Amid ongoing enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings by Pakistani armed forces in Balochistan, the Free Balochistan Movement (FBM), a Baloch organisation advocating for Baloch independence, has announced a series of protests in the United Kingdom, Germany, the Netherlands, and the USA to mark the International Day of the Disappeared, according to a report by Balochwarna, a local media outlet.
The report stated that the demonstrations will highlight the persistent issue of enforced disappearances in Balochistan, where Pakistani forces have detained and vanished thousands of Baloch activists, students, and civilians over the years.
The protests are scheduled for August 30 in London, UK, and in Germany and the Netherlands, followed by additional protests on August 31 in Hamburg, Germany, and Washington, DC, USA.
Free Balochistan Movement Announces Protests on International Day of the Disappeared #EndEnforcedDisappearances #Balochistan https://t.co/xSGAXjrcl1 pic.twitter.com/liwJHkwcAh
— Free Balochistan Movement (@FreeBaluchMovt) August 25, 2024
The FBM spokesperson indicated that these events aim to raise global awareness of the suffering of those who have forcibly disappeared in Balochistan and to call on international organisations and governments to address the human rights abuses occurring in the region.
The FBM also stated that the Pakistani state is engaged in systematic abductions, extrajudicial killings, and the suppression of Baloch voices demanding freedom.
The report further highlighted that the Free Balochistan Movement has been actively campaigning for an independent Balochistan and frequently organizes protests, demonstrations, round-the-clock vigils, and seminars to shed light on the ongoing atrocities committed by Iran and Pakistan against the Baloch nation.
The protests on August 30 and 31 are expected to attract participants from the Baloch diaspora, human rights groups, and advocates of the Baloch cause.
The FBM has also urged international bodies such as the United Nations to intervene and hold Pakistan accountable for human rights violations, including enforced disappearances in Balochistan.
The International Day of the Disappeared is observed globally to honour the victims of enforced disappearances and to demand justice for those whose whereabouts remain unknown. The FBM’s coordinated protests across four countries are part of a broader strategy to internationalise the Baloch struggle and draw global attention to the situation in Balochistan.
