31 Baloch killed in the last 30 days in Iran

31 Baloch killed in the last 30 days in Iran

Reza Hossein Borr

One Baluch was killed and another one was arrested on 20.12.08 by the Iranian security forces, the Iranian Fars News Agency reported. (1) This Baluch was killed when he was travelling in Kerman province. The report suggested that there was an armed clash between the two sides but did not say anything about the government casualties.
The Iranian government recently issued a directive in which the public relations departments of different government organizations and the news media were ordered to show the strength of the security forces in their dealings with the Baluch insurgents. It strictly ordered to media to stop the publication of the government casualties.
Baluchistan Human rights Watch reported that 31 Baluch and Sunnis have been killed by the Iranian governments in the last 30 days. (2) Another report by Students News Agency confirmed that 12 Baluch have been arrested and 20 cars have been confiscated on 15th of December 08. (3) The Baluch people are getting arrested for different reasons and one different excuses. Once they are arrested they usually lose everything. Their cars would be confiscated, their bank accounts would be closed and their savings would be confiscated by the government. With the arrest of one Baluch, his family will be completely destroyed. The judicial system usually acts as a tool of the government and does not administer justice.
The same news agency reported that the police chased a land cruiser car and arrested its owner on charges of carrying few alcoholic drinks. (4) The Iranian corrupt police identify the new expensive cars and stop them for no reason at all. They usually plant some drugs or alcohol bottles in the car and arrest the owner on charges of smuggling illegal products. After torturing them and accusing them of drug trafficking they usually get huge bribes and take their car away. It is a kind of Brazilian way of kidnapping the people who belong to the middle classes and extracting money from them.
The innocent Baluch people, who see themselves as the helpless victims, give in and surrender whatever livelihood they have in order to save their lives.
Another news agency reported that 537 men were arrested in Baluchistan. These are mostly Afghan refugees who live and work in Iran. The security forces confiscate their properties and deport them back to Afghanistan. These refugees usually lose everything before getting deported. A lot of Baluch people who have been refused identity card by the Iranian authorities are also getting deported to Afghanistan as aliens. Ayatollah Danishmand, who works for the office of Iranian leadership, recently advised the authorities in Baluchistan and other Sunni dominated areas to refuse to issue identity cards for those Sunnis whose parents have more than two children. (5.)
Although the video of this speech was released recently, it has been the unofficial policy of the Iranian regime to withdraw the identity cards of many Baluch people and deport to Afghanistan and Pakistan.

1. http://www1.farsnews.com/newstext.php?nn=8709300714
2. http://www.radiobalochi.org/BH_Rights/1koshtehTawasotehNirohayeEntezami081220.html
3. http://sb.isna.ir/mainnews.php?ID=News-20455gates
4. http://sb.isna.ir/mainnews.php?ID=News-20452
5. http://www.youtube.com/user/RadioBalochiFM