As forced disappearances continue, govt's claim of returning missing Baloch men rings hollow
Protesters call government's claim of returning missing men "lies".
QUETTA:
Calling government's claims of releasing missing persons a "lie", the Voice for Baloch Missing Persons (VBMP), an organisation striving for safe recovery of missing persons, staged a protest demonstration outside the Quetta Press Club on Monday.
Women and children whose loved ones are missing took part in the protest.
According to chairman VBMP Nasurallah Baloch, security forces had whisked away 10 family members of Habib Marri –who was killed three months ago- following a raid on his house on March 1 in Saryab Mill area. “The forces violated the sanctity of his home and harassed the women,” he accused, adding that as many as 60 fresh cases of missing person were reported in 2012 in Balochistan alone.
The protesters chanted slogans against the government and its institutes, accusing them of violating human rights in Balochistan.
“On the one hand we are receiving mutilated dead bodies and more people are subjected to enforced disappearances while on the other hand government is making high claims that they have released many missing persons. This is a lie,” he said.
VBMP also alleged that 10 women were listed missing from Balochistan this year.
Sister of Balkh Sher Marri, who was picked up along with ten members of his family from Saryab Mill area of Quetta, said forces also took away three children. “If my brother and other family members are involved in any crime then they should be tried in court. All we want is justice,” she said.
VBMP called upon International humanitarian organisations and United Nations to use their influence and play their role for safe recovery of all Baloch missing persons.
Calling government's claims of releasing missing persons a "lie", the Voice for Baloch Missing Persons (VBMP), an organisation striving for safe recovery of missing persons, staged a protest demonstration outside the Quetta Press Club on Monday.
Women and children whose loved ones are missing took part in the protest.
According to chairman VBMP Nasurallah Baloch, security forces had whisked away 10 family members of Habib Marri –who was killed three months ago- following a raid on his house on March 1 in Saryab Mill area. “The forces violated the sanctity of his home and harassed the women,” he accused, adding that as many as 60 fresh cases of missing person were reported in 2012 in Balochistan alone.
The protesters chanted slogans against the government and its institutes, accusing them of violating human rights in Balochistan.
“On the one hand we are receiving mutilated dead bodies and more people are subjected to enforced disappearances while on the other hand government is making high claims that they have released many missing persons. This is a lie,” he said.
VBMP also alleged that 10 women were listed missing from Balochistan this year.
Sister of Balkh Sher Marri, who was picked up along with ten members of his family from Saryab Mill area of Quetta, said forces also took away three children. “If my brother and other family members are involved in any crime then they should be tried in court. All we want is justice,” she said.
VBMP called upon International humanitarian organisations and United Nations to use their influence and play their role for safe recovery of all Baloch missing persons.