Islamabad : Khawateen Mahaz-e-Amal (Women's Action Forum - WAF) reaffirms its continuing strong solidarity with Baloch women's resistance. WAF yet again stands, in both words and deeds, with our brave Baloch sisters and comrades in our tradition of steadfastly taking a vocal public stance in support of, and solidarity with Baloch human rights defenders.
WAF respects and empathises with Baloch activists, who have practically demonstrated the courage of their convictions and perseverance through long marches from Quetta to Islamabad via Karachi and Lahore; and through months of peaceful, non-violent 'dharnas' by large groups of young and elderly women, children, men -- in Quetta and Islamabad, braving freezing cold winter, summer heat, monsoon rains and severe state violence.
WAF activists have continued to support them throughout, both practically and morally.
WAF yet again endorses their demands for justice, focusing on the safe return of their involuntary enforced disappeared (IED) Baloch women and men (missing persons); as well as the release and acquittal of women and all who are arbitrarily arrested and imprisoned -- either without trial or undergoing blatantly unjust, non-transparent 'trial' procedures.
WAF continues to condemn the state’s use of the inhuman concept of 'collective punishment' of entire IEDs families (like FCR1901). Likewise, WAF condemns acts of terrorism, militant insurgency, separatism.
Creation of a statutory autonomous State Commission on IEDs reporting to Parliament; abolishing the existing mala fide non-statutory ineffective Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances (2010); State ratification of UN Convention on Protection of all Persons against Involuntary Enforced Disappearances, followed by legislation and implementation; Production of all IEDs before judges in courts of law to exercise their Constitutional fundamental right to justice, fair trial and due process; Release of all arbitrarily arrested imprisoned Baloch women and men; independent investigation into allegations of torture with impunity by the state, which must be held accountable; Transparent inquiry on lack of implementation of recommendations of UN Human Rights Council’s Working Group on IEDs (UNWGIEDs) Pakistan report (2012); and concurrence with a longstanding demand to invite UNWGIEDs for an urgent follow-up visit to Pakistan; An independent, credible, non-partisan, trustworthy assessment of the chronic human rights, political, economic issues facing Balochistan -- leading to a crushing sense of Baloch deprivation and anger.
We reiterate our resolve to continue raising our voice from the WAF platform in pressing for the demands of brave Baloch women activists resisting State repression. WAF renews its pledge to continue supporting Baloch women and men comrades until all IEDs are returned to their loved ones.
