Geneva [Switzerland], September 16 : A protest was staged today at the iconic Broken Chair monument near the United Nations headquarters in Geneva by members of the Baloch National Movement (BNM) and allied human rights activists. The demonstration, marked by speeches, slogans, a photo exhibition, and an awareness camp, aimed to bring international attention to the ongoing human rights violations in Balochistan, a region in southwestern Pakistan.
Speaking at the protest, Hatim Baloch, Central Committee Member of BNM and Coordinator at Paank, said, "Balochistan has been suffering from decades of occupation since its forceful annexation by Pakistan in 1948. Since then, the Baloch people have been struggling for their freedom, their right to liberty and to live. We are here to highlight the daily human rights violations, extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, and collective punishments, especially against students, academics, and political activists."
Dr Naseem Baloch, Chairman of BNM, also addressed the gathering, emphasising the consistency of their campaign. He said, "This is not the first time. We have consistently been engaging in such activities for several years. These include protests, participating in other events, and organising our own events and conferencessuch as a special photo exhibition and setting up a camp. And in those, we try to present the things that don't reach the outside world.
Dr Baloch explained that these efforts are designed to amplify the voices of the silenced and bring to light the hidden suffering in Balochistan, a region that remains under-reported in global media. He stated, "In Balochistan, ever since Pakistan's occupation in 1948, the atrocities have been committed there, our goal is to present all of that. We try to convey these things through pictures, in the form of photo exhibitions, through protests, and through our speeches to the world, to the people here, and to the institutions here."
Highlighting the geopolitical and economic motives behind the ongoing violence, Dr Baloch pointed to Balochistan's wealth in natural resources, including gas, gold, and other minerals as a key driver of exploitation. He said, "Balochistan, being a mineral-rich territory, has attracted the attention of the world. Many global powers want to come and make deals with Pakistan over Balochistan's resources. Several Pakistani Prime Ministers themselves have mentioned that to pay off the country's debts, they will sell Balochistan's resources."
Dr Baloch further stated, "However, the Baloch people have launched a resistance against this. To suppress and eliminate this resistance, Pakistan has adopted brutal policies enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, and the discovery of mass gravesthis has taken the shape of a genocide."
Dr Baloch urged global powers not to turn a blind eye to the plight of the Baloch people for the sake of geopolitical or economic alliances.
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