Save the dates!!!!
Successive Rallies to be held in US and Canada
to Condemn Pakistan Government Actions
in Balochistan and on Kalabagh Dam
Washington, DC - February 6th, 2006
Chicago, IL - February 13th, 2006
Houston, TX - February 21st, 2006
Los Angeles, CA - February 27th, 2006
New York, NY - March 6th, 2006
Toronto, Canada - March 10th, 2006
For the names of contact persons, times and location in each of the cities, please click here
The World Sindhi Institute (WSI) condemns the ongoing military operation in Balochistan and calls for an independent human rights investigation.
Since December 18th, the Pakistan security forces have been carrying out attacks in the Kohlu and Dera Bugti districts of Balochistan using helicopter gunships and fighter jets. Over one hundred people have been killed, among them many innocent women and children. At first denying the attacks, then calling them just a law and order operation, the army’s brutal tactics are unlikely to resolve any conflict or grievances between the Baloch people and the central government.
In a joint effort with Baloch Society of North America (BSO-NA) and Baloch International Human Rights, WSI announces a series of rallies will take place on successive Mondays, beginning on Monday, February 6th. Sindhis, Baloch, Pakhtuns and their supporters will gather in front of Pakistan consulates to register their opposition. The series of rallies will begin in Washington, DC, followed by Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York City and Toronto, Canada. All people who are concerned about these issues are urged to participate and register their voices. To continue reading, please click here.
The speakers at the rallies include
(Please click to see speaker's Biography):
Social scientist and Politician of South Asian affairs
Senator Asfandyar Wali Khan (invited)
President of the Awami National Party
Professional Journalist, an Ashoka Fellow for Journalism
President of Baloch International Human Rights
President of Baloch Society of North America (BSO-NA)
Executive Director of the Think-Tank for National Self-Determination
CONTACT INFORMATION
World Sindhi Institute
1050 17th Street, NW
Suite 700
Washington, DC 20036
United States of America
Phone: 202-223-1777/8
Fax: 202-223-1779
Email: WSIHQ@worldsindhi.org
Website: www.worldsindhi.org
World Sindhi Institute
225 Brunswick Ave,
Toronto, Ontario
M5S 2M6 - Canada
Phone: 416-964-9223 ext 249
Fax: 416-964-8239
Email: humaira.rahman@worldsindhi.org
Website: www.worldsindhi.org
Press Release
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Successive Rallies In US and Canada will Condemn Pakistan Government Actions in Balochistan and on Kalabagh Dam, January 06, 2006
Related Articles
Captured Rebel Tribesmen 'Shot on the Spot' by Army, Times Online, January 24, 2006
Pakistan: The Resurgence of Baloch Nationalism, January 23, 2006
Many 'Die' in Balochistan Clashes, BBC Correspondent, January 22, 2006
Baloch Unrest has No Foreign Support: Study, Daily Times, January 21, 2006
Sindhi Group Protests over Balochistan, Daily Times, January 21, 2006
Letter to President Bush regarding the visit of Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz of Pakistan
Global Pashtun Institute's letter of their announcement to join hands with WSI for the upcoming rallies, January 18, 2006
WSI Appreciates Sassui Palijo's letter to Support for the Upcoming Rallies, January 15, 2006
Please Help Stop the Military Operation and Massacre in Balochistan,
WSI Welcomes the Decision of WSC to Join Hands for the Upcoming Rallies, January 14, 2006
WSI's Invitation Letter to SANA and WSC to Join the Upcoming Rallies, January 11, 2006
India Rejects Musharraf's Remarks on Balochistan - News Article from Indo-Asian News Service ( IANS ), January 8, 2006
World Sindhi Institute Condemns Pak Operations in Balochistan - New Article from Press India Trust, January 7, 2006
Conflict in Balochistan HRCP Fact-Finding Missions (PDF File), December 2005 - January 2006
City, Dates, Time, and Location
Washington, DC
Embassy of Pakistan
3517 International Court, NW
Washington DC 20008
February 6th, 2006
12:00 - 1:00pm
Local contact: Munawar Laghari
Phone : (202) 223 - 1777 Cell: (202) 378 - 0333
Email: Munawar.laghari@worldsindhi.org
Chicago, Illinois
Chicago Consulate General of Pakistan,
333 North Michigan Avenue, Suite 728,
Chicago, Illinois 60601
February 13th, 2006
12:00-1:00pm
Local contacts: Sohail Ansari
Phone: (414) 688 - 0213
Email: sohailansari2001@aol.com
Ali Afzal Bugti
Phone: (773) 592 - 2428
Houston, Texas
Houston Consulate General of Pakistan,
11850 Jones Road,
Houston, Texas 77070
February 21st, 2006
12:00-1:00pm
Local contacts: Rashid Baloch
Phone: (214) 682 - 2867
Email: arbaloch@hotmail.com
Mashooq Malah
Phone: (832) 661 - 8292
Email: mashoo64@yahoo.com
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles Consulate General of Pakistan,
10850
Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 1250,
Los Angeles, CA 90024.
February 27th, 2006
12:00-1:00pm
Local contacts: Hasan Mujtaba
Phone: (619) 465 - 1461
Email: hasanmujtabas@yahoo.com
Malik Dino Shaikh
Phone: (818) 481 - 6201
Email: dinosfo@yahoo.com
New York City, New York
New York Consulate General of Pakistan,
12 East, 65th Street,
New, York NY-10021
March 6th, 2006
12:00-1:00pm
Local contacts: Nand Panjwani
Phone: (917) 609 - 3880
Email: nandpanjwani@hotmail.com
Ramesh Tharwani
Phone: (609) 668 - 0156
Email: rtharwani@yahoo.com
Toronto, Canada
Toronto Consulate General of Pakistan
240 Duncan Mill Road, Suite 402
North York, Ontario,
Canada, M3B 1Z4
March 10th, 2006
11:00-12:00pm
Local contacts: Humaira Rahman
Phone: (416) 964 - 9223 ext 249
Email: Humaira.rahman@worldsindhi.org
Zulfiqar Khowaja
Phone: (416) 830 - 2685
Email: zak.indusvalley@gmail.com
UK Balochs protest against Pak suppression in their province
London | January 27, 2006 2:13:42 PM IST
http://news.webindia123.com/news/showdetails.asp?id=232282&cat=World
>
Expatriate Balochs living in Britain recently staged a protest demonstration in London against the alleged Pakistani suppression in their province.
The protest included a march past 10 Downing Street, the official residence of British Prime Minister Tony Blair.
The protesters demanded that the British Government use its influence over Islamabad to bring an end to the Pakistani military action in Baluchistan.
Baloch militants have been waging a low-level insurgency for decades for greater benefits, control of gas and other natural resources.
On Wednesday, a landmine planted by tribal militants blew up a minibus in the province, killing six people, including two children, government officials said.
Pakistans top rights group has already accused President Pervez Musharrafs military-led government of gross human rights violations in the province, where it said a war-like situation prevailed.
The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) also rejected government claims that it was not using regular armed forces in a crackdown in the southwestern province launched last month after rocket attacks by tribal militants battling for greater autonomy and control of lucrative natural gas fields.
The group said it had received evidence that action by armed forces had led to deaths and injuries among civilians and that populations had also been subjected to indiscriminate bombing.
The HRCP report said up to 85 percent the 22,000-26,000 inhabitants of Dera Bugti had fled their homes after the town was repeatedly hit by shelling by paramilitary forces.
A handful of representatives of Sindhi and Baloch people residing in the U.K. held placards condemning the ongoing alleged atrocities on their people by the Pakistani military regime.
Activists shouted anti-Musharraf slogans and condemned the ongoing atrocities in their region rich in mineral resources.
Pakistans army launched a crackdown against Baluchistan militants after a December 14 rocket attack while Musharraf was visiting the region. Baluchi nationalists say 200 people have since been killed, but Pakistan has not commented on casualties.
Opposition parties in Baluchistan accuse the government of using helicopter gunships and warplanes to rocket and bomb civilians in northern Baluchistan.
Kadir Jaloti, Director of the World Sindhi Institute, urged the world community to take up the issue of Baloch people and help resolving the issue.
<span style="font-size:large;">I want to tell the whole world that today Baluchistan is burning and its no only Baluchistan which is burning but the whole world.</span> So, this is the issue of whole world and to condemn Pakistan military ruler Pervez Musharrafs action, said Jaloti angered at the action.
Mir Khalid Langau. Leader of National Party Baluchistan, warned the Pakistani military with dire consequences if they do not stop atrocities in the troubled region.
Pakistani military is one of the rarest militaries who wants to conquer its own state. Instead of providing them their fundamental rights they are targeting them with bullets. We want to tell them they should not consider themselves and their army to be so powerful that they can face us. Now we are ready to face them. And we want them to recall the 70s about General Arora and General Niazi controversy, said Langau.
In the past month, mines planted by militants have killed five troops of the Frontier Corps paramilitary force and destroyed seven vehicles, a paramilitary official said.
<span style="font-size:large;">The crackdown in Dera Bugti and nearby Kohlu district began in mid-December after a string of rebel rocket attacks, including one during a visit to the area by President Pervez Musharraf.</span>
Abdullah Baluch, Baluchistan Action Committee and organizer of the protest, called upon the world leaders to send a mission to Baluch region to find the real truth.
We want international community to send a fact finding mission to and see for themselves what is happening to the Baluch people. They are under immense pressure from Pakistan. There are around 4000 innocent people are missing or extra judicially kept in custody of Pakistani army, said Baluch.
Baluch nationalists say almost 200 people have been killed in the crackdown. The government has not commented on overall casualties. (ANI)
Comments
Re: BALOCHISTAN : Genocide of Baloch by PAKISTANI ARMY ... PROTE
By Anonymous
A huge demonstration was organised on 22 Jan 2006 by Balochistan Action Committee, Baluchistan Rights Movement, World Sindhi Congress and Sindhi Baluch Forum in front of 10 Downing Street, the residence of British Prime Minster Tony Blair. The protest rally was held to condemn the ongoing genocide of Baluch people under the hands of Pakistani army. Hundreds of Sindhis and Baluchs from all over the UK and Europe came to show their solidarity with the struggle of Baluch people. The participants raised slogans against Pakistani military and General Musharaf and in support of the righteous struggle of Baluch and Sindhi people. The participants were holding banners with pictures of children and women killed by the bombardment of Pakistani army. The rally was addressed by many speakers who unanimously and unambiguously condemned the barbaric acts of Pakistani military. Mr. Mehran Baluch younger son of Nawab Khair bux Marri said that Punjabi military’s campaign of indiscriminate bombing civilian Baluch population is continuing since last six weeks. He reiterated that these killings and sufferings can not stop Baluch people to gain their right of self rule over their motherland. Baluchs can not accept slavery under any pretext. Mr. Abdullah of Balochistan Action Committee said that Pakistani government propagates that the current struggle of Baluch people is run by only few sardars who have kept the whole Baluch nation a hostage the reality is that these sardars are the true sons of their motherland who want to bring dignity and peace to their nation. Entire Baluch nation salutes the courage and sacrifices of these sardars. The sardars that really want to sell and hold Baluch nation a hostage are those who are the touts and agents of Pakistan’s military establishment. Dr. Lakhu Luhana of World Sindhi Congress said that the entire Sindhi nation condemns the barbaric acts of Pakistani army. He reiterated that the struggle of Baluch people is the struggle of Sindhis as well. He said Saeen Khair Bux Marri and Saeen Attaullah are not only Baluch leaders they are Sindhi leaders too. The acts of Pakistan’s Military establishment is bringing the two natural allies, Baluchs and Sindhis, together and a joint struggle is in the offing to bring an end once and for all to the injustices to Baluch and Sindhi nations. Dr. Naseer Dashti in his speech mentioned the history of the suffering of Baluch people since the accession of Baloch in 1948. he said that the history of 1971 in Bengal and genocide of ethnic nationalities in during Yugoslav crisis in 90s is being repeated in Baluchistan. He mentioned that it is imperative for international community should to stand up against these criminal acts. He demanded that an international peace keeping force should be stationed in Balochistan in order to stop the genocide of Baloch nation. Mr. Qadir Bux Jatoi in his speech said that Sindhis are with our Baloch brothers in their righteous struggle. If the Pakistani military has not learnt the lessons from their defeat in Bangladesh and still want to carry on with their criminal acts then this war will be waged against the Punjabi military by all Baluchs, Sindhis, Siraikis and Pathans in every part on every inch of Pakistan to defeat this evil. Others who spoke on the occasion included poet and writer Hasan Hamdam, Khalid Langho, Habib jan and others.
At the end of the rally a petition was submitted to 10 Prime Minster Tony Blair by Mr. Mehran Baluch, Mr. Abdullah Baloch, Dr. Rubina Shaikh and Dr. Lakhu Luhana. The petition requested for the UK governmental intervention to stop the genocide of the Baluch people and also requested not to provide any support and sale any arms to Pakistan’s military government as these arms will be used against Baluch people.
-Anna
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