GENERAL APPEAL (Pakistan): Four persons burned alive in hot coal tar while other abuses reported during military operation in Balochistan

[NOTICE: The AHRC has developed this automatic letter-sending system using the “button” below. However, in this appeal, we could not include e-mail addresses of some of the Pakistan authorities. We encourage you to send your appeal letters via fax or post to those people. Fax numbers and postal addresses of the Pakistan authorities are attached below with this appeal. Thank you.]

Dear friends,

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has obtained information that military officers arrested four people on 5 April 2008 and put them in hot coal tar after failing to get a confession, where three died and one later died in custody in Zainkoh area in Dera Bugti district. This is yet another incident caused by military operations out of the deaths and displacement of hundreds despite the prime minister’s public apology and decision not to take military action in the Balochistan province.

CASE DETAILS:

According to the information received, during the months of July and August 2008, more than one hundred persons were killed and more than 20,000 villagers in Balochistan province were displaced during military operations by the Pakistan Army. Cobra helicopters that were delivered to combat the war on terror after September 11 to crush the terrorist activists of Al-Qaida have been used on different occasions.

Even though the Prime Minister, Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani rendered apologies on May 1, saying, “It has been decided that no army action will be carried out in the province until a strategy is formulated in consultation with representatives of the provincial government to deal with the issue of law and order in the province”, the military operation has continued over the past nine years.

On April 5, just six days after the formation of the civilian government, four people were arrested in the Zainkoh area in Dera Bugti district by military officers and were taken to torture cells there.  They were asked to name the persons who are working with “Balochistan Liberation Army” (BLA). After failing to get a confession from the victims, the officers put four people in hot coal tar. Three died instantly while the fourth person, Mr. Jaffer Khosa died in custody seven days later. The army was searching for persons involved in the blasts of the natural gas pipelines which provide gas to different parts of the country, and other subversive activities.

According to local newspaper reports, the military started to use heavy force in Dera Bugti, Bairoon Pat and border areas of Jafferabad district again and searched the houses without warrant from court. During this operation, army officers killed 12 persons on July 19, 23 persons on July 20 and 36 persons on July 24. It is also reported that 30 persons were killed and seventy were injured on July 27 and 28. Villagers claim that the military used chemical gas against the villagers and when they fainted, they were taken to unknown places where they were shot dead. Their bodies have not been handed over to their relatives. The affected areas are known as Pat Feeder, Bhawan, Baroon Pat, Shameen, Gwar, Chouber, Sari Darbar, Rustam Darbar, Baranjan, Khawar, Sand Curry, oacgh, Pir Koh and Sui Filds.

The Daily Jang, the largest circulated newspaper, reported on August 21 early that morning, the army deployed a fresh contingents of troops in the areas of Bareli, Tukhmarh, Jhabro, Sano gari, Andhari and Nisao cheera. Seven innocent persons were killed and 18 persons were injured due to a whole-day aerial bombardment in the said areas. After a lapse of one day, the military started bombardments again which killed several, including 13 women and children. The federal in charge, the minister of interior, visited the area on August 20 and announced that the military operation would continue if separatists were protected by the people. The newspaper also reported on August 24, the military operation began in the areas of the Balochistan, the Kohistan-e-Marri again. Several groups claimed that about 250 persons have been missing since the military operation started on July 19.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

The Balochistan province continues to remain under military operation since 2001 by the strict policies of former president General Musharraf. During that period, the Pakistan Army used gunship helicopters and armored cars against the civilian population of the province and the Pakistan Air Force was even used to bombard F-16 jet planes. After the formation of the newly elected government in April, an announcement was made to halt the operation.  The prime minister and parties in the government apologized openly before the people of Balochistan.

It has been alleged that more than 3,000 persons have been killed due to this operation. The military government wants to construct several cantonments in Balochistan. However, there is serious resistance to this among the residents in the area. Several districts in the province had been bombed by F16 jets of the Pakistan Air Force. A former governor and a chief minister of the province, Sardar Akbar Bugti, died with several other important persons in a series of aerial bombings in past years.

It is also reported that more than 200,000 people have been displaced and have had to move to shelters in different districts of Balochistan due to the bombardments. More than 4,000 people have also disappeared after their arrests, allegedly by law enforcement agencies, particularly by military intelligence and the Inter Services Intelligence (ISI).

The Federal interior minister stated before the national assembly of Pakistan on December 5, 2005 that more than 4,000 persons had been arrested in Balochistan province due to their involvement in anti state activities. However, he did not clearly mention where those arrested persons were being held and why none of them had been produced before the courts for trials.

According to the testimonies of persons who returned after they had been missing for several months and the research conducted by some human rights organizations, it has been revealed that the abducted persons were detained in military camps in different cities. The former detainees have also testified that they have seen many of his friends and their family members who have also been missing for long time.

Please refer to previous statements issued by the AHRC.

AHRC-STM-120-2008: PAKISTAN: Government issues false statements about missing persons
AHRC-STM-158-2008: PAKISTAN: 52 illegal torture and detention centres identified  
AHRC- AS-204-2006: PAKISTAN: EARLY WARNING–Pakistan approaching catastrophe; UN Security Council intervention needed now

Please also refer to previous Urgent Appeals issued by the AHRC.

UP-014-2007: PAKISTAN: Fifteen political activists are missing after their arbitrary arrest and detention
UP-001-2007: PAKISTAN: A politician allegedly abducted once again by secret service agents after giving his statement in Sindh High Court

SUGGESTED ACTION:
Please send letters to authorities listed below, demanding them to stop the military operations in the Balochistan province that have caused several forms of human rights violations.

Please be informed that the AHRC has sent letters to the UN Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights while countering terrorism calling for intervention in this matter.

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