Disappearances
September 23, 2012
The United Nations Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances has completed its first visit to Pakistan, meeting members of government, politicians, civil society organisations and relatives of the disappeared during its ten-day visit. Just the fact that the UN Working Group felt compelled to examine the issue in our country is disturbing. Till we first began to hear of them nearly a decade ago, ‘forced’ disappearances were generally associated with past dictatorships in Latin America, South East Asia and nations in Africa. In Pakistan, this is a new form of abuse – adding to the many others that exist. At a press conference on Thursday, the Chairman of the Working Group, Olivier de Frouville noted that cases of enforced disappearances continue to be reported to national authorities, but there are controversies both on figures and on the practices used. He also said some 500 disappearances were on the group’s radar. Based on their findings, Frouville and group member Osman El-Hajj, will submit a detailed report to the UN Human Rights Council in 2013. While recognising Pakistan’s security challenges, the Working Group emphasised that, according to the 1992 Declaration for Protection of All Persons against Enforced Disappearances, in no circumstances could enforced disappearances be justified.
Efforts by the government and the courts to tackle the problem were also appreciated by the UN mission. Last Thursday, the Supreme Court, while hearing the case, had rejected a report handed in by the Balochistan provincial government on the matter and stated that a weekly report would now be required. The UN experts also expressed agreement with human rights groups and the apex court that the powers of intelligence agencies needed to be contained. The UN visit has raised some controversy, with the government initially seeming nervous and some political parties fiercely opposing it. But given that the problem has continued now for so many years with no solution in sight, the intervention by the UN must be welcomed by all those who seek an end to forced disappearances. This is especially so in light of the problems that have risen in Balochistan as a result of this. It is true that abuses and atrocities also take place elsewhere in the world, but we must concentrate on ending them in our own country and mustering all the force we can to achieve this.
Counting the cost
September 23, 2012
As life returns to whatever passes for normality in a country where normality is ill-defined, the cost of the rioting on Friday is beginning to become clearer. Also clearer is the reality that out of a country of over 180 million people the numbers engaged in processions on Friday was, by proportion, small. A leading current affairs magazine puts the numbers involved at 45,000 and the rioters among them would, then, have to be even smaller in number. If the estimation is correct, these people have caused damage disproportionate to their numbers. It may be inferred that they were not representative of the views of the population as a whole, and that the crowds would have been far bigger and the destruction more widespread were that the case. The majority on the streets were there under the flags of religious parties and “banned” groups. The country then was in thrall to, and at the mercy of, a minority of extremists.
Also of note was the failure of the forces of law and order to protect lives and property. There was no attempt by police and the Rangers to keep rioters away from cinemas, banks, hospitals and fast food outlets and the reasonable conclusion is that there had been a decision to allow them their head, no matter what. There are reports that wine shops in Karachi were looted – looted, as in their stock taken away rather than smashed. It is unlikely to be a coincidence that so many cinemas were destroyed. One of the signature positions of extremist groups is their opposition to music, song and dance – and if there is one thing that cinemas represent it is all three. The bitter lesson of Friday 21st September 2012 is that control of the state that day seemed to have passed from elected representatives to an unrepresentative rabble that became powerful both by design and default. Extremism prevailed, and the state showed itself powerless and complicit in its own destruction.
Rains
September 23, 2012
Rain havoc has spread its ugly tentacles across the country. Sindh and Balochistan are the worst hit provinces, with over a million rendered homeless in these two provinces alone. In Balochistan, notably in Naseerabad and Jaffarabad districts, water pouring down hillsides with great force has further damaged people’s homes and land. These torrents have also entered adjacent districts of Sindh. Jacobabad, Kashmore and Khairpur are reported to be among the worst hit areas where water has covered huge areas with people stranded in their homes and villages. It does not appear they were given any warnings to evacuate – but even when these warnings are issued, people often feel unable to obey them, unwilling to leave houses, lands and possessions. Stories from the past also state they are sometimes uncertain about where to go.
The government has announced Rs2 billion aid for Sindh. Humanitarian agencies are also stated to be moving into action and rescue and relief efforts are now underway. However, there is a serious shortage of funds. Tales of fund wastage means fewer are willing to give, spelling even more misery for people. There are already disturbing reports of hunger and disease striking communities, of children dying and other equally horrific incidents that we must hope prove not to be the tip of a far larger iceberg. There are also reports that those living in the affected areas have even now not received much by way of government help. Sindh has yet to recover from the 2011 flood disaster and this new deluge is set to only add to the troubles of those who had already lost everything. Punjab has also not been spared by the rain havoc; earlier this month, heavy flooding had occurred in southern parts of the Punjab, hitting Rajanpur and briefly threatening nuclear facilities in Dera Ghazi Khan. Other areas hit by the latest spell of rain include Narowal, Faisalabad and even AJK. We do not know what the final results will be as rains continue to lash various parts of the country with ferocious intensity, bringing fear and wreaking havoc. Though we have come to expect little from our governments in times of natural disasters and relief efforts, we still hope the federal and all provincial governments will step up their relief efforts, instead of mainly relying on humanitarian agencies and NGOs to do their work for them.