Amnesty critical of human rights failure in Balochistan

LONDON: Amnesty International criticised the Pakistan government for failing to protect civilians from human rights abuses in Balochistan or bring perpetrators to justice.

In a briefing paper seen exclusively by The News and submitted by the London based group to the Committee for Foreign Affairs, US House of Congress, the human rights group called on the United States to “apply the Leahy Amendment without waivers to all Pakistani military units in Balochistan”.

An open hearing on Balochistan was held by the US House of Representatives’ Committee on Foreign Affairs yesterday, brought by the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, chaired by Republican Congressman Dana Rohrabacher.

Amnesty called on the Pakistan government to end “enforced disappearance” that target Baloch nationalists, an increasing number of whom are being found dead days or months after disappearing. The human rights group called on Pakistan to bring all perpetrators of abuses to justice; provide fair trials to those brought to justice; and ensure any military operations comply with international humanitarian laws.

Amnesty also called on all non-state armed groups in Balochistan to refrain from committing human rights abuses; respect the laws of Pakistan; and ensure that civilians are not exposed to violence.

It said of all the poor regions, Balochi and Brahui-speaking regions of the province are the most neglected and least developed despite these areas being rich in mineral resources and fossil fuels.

“Balochistan is one of the most militarised regions of Pakistan, with the military, paramilitary Frontier Corp and levies, and police stationed across this vast province,” the Amnesty briefing said. “Despite this presence, or perhaps because of it, Balochistan is one of the most dangerous parts of Pakistan, with armed groups affiliated with the state, sectarian armed groups, armed groups hostile to the state, and criminal gangs operating with near complete impunity,” noted the briefing paper.

It warned that the province is “gradually heading to a state of perpetual conflict that threatens stability not only in Pakistan but also in the neighbouring countries of Afghanistan and Iran, and throughout the region”.

It said the fighting between Pakistan forces and armed Baloch groups is of relatively low intensity but “it may reach a level of intensity” that would make the laws of war applicable.

Both state security forces and Baloch armed groups must at all times “distinguish between civilians and combatants”, especially in that “attacks may only be directed against combatants” and “must not be directed against civilians” or “civilian objects.”

AI quotes its own investigation which shows that at least 249 Baloch activists, teachers, journalists and lawyers have disappeared or been murdered between 24 October 2010 and 10 September 2011 alone, many in so-called ‘kill and dump’ operations.

The briefing also implicates the Baloch armed groups for targeting “non-Baloch civilians and government employees, including teachers at government education institutions and Urdu and Punjabi-speaking civilians whose only crime appears to be their ethnic or linguistic background”.

It told the Congress that Taleban insurgents are increasingly using areas of Balochistan to regroup and rearm, creating further instability and even sectarian groups like the anti-Shia Lashkar-e-Jhangvi was operating openly.

The paper said that despite the government’s assurance that the Aghaz-e-Huqooq-e-Balochistan package was nearly totally implemented, there was no major improvement in the human rights situation.

The application of the Leahy Amendment will mean that the US will have to ensure that military assistance to units of the Army, Airforce, Navy, Frontier Corp, Levies, and other security forces supported by Pakistan in Balochistan is not linked to human rights abuses. If there is credible information to indicate that any of these units have committed gross violations of human rights, then the US can ask Pakistan to take effective measures to provide accountability for these violations.

"There should be no surprises here, the fundamental problem is the total impunity enjoyed by human rights abusers and the state's failure to address the horrendous poverty and disenfranchisement felt by the Baloch and other communities," said Mustafa Qadri, Pakistan Researcher at Amnesty International.

“But,” he added, grievances were “no excuse for abuses committed by Baloch groups or anyone else. No one has a license to act above the law. All perpetrators of human rights abuses must be brought to justice.”