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c.p. 32, 1246 Corsier, Geneva, Switzerland
Tel: 0041 22 751 23 45; Fax 0041 22 751 23 48
e-mail:charlesgraves@vtx.ch;web-site: www.interfaithonline.org
Special consultative status with United Nations ECOSOC
3 December 2007
H.E. Nicholas Thorne
Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the United Kingdom
and Northern Ireland to the United Nations Geneva
Fax : 022 918 23 33
Your Excellency,
Our organisation is most seriously concerned about the fate of Mr. Herbiyar Marri brother of our active member Mehran Baluch. Mr. Herbiyar Marri ( who has been under threat of extradition from the United Kingdom to Pakistan), was arrested today at his London home by British authorities and his house has been cordoned off. His property has been searched and his family evacuated. We understand that Mr. Herbiyar Marri is a Pakistan national and not a British subject
This action has no doubt been provoked by the Pakistan government which has been actively harassing members of Mr. Marri's family and recently was no doubt responsible for the assassination of Mr. Herbiyar Marri's older brother Balach Marri on the Afghanistan-Pakistan border area a fortnight ago.
Earlier this year the Pakistan representatives in Geneva threatened our organisation that if we allowed Mr. Mehran Baluch (brother of Mr. Herbiyar Marri) to continue speaking of the rights of the Baluch people, Pakistan would take steps to expel our organisation from consultative status in ECOSOC. At that time I told the Pakistani auhorities that I would take a moratorium on Mr. Baluch speaking (in the name of our organisation) before the United Nations Human Rights Council for one year (to June 2008). I have kept my promise. But I made a formal complaint to the High Commissioner on Human Rights that the proof of Mr. Mehran Baluch's criminal record provided me by the Pakistani authorities was an INTERPOL paper which apparently had nothing to do with Mr. Mehran Baluch. Ms. Azma Jihangir helped me draft the letter to the High Commissioner.
Also, Pakistan is requesting the extradition of this same our member Mr. Mehran Baluch, who is a U.K. citizen and has been involved in no military or other criminal activity vis
à vis Pakistan. Your authorities, Mr. Ambassador, have been up to now seemingly protecting our human rights activist Mr. Mehran Baluch and we are grateful for all the help which can be provided to him. The Marri family, as a leading Baluch family, has been under harassment for some time and such harassment seems to be increasing.
We ask Your Excellency to intervene as you believe possible to protect human rights activists such as members of the Marri-Baluch leading Pakistan family. This family holds the keys to the future of a democratic Pakistan. If the U.K. authorities bend to the request of Pakistan for the extradition of either Mr. Herbyar Marri or Mr. Mehran Baluch, this would seem to be favouring an un-democratic Pakistan.
We ask for your understanding and action to protect Baluch human rights workers and their legitimate defence of the rights of Baluch people within Pakistan.
With highest regards to Your Excellency,
Yours sincerely,
Charles Graves, D. Theol.
Secretary General |
