Islamabad [Pakistan], January 24 (ANI): Baloch activist Mahrang Baloch urged the people present at the International Oppressed Peoples Conference to give undivided attention to conveying the Baloch people’s pain and suffering, as reported by the Balochistan Post.
Mahrang was addressing the International Oppressed Peoples Conference in Islamabad on Tuesday.
The Baloch YakJehti Committee stated that the conference highlighted the plight of Balochistan in the global struggle against injustices.
Mahrang further emphasised that when the protesters use the term “Baloch genocide,” they are often told that it is an exaggerated expression and that there is no genocide in Balochistan.
“I urge your undivided attention to convey our people’s pain, suffering, and voice to all of you. When we use the term “Baloch Genocide,” we are often told that it is an exaggerated expression and that there is no genocide in Balochistan,” she said.
“Today, I say to all those that in a region where a graveyard of unknown mutilated bodies is established, where children search for their fathers on the streets instead of attending schools, where hundreds of people are collectively killed, and their mutilated bodies are dumped in mass graves, where women become victims of collective punishment, and 80-year-old mothers protest on the streets awaiting their children forcibly disappeared for 18 years – if all this does not constitute genocide in your eyes, then you need to create a new word in your dictionary for these atrocities,” Mahrang added.
In her address at the international conference, she passionately discussed the grave human rights violations and state violence affecting the Baloch people and other oppressed nations, the Balochistan Post reported.
“Our gathering underscores a shared concern about the violation of fundamental human rights and the prevalence of state violence worldwide. While our focal point involves the challenges faced by the Baloch people, it also extends to a broader context, encapsulating all individuals who find themselves subject to oppression and brutality,” she highlighted.
Further emphasising that over the past 75 years, Balochistan has endured persistent conflict. However, these issues have been overshadowed by coercive measures such as military interventions, enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, forced displacement, collective punishments, and limitations on freedom of expression.
This persistent use of force and violence has left an enduring impact on the lives of nearly every citizen in Balochistan, according to the Balochistan Post.
The Baloch Yakjehti Committee, under Mahrang’s leadership, has spearheaded a movement transcending regional boundaries. Moreover, this movement stands as a beacon of hope for the Baloch people and an inspiration for all subjugated nations within the region.
Meanwhile, during her address, Mahrang’s speech explained major oppressive incidents in Balochistan, including the discovery of mass graves in the Totak area of Khuzdar district in 2014, wherein she passionately described the dire situation faced by Baloch people.
As per the Balochistan Post, she urged the international community to acknowledge the gravity of the atrocities as a form of genocide.
The forced displacement of thousands of families from their hometowns in Balochistan was another critical issue addressed by Mahrang. She drew attention to the lack of adequate response from human rights organisations, emphasising the urgent need to address the plight of these affected people.
Moreover, the conference also highlighted the stories of families with loved ones who have been victims of forced disappearances and extrajudicial killings.
She further presented the challenges faced by these families, emphasising the collective suffering endured when a person forcibly disappeared. She said that here at this conference, there are people whose loved ones were extrajudicially killed, as reported by the Balochistan Post.
She mentioned a detained Pashtun political leader in Pakistan, Manzoor Pashteen, who, according to her, has been continuously and unlawfully detained for the past two months for advocating Pashtun rights.
She also highlighted the situation of other minorities, noting that for the past 20 years, the Hazara community has been facing mass killings based on their religious identity.
Additionally, Sindhis, Muhajirs, and Shias are also experiencing forced disappearances and extrajudicial killings. For decades, Hindu and Christian communities have been facing oppression based on their religious identities.
Moreover, even in Punjab today, political activists and journalists have forcibly disappeared based on their political affiliations and freedom of expression, the Balochistan Post reported.
She further extended support for the minorities, including Muhajirs, Sindhis, Hazaras, Pashtuns, Shias, Hindus, Christians, and all oppressed communities and supported their struggle.
Mahrang she also highlighted the historic contribution of Baloch women in the ongoing struggle against the “Baloch genocide”, emphasising the need for a collective effort among women from all oppressed nations.
While concluding the address, she expressed gratitude to human rights activists and journalists for their constructive role in the movement.
She appealed to these individuals and organisations to stand in solidarity with the struggles of oppressed nations worldwide, including the Baloch nation, the Balochistan Post reported. (ANI)
