Escolar Documentos
Profissional Documentos
Cultura Documentos
Unrepresented Nations
and Peoples Organization
Table of Contents
ABBREVIATIONS............................................................................................................... 5
FOREWORD ..................................................................................................................... 6
MAPS OF THE REGION ...................................................................................................... 7
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND .............................................................................................. 8
EARLY HISTORY .......................................................................................................................... 8
RECENT HISTORY IN IRAN ............................................................................................................ 9
RECENT HISTORY IN PAKISTAN...................................................................................................... 9
PROFILE: KHAN OF KALAT .......................................................................................................... 10
BALOCHISTAN IN THE WORLD POWER GAME ................................................................. 11
THE CONTEXT OF THE AFGHAN WAR ........................................................................................... 11
PAKISTAN AS A NUCLEAR POWER ................................................................................................ 11
U.S.A.-PAKISTAN RELATIONS..................................................................................................... 12
INDO-PAKISTANI RELATIONS ...................................................................................................... 12
SINO-PAKISTANI RELATIONS ...................................................................................................... 13
HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS ......................................................................................... 14
ENFORCED DISAPPEARANCES ..................................................................................................... 14
WOMENS RIGHTS ................................................................................................................... 14
NGO ACCESS TO BALOCHISTAN.................................................................................................. 15
POLITICAL DIMENSIONS ................................................................................................. 16
SECTARIAN VIOLENCE ............................................................................................................... 16
POLITICAL DISEMPOWERMENT ................................................................................................... 16
CLAIMS FOR SELF DETERMINATION ............................................................................................. 17
ELECTIONS IN 2013.................................................................................................................. 17
PROFILE: NOORDIN MENGAL ..................................................................................................... 18
SOCIO ECONOMIC ISSUES............................................................................................... 19
DEVELOPMENT INDICATORS OVERVIEW ....................................................................................... 19
GWADAR DEEP-SEA PORT ......................................................................................................... 19
DEMOGRAPHY ......................................................................................................................... 20
DRUG TRAFFICKING .................................................................................................................. 20
NATURAL RESOURCES ............................................................................................................... 21
NATURAL DISASTERS ................................................................................................................ 22
INTERNALLY DISPLACED PERSONS (IDPS) ..................................................................................... 22
A WAY FORWARD AS OF 2014 ........................................................................................ 23
ABOUT THE UNREPRESENTED NATIONS AND PEOPLES ORGANIZATION (UNPO)............... 24
Abbreviations
FATA
HDI
IDP
IPC
Iran-Pakistan-China Pipeline
LeJ
Lashkar-e-Jhangvi
NGO
Non-Governmental Organization
NPT
UNDP
UNODC
USD
US Dollars
Foreword
The most dominant factor that shapes daily life in South Asia is security, or rather, the lack thereof.
Within the context of the increasingly alarming security situation in South Asia, Hamid Karzai, Asif Ali
Zardari and David Cameron urge the Taliban to join the reconciliation process in Afghanistan, Malala
Yousafzai vows to continue her campaign, and the Hazaras in Quetta refuse to bury their dead.
While the North West Frontier Province, FATA, Swat Valley and Kashmir are well-known conflict
affected areas, Balochistan, which covers part of Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan, receives little
international attention and is often overlooked in political analyses of the region. Balochistan is
nevertheless a crucial factor when trying to understand the geostrategic complexities that shape the
lives of the people in South Asia.
The curse of colonialism led Balochistan from independence to being divided and ruled by others, up
until today. With a soil rich in minerals, oil and gas, a prime location at the heart of South Asia, and a
maritime border of more than 400 km on the Arabian Sea and Gulf of Oman, it comes as no surprise
that Balochistan is at the epicenter of an international power game, involving Pakistan, India,
Afghanistan, Iran, China, the U.S. and Russia, who are all playing a delicate balancing act in the region
while exposing vested interests in Balochistan.
The claims of the secular Baloch people for self-determination have been suppressed by Islamabad
for decades, leading to economic and political disempowerment and severe human rights abuses. The
talibanisation and militarisation of Balochistan have led to an increase in summary executions,
enforced disappearances and targeted killings, especially in the run-up to the Pakistani General
Elections.
Aiming at a better understanding of the global and regional security challenges South Asia, and
specifically Balochistan are facing, the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization convened a
conference entitled Global and Regional Challenges in South Asia: What Future for Balochistan? at
the Royal Society, London, on 24 February 2013.
In light of this conference, UNPO drafted this report to provide participants with a background to the
current challenges Balochistan is facing. The report provides an extensive introduction into questions
of security, human rights violations and socio-economic development.
At the heart of the problem in Balochistan lay reasonable political and economic grievances, which
are eminently resolvable. Under Pakistans current system, Balochistan is unlikely to receive the policy
attention it deserves. The province has too little political representation and too few domestic allies
to sustain an agenda that could resolve the various conflicts in the province. After plenty of breaches
of treaties and deals by the Pakistan government, trust no longer characterizes the negotiations for
the Baloch people. International attention and support is therefore required to solve this ongoing
conflict that so far has only been met by violent means.
Marino Busdachin
UNPO General Secretary
Provinces of Pakistan
Greater Balochistan
Historical Background
Current day Balochistan constitutes the
Pakistani province of Balochistan, the
Iranian province of Sistan and Baluchestan
and the Afghan region of Balochistan. The
history of Balochistan nevertheless spans
thousands of years.
Early History
Balochistan hosted some of the earliest
human civilizations, with the Baloch
people mentioned in Arabic chronicles
from the 10th century AD. Mehrgarh, the
earliest civilization known to mankind, is
located in Eastern Balochistan and the
Kech civilization in central Makuran
(southern Balochistan) dates back to 4000
BC.
The Arab invasion of Balochistan in the
seventh century AD was amongst the
most significant incursions in terms of the
extensive social, religious, economic and
political impact. The Arab army defeated
the combined forces of Makuran and
Sindh in 644 AD. During the anarchic and
chaotic last phases of Arab rule, the
Baloch tribes established their own semiindependent tribal confederacies, which
were
frequently
threatened
and
overwhelmed by the stronger forces and
dynasties of surrounding areas. This
period brought Islam to the area, which
was gradually embraced by Baloch tribes.
During most of the 12th century southern
Balochistan was under the control of the
Seljuks, before the arrival of the Mughals.
Before that, large parts had been under
the rule of the Ghaznavids (TurkicPersian).
The British occupation of the Kalat state
was a turning point, which had severe
consequences for the Baloch who
suffered from the partition of their land
and perpetual occupation by foreign
forces. By the 18th century, the Khanate
of Kalat was the dominant power in
Profile
Suleiman Dawood, The Khan of Kalat
The Khanate of Kalat was a princely state in the center of
Balochistan, which existed from 1666 to 1955. Today, his Royal
Highness Khan Suleiman Dawood, the 35th Khan of Kalat, lives in
political exile in the U.K. He fled Balochistan in 2007 after being
targeted for speaking out against the Pakistani militarys human
rights abuses. The Khan is critical of radical Islamic groups in
Balochistan, often former secular separatists, who turn to the
Taliban in the face of continued repression of the Baloch.
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U.S.A.-Pakistan Relations
Pakistani mistrust of the U.S. has
increased markedly over recent years.
Many Pakistanis feel that they have been
betrayed by the United States and there is
a sense that the U.S. could have helped
Pakistan on several occasions but chose
not to do so, particularly with regard to
the Kashmir conflict. The Pakistanis
consider that the American and
international coalition war launched
against Afghanistan has pushed radical
elements
into
Pakistan,
further
destabilizing the country. Pakistani
officials consider U.S. interest in their
country to be short-term and linked only
to the situation in Afghanistan.
The American point of view is also
characterised by a sense of mistrust,
mostly over Pakistans continued support
to jihadist groups linked to Afghanistan
and the Taliban. However, the U.S.
remains cautious in comments over
Pakistani actions as it strives to maintain
good working relations with both China
and India, two countries deeply tied to
the situation in Pakistan.
Recent sources of tension between the
U.S. and Pakistan include American drone
strikes within and launched from Pakistan,
the covert American military mission in
Abbottabad (which led to Osama Bin
Ladens capture and death) and the
recent killing by NATO forces of 24
Pakistani military men.
In February 2012, several U.S. Senators
called for Balochistans right to
independence, following a Congressional
hearing hosted by Congressman Dana
Rohrabacher (R-CA). These calls created
further tension with the Pakistani
government and forced the latter to
address the issue of Balochistan.
Indo-Pakistani Relations
The long history that ties Pakistan to India
remains the strongest source of conflict
between the two countries, with the
ongoing conflict in Kashmir a particularly
nasty running sore in relations.
Pakistan was originally created as a state
for the Muslims of British India who did
not wish to live in Hindu-dominated India.
Kashmir has been a disputed territory
between India, Pakistan and China since
1947, with tensions rising to the point of
war between India and Pakistan on four
different occasions, most recently in
1999.
In Pakistan, the army dictates the policy
regarding India, as opposed to the
government. The armys influence on the
matter has rendered Pakistans stance
towards India very harsh and inflexible.
The army considers Pakistans protection
from India as paramount; more important
than economic development for example.
The Pakistani military focuses almost
exclusively on security matters and
Pakistans policies will continue along
these lines as long as the military holds
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Sino-Pakistani Relations
In recent years, Chinese influence has
become a powerful force in Pakistan,
much to the annoyance of India and the
U.S., who both pursue a policy of
containment in terms of Chinas influence
in the region. As part of its strategies in
other parts of Asia, China has expanded
its influence principally through its
economic power and its position as an
alternative to the West.
China has provided military hardware and
nuclear technology to Pakistan, most
recently through the sale of nuclear
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Enforced Disappearances
Increasingly common, the practice of
abducting a person without notifying the
family of his or her whereabouts, and
denying this person any access to judicial
protection, is being perpetrated all over
Pakistan by Pakistani military and
paramilitary forces.
This practice is often combined with a kill
and dump approach, whereby the bodies
of these forcibly disappeared persons are
frequently found on roadsides, bearing
marks of torture.
Confirmed practitioners of enforced
disappearances include the Pakistani
paramilitary, the Frontier Corps, who are
regularly seen arresting someone in public
and taking them away to unknown
facilities. These abducted persons are
often found a few months later, victims of
a kill and dump operation.
Womens Rights
According to Human Rights Watch, girls
and women are targeted in Pakistan and
suffer from rape, domestic violence,
forced marriage and public intimidation.
In 2011, as Aurat Foundation, a local NGO,
reported, 56 honor killings were carried
out against women, some of which were
buried alive. Women in Balochistan are
deprived of their rights in the name of
religion but also in the name of honor.
Aurat Foundation also mentions that
collecting data on violence against women
in Balochistan, and indeed Pakistan in
general, is very difficult as many acts of
violence are never registered or
denounced.
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Political Dimensions
Sectarian Violence
On 10 January 2013, two bombs exploded
in Quetta, Balochistan, killing over 100
and wounding hundreds of others.
On 16 February 2013, a bomb was
detonated in a busy market, again in
Quetta, killing around 63 people and
wounding a further 180. Protests have
erupted following Lashkar-e-Jhangvis
(LeJ) repeated targeting of the Hazara
community in Balochistan.
These recent bombings are only the latest
in a long line of bombings which have
affected Balochistan, mostly since the
mid-2000s, when sectarian violence
increased in strength and intensity
following the rise of the Pakistani Taliban.
The most frequent response from the
state is that it will do everything to find
the perpetrators and bring them to justice
which very rarely occurs. The military
line tends to be that its forces are
overstretched in Balochistan and that
they cannot prevent attacks from
happening.
Huma Yusuf, in a paper for the Norwegian
Peacebuilding Resource Centre, explains
the origins of sectarian violence and the
clear threats it poses to Balochistan and
to Pakistan as a whole. Pakistan is divided
roughly into two religious groups, with a
majority of Sunni and around 15-20% of
Shia Muslims. Hazaras, who are the most
targeted by the violence in Balochistan
are predominantly Shia Muslims.
Political Disempowerment
Following the 2008 elections in Pakistan, a
new era of political transition was
advertised all over Pakistan though it
seems it never reached Balochistan. There
have been repeated calls by Baloch
political leaders, including Akhtar Mengal,
for the right of Baloch political parties to
function and resume their political activity
without
interference
from
state
intelligence agencies.
Indeed,
political
activity
and
representation for Baloch parties is
rendered difficult by several factors:
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Elections in 2013
The Pakistani general election will next be
held in May 2013, as has been announced
by the government. This election will
bring forward a new Pakistani parliament,
and in particular Members of the National
Assembly, the lower house. It is hoped
these elections will bring about a peaceful
and democratic transition of power,
which was not the case in the last
elections of 2008, which were marked by
the assassination of Benazir Bhutto and
attacks against several politicians.
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Profile
Noordin Mengal, a British citizen, is a young exiled Baloch
human rights activist working for the independence of
Balochistan. He is the grandson of both Sardar Ataullah
Mengal and Nawab Khair Bux Marri, the two iconic
statesmen of the Baloch national struggle. Mr. Mengal is a
Baloch representative at the UN Human Rights Council and
at the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization
(UNPO), as well as a member of the lawful, non-violent
Baluchistan National party.
On 23 June 2008, Mr. Mengal was detained upon arrival at
Newark airport in the U.S.A. Mr. Mengal was held in custody
in appalling conditions for over 26 hours by the Department
of Homeland Security. He was questioned by officers of the
Customs and Border Protection enforcement section about
the situation in Balochistan and about his activities. He was
left sitting on a chair for nearly 10 hours until around 11am
on 24 June 2008 when he was driven to the Elizabeth
detention facility in New Jersey, with handcuffs locked to a
heavy chain looped around his waist.
At no time was Mr. Mengal informed of his rights or of the
reasons for which he was being detained. In the evening of
24 June 2008, he was eventually denied entry to the U.S.A.,
and deported back to Dubai, without having received any
explanation.
However, under the U.S. visa waiver program, law-abiding
British nationals are exempt from formal visa procedures
and can freely visit the U.S. for a maximum stay of up to
three months on each entry. Moreover, during his detention,
Mr. Mengal was denied contact with his family and although
the right to contact an official at the British Embassy was
acknowledged by a U.S. officer, it was never provided for.
The transcript of his interrogation that was later sent to him
falsely alleged that he had declined offers to contact a
lawyer and the British Embassy.
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HDI Statistics
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Demography
Pakistans population is very young, with
an average age of 18, and is projected to
continue to grow, posing problems
regarding education, health, welfare, jobs
and food and energy sources. The same
trend applies to Balochistan, where the
situation is more difficult still because of
further complications mentioned earlier.
Balochistan, although being the largest
province in Pakistan, houses only 6% of
Pakistans population. Recent trends have
shown the federal governments efforts to
re-populate the area, attracting nonBaloch people to the area through
interesting
business
investment
opportunities. From a Baloch nationalist
point of view, this move is seen as an
attempt to re-colonize Balochistan and
Drug Trafficking
The strategic position of Balochistan,
between Afghanistan and the coast, has
led it to become an important transit
region for drugs mainly coming from
Afghanistan. According to a 2012 United
Nations Office for Drugs and Crime
(UNODC) report, one third of drugs from
Afghanistan pass through Balochistan.
The key in this transit is of course access
to maritime routes, through which the
drugs are then dispatched all over the
world, but mainly towards the nearest
Asian regions and the Middle East. Transit
from the Afghan regions of Helmand and
Kandahar to Balochistan is relatively easy
as border control is lacking on both sides.
In 2012, the Dutch government pledged
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Natural Resources
Oil and Gas
Energy security in Pakistan has been
promoted as one of the Governments top
priorities. This highlights once again the
important strategic position resource-rich
Balochistan is in.
@ RobertGWirsing
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Natural Disasters
Whether it is floods, earthquakes,
droughts or tsunamis, Balochistan has
been identified as a high-risk region for
natural
disasters.
In
2008,
the
Participatory Development Initiatives
partnered with Oxfam for a high-level
conference on the matter, during which it
was concluded that the Pakistani
government has not taken enough
measures to prepare its population for
the risks of natural disasters. Additionally,
the lack of good governance and
transparency was pointed out as an
obstacle to effective management in the
aftermath of disasters.
Floods
In Balochistan, flawed designs of dams
have dire consequences during floods,
since they cannot cope with the flash
floods during the monsoon season. The
latest large-scale flood occurred in 2010,
when millions were left homeless in the
provinces of Balochistan and Sindh.
Pakistani authorities were widely
criticised for their inadequate response,
leaving 1 million displaced and around
700,000 others affected.
Earthquakes
Balochistan, and Pakistan as a whole, is
prone to high-magnitude earthquakes. In
2008, an earthquake left more than a 100
dead and thousands homeless in
Balochistan. In 2005, an earthquake in
Pakistan left 74,500 dead and more than
three million homeless.
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In his annual State of the Union address to the American Congress, President Obama stated that the
war in Afghanistan will be over by late 2014, with U.S. Forces moving to a support role. It is clear that
the withdrawal of the U.S. troops implies that the Afghan war is over for the Americans. What yet
remains to be seen is what influence this withdrawal will have on Afghanistan and the wider region,
especially with regard to security and stability.
U.S. and NATO supplies primarily reached Afghanistan through the ports in the province of
Balochistan, the only gateway for Pakistan to the sea. For this purpose, and for being allies in the War
on Terror, Pakistan has been receiving 11.740 billion dollars in military aid, and 6.08 billion dollars in
economic aid from the U.S. since 2011. Less is spent on what nevertheless seem to be major U.S.
priorities: the Frontier Corps, antiterrorism and nuclear nonproliferation efforts.
With the withdrawal of the troops by the end of 2014, and the general climate of austerity, it is very
likely that U.S. funds to Pakistan will be significantly cut. The relations between Pakistan and the
United States cooled down, especially after the siege on Bin Ladens shelter in a Pakistani military
town. It is also known that there is a general lack of transparency when trying to trace what the U.S.
funds are being spent on, and a large chunk of the aid is known to be diverted to defend against India.
But where does this leave Balochistan and the Baloch people? Having been divided and ruled over the
past decades, Balochistan finds itself more than ever at the core of the world power game. Many
experts have contemplated the question of Balochistan, with solutions ranging from the total
independence of a Greater Balochistan, through parallel Pakistans, to Balochistan remaining a
province of Pakistan (with the occasional imposing of the governors rule).
The future of Balochistan lays wide open, with its people relying more than ever on the support of the
international community. After numerous breaches of agreements and deals with the Pakistan
government, trust no longer characterizes the negotiations for the Baloch people.
UNPO condemns in the strongest sense the abuse of human rights that are being perpetrated against
the Baloch people, and believes an end to sectarian violence in the region is paramount in putting an
end to the conflict. It specifically calls on the Pakistani government to take the necessary measures to
bring to justice those who continue to target and kill Baloch activists, and to abide by and ratify
international covenants aimed at protecting the rights of populations. UNPO also calls on Pakistan to
respect and commit to its own constitution, which guarantees certain freedoms for Balochistan.
UNPO calls on the Pakistani state to abandon its preferred militarized conflict resolution techniques,
which will only serve to aggravate tensions.
UNPO will remain extremely vigilant regarding the organization and outcome of Pakistans next
elections, and encourages other main actors in the region to do so as well. The outcome of these
elections, and their observation and evaluation, may provide indications as to the development of the
situation in Balochistan.
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