Memorandum from Balochistan United Front
1. I am writing to submit information concerning
Iran and in particular Balochistan of Iran. As you are aware the
Baloch are of Sunni religion as well as ethnically being non-Persian.
For these two reasons, the Baloch are oppressed and discriminated
against in almost every respect.
2. A slow and insidious ethnic cleansing
is going on in Balochistan. The Baloch are discriminated in the
job market. They are harassed and intimidated frequently. A large
number of them have no choice but to leave Iran and seek jobs
and employment in neighbouring countries, especially the Gulf
countries. Iranian authorities provide all kind of incentives
and facilities to "Persians" to migrate to places in
Balochistan such as Chabahar. In this way they plan to change
the demographic shape of Balochistan.
3. There are many political prisoners in
jails of Balochistan. The only "crime" of many of these
prisoners was that they simply protested against the rape of a
nine-year-old Balochi girl by one of the security forces officers.
4. More worrying is the recent report[7]
that Iranian Security forces have been planting mines in the border
area between Iran and Pakistan. The report states that Iranian
security forces have been planting land mines on un-authorized
passageway in Balochistan along the Iran-Pakistan border. These
mountainous and remote passageways also known as "Doz-raah"
which means smugglers' pathway are used by all kinds of people
including locals who want to cross the border without any harassment
from the border security forces which are stationed many miles
away at only a few border check points along the 700 kilometres
border.
5. Recent reports from Mand indicate that
these border mines have claimed the lives of some locals and injured
many more. We could not certify whether the dead and wounded were
ordinary locals or smugglers of various types. Iranian Authorities
have tried various drastic methods to control the border. They
have built moats, walls, barbed wires and much more, but to no
effect. This new method of mining the border is a new tactic.
Is this method legal under International law?
6. A recent report by the BBC indicates
that Britain is going to sell dual-use equipment to Iran. This
equipment can be used to manufacture anti-personnel mines. Taking
the above issue into account, this matter appears to be of grave
concern to us.
7. There are many other issues concerning
the Baloch and Balochistan about which you need to be informed.
We hope you will invite at least one Baloch to your hearing on
11 February.
Balochistan United Front (originally submitted
by Balochistan Progress Organisation)
January 2003
7 www.Baloch2000.com Back
| 
