Public Meeting: Pakistani State Terror Against The Baluch People And Other Minority Groups

Speakers include

Hyrbyair Marri, Baluch human rights activist and political leader; Peter Tatchell, human rights campaigner; James Nichols, Lawyer; Dr Lahku Luhana, Secretary General of World Sindhi Congress; Wilson Chowdhry, Chairman Pakistani Christian Association; Amnesty International (to be confirmed)

The meeting is called by International Voice for Baluch Missing Persons & Campaign Against Criminalising Communities (CAMPACC)

Supported by World Sindhi Congress, Baluchistan National Movement (Baluchistane Raaji Zrombesh), Kurdish Federation UK, British Tamil Forum, Liberation, International Committee Against Disappearances (ICAD)

In the last seven months the military Intelligence agencies have killed and dumped the bodies of at least 150 Baluch political and human rights activists. The victims were carefully selected from the most progressive and conscientious sections of Baluch society. Those that have been subjected to such violent end have included students, poets, lawyers, journalists, farmers, workers and others. Most of the victims were members or sympathisers of Baluch political parties. Among the victims there have been many Baluch children and senior citizens.

In addition to the Baluch there have also been persistent and brutal human rights violations against the Sindhi peoples and other minority and religious groups including the Christians and Amadiya Muslims. Our mainstream media and politicians are exclusively focused on ‘war on terror' against Al Qaeda and the Taliban and have maintained silence on the violations of human and political rights of all these minority communities in Pakistan. The aim of this meeting is to break this complicity and culture of silence.

Amnesty International writes

Quote:

"We have has long been concerned about the persistent pattern human rights violations occurring in Pakistan. "Arbitrary detention, torture, deaths in custody, forced disappearances, and extrajudicial executions are rampant. The government of Pakistan has failed to protect individuals - particularly women, religious minorities and children - from violence and other human rights abuses committed in the home, in the community, and while in legal custody. It has failed to ensure legal redress after violations have occurred. In addition, Pakistan continues to impose the death penalty on persons convicted of crimes.

Since 9-11, individuals suspected of having links with "terrorist" organizations have been arbitrarily detained, denied access to lawyers, and turned over to U.S. custody or to the custody of their home country in violation of local and international law."


For information contact

Public Meeting Venue
Tuesday 14 June, 6.30pm-9pm
at Bloomsbury Suite, Second Floor, University of London Union (ULU), Malet Street, WC1
Chaired by Saleh Mamon, CAMPACC

For information contact

Campaign Against Criminalising Communities (CAMPACC) estella24@tiscali.co.uk Tel 020 7586 5892
or International Voice for Baluch Missing Persons baluchfaiz@gmail.com Tel 07540591477

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