengal was denied
the right to speak to an official from the British embassy or consulate—a
clear violation of the Vienna Convention. Furthermore, on hearing of the US
Government's refusal to allow Mengal to enter the US, many officials in the
US, Qatar and UAE were stunned by the treatment meted out to a British
citizen.
The Baluch condemn any act that denies innocent people their rights and
consider Mengal’s detention a clear violation of human rights. The Baluch
appeal to US authorities to uphold its democratic norms and avoid becoming
party to a long history of unjustifiable persecution and victimization of
the democratic, secular, progressive and peaceful Baluch and British-Baluch.