Declaration of Human Rights
Baloch Society Of North America (BSO-NA)
Baloch Society Of North America (BSO-NA)  is working to unite and Organize all Baloch in North America and to
expose the Occupation of our land (Balochistan)  and  exploitations of our resources by  Pakistani and Iranian
Governments, and to bring their Human Rights Violations in Balochistan into the world’s Notice.
Royal Baloch leader fears death if deported
to Balochistan
                                          
 Courtesy of: www.walesonline.com
Nov 28, 2008                                                                                                          

THE Royal leader of a Pakistan's Occupied Balochistan told an asylum appeal hearing today he feared
assassination if he was deported.

At a hearing in Newport, South Wales,  His Highness Beglar Begi, Suleman Khan Ahmedzai, says he fled his
homeland in Balochistan to escape persecution by the Pakistani military and intelligence services.
HH Khan of Kalat
Mr Ahmedzai, who is referred to as the Khan of Kalat, is an opponent of Pakistan’s annexation of Balochistan in 1948.

He arrived on British shores in June 2007 following the killing of another Baloch national leader, Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti, in a military raid in 2006.

In October 2007, the Khan’s application for asylum in the UK was refused.

At the appeal hearing today, the 45-year-old father-of-three said despite sometimes having up to 100 armed bodyguards with him in Balochistan, his
safety could not be guaranteed there.

“If the government wants to get rid of you, it will get rid of you,” he said.

He added: “The Pakistani state even provided Benazir Bhutto with protection. Most prime ministers and presidents were very protected but from 1947 to
Benazir Bhutto you can see a lot of assassinations of prime ministers and presidents.”

The Khan now lives alone in Cardiff with his family remaining in Balochistan.

He claims several death threats have been made to him directly and indirectly by telephone since he came to this country. He claims these calls were
made from the Pakistani embassy in London.

At the appeal hearing, Irwin Richards, the presenting officer from the Home Office, disputed the threats were ever made.

“Even if in the alternative you are inclined to accept these phone calls were received and made of a threatening nature,” Mr Richards told Immigration
Judge A Cresswell, “there is no evidence to link such calls with the Pakistani embassy in this country”.

“I would ask you to find in conclusion there is no evidence to show the Pakistani authorities have an adverse interest in the appellant.”

The decision of the appeal hearing is due to be handed down within the next few weeks.

Outside the appeal hearing, he said: “I have three palaces, a house on five acres and other houses. Whatever I have is there (Balochistan) .

“Other people come into this country on banana boats or on containers or underneath trucks but they become refugees for a better life.

“My everything is there and I have come to this country for my own safety.

“I want to make the international community aware of what is going on over there.”

He claims thousands of his people have “disappeared” over the years because of their opposition to the Pakistani authorities.

“There is a carrot and stick approach,” said the Khan. “I didn’t take the carrot because of my conscience.

“Maybe I should have taken it but I couldn’t because of my conscience.

“I was told whatever was taken from my grandfather in 1958, which was millions of acres of land, I could some have back.”

His cause is being supported by human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell.

“The Khan is seen by many Baloch people as their head of state,” said Mr Tatchell.

“His treatment by the British government has been squalid and disrespectful.

“Suleman Ahmedzai is the direct descendant of the Khan of Kalat, the monarch of the state of Kalat, who signed a Treaty with the British government in
1876, making what is now Balochistan a British Protectorate.

“His grandfather was head of state when Balochistan secured its brief period of independence in 1947, before it was invaded and annexed by Pakistan in
1948. He attended the Queen’s coronation in 1953, with other world leaders, as the honoured guest of the British government.

“Refusing Suleman Ahmedzai asylum is symptomatic of a pattern of harassment of Baloch refugees by the UK authorities.

“Pakistan’s military and intelligence services have threatened to end all cooperation with the UK unless our government cracks down on Baloch
dissidents exiled here.
“This may be part of the reason why Suleman Ahmedzai has had such difficulty in gaining asylum.

Related link: >> http://www.walesonl ine.co.uk/ news/wales- news/2008/ 11/28/pakistani- leader-fears- death-if- sent-from- wales-91466- 22364333/

Baloch monarch seeks UK asylum
Friday, November 28, 2008

The monarch of the Baloch people is appealing for asylum in the UK today, prompting a potential dispute with Pakistan. The Baloch are an Iranian people
inhabiting a region around Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan. Pakistan is engaged in a long running dispute with Baloch political forces - earning criticism
from human rights groups - and some observers are concerned relations with Islamabad will affect the asylum application. Human rights activist Peter
Tatchell has taken up Suleman Ahmedzai's case.

"The Khan is seen by many Baloch people as their head of state. His treatment by the British government has been squalid and disrespectful," he said.
"Pakistan's military and intelligence services have threatened to end all cooperation with the UK unless our government cracks down on Baloch
dissidents exiled here. This may be part of the reason why Suleman Ahmedzai has had such difficulty in gaining asylum."

The Khan of Kalat, 45, will appeal for asylum at a tribunal in Newport, Wales, later today. It follows a refusal of asylum in October of last year. He originally
sought sanctuary in the UK four months earlier, citing the killing of another Baloch national leader, Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti, as the reason he was
concerned for his safety.

Suleman Ahmedzai's grandfather originally signed a treaty of accession surrendering the independence of Balochistan and incorporating it into Pakistan
in 1948. Both houses of the Kalat parliament opposed the incorporation.

Related link: >> Baloch Royal leader seeks asylum in UK
London - 27 November 2008

His Highness Beglar Begi, Suleman Khan Ahmedzai, the Khan of Kalat, aged 45, will appeal for asylum in the UK this Friday, 28 November, at a tribunal
in Newport, Wales.

Regarded by many Baloch people as their monarch and head of state, he was refused asylum in October 2007.

Fridays appeal hearing will take place at 10am at the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal Newport, Columbus House, Chepstow Road, Langstone, Newport
, NP18 2LX (0845 600 0877).
Suleman Ahmedzai is head of the royal household and a national leader in Balochistan, where Pakistan is waging a war against the Baloch people - a
war that has been condemned for its widespread human rights abuses by Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch (see the links to human rights
reports below).

In June 2007, he sought sanctuary in the UK, fearing arrest and murder, following the killing of another Baloch national leader, Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti,
by Pakistani forces during bombing raids in 2006. Bugti was former Pakistani Minister of Defence, and former Governor and Chief Minister of Balochistan.

Suleman Ahmedzai's fears are well founded. A fellow nationalist leader, Balaach Marri, was murdered by Pakistani government agents in November
2007.

His asylum appeal is supported by human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell:

"The Khan is is seen by many Baloch people as their head of state. His treatment by the British government has been squalid and disrespectful," said Mr
Tatchell.

"Suleman Ahmedzai is the direct descendant of the Khan of Kalat, the monarch of the state of Kalat, who signed a Treaty with the British government in
1876, making what is now Balochistan a British Protectorate.

"His grandfather was head of state when Balochistan secured its brief period of independence in 1947, before it was invaded and annexed by Pakistan in
1948. He attended the Queen's coronation in 1953, with other world leaders, as the honoured guest of the British government.

"Refusing Suleman Ahmedzai asylum is symptomatic of a pattern of harassment of Baloch refugees by the UK authorities.

"Pakistan's military and intelligence services have threatened to end all cooperation with the UK unless our government cracks down on Baloch dissidents
exiled here. This may be part of the reason why Suleman Ahmedzai has had such difficulty in gaining asylum.

"The government wants to appease the Pakistanis, in order to secure their continuing cooperation in the 'war on terror'. It is embarrassed by the Khan's
presence in the UK and is trying to make things difficult for him.

"The UK government aided and abetted the illegal dictatorship of Pervez Musharraf, selling him military equipment used to prosecute Pakistan's illegal
war in Balochistan - a war that has involved the perpetration of war crimes and crimes against humanity.

"Under threat of arrest and imprisonment, in 1948 Suleman Ahmedzai's grandfather signed the treaty of accession which surrendered the independence
of the Kalat state (Balochistan) and incorporated it into Pakistan. Both houses of the Kalat parliament - and Baloch public opinion - opposed the
incorporation. The Baloch people have always been refused a vote on self-rule by successive Pakistani regimes. Ever since, for 60 years, Balochistan
has been under military occupation and its people crushed by five bloody wars launched by Islamabad," said Mr Tatchell.

A Letter to PM Gordon Brown

Excerpts from a letter to Prime Minister Gordon Brown from the Khan of Kalat and other Baloch representatives, dated 30 March 2008:

"In accordance to clauses of the 1876 treaty between the Kalat State (Balochistan) and the British Empire, the independence of Kalat was announced by
the then ruler of Kalat, Mir Ahmad Yar Khan, in 1947, prior to the creation of Pakistan.

"After the partition of India and the creation of the religious state of Pakistan, the newly-independent Baloch state came under tremendous pressure both
from Pakistan and the colonial authorities in India for a merger of the Kalat with Pakistan.

"However, both the Houses of Parliament of Kalat (House of Commons and House of Lords) unanimously voted not to join Pakistan and resolved to retain
its independence. Ultimately, when the Pakistani government could not bend the Baloch will to remain independent by sabre rattling, the Pakistan army
invaded the Kalat State to get the merger statement from the Khan of Kalat at gun point....

"The people of Balochistan have never accepted the illegal occupation of their country by the religious state of Pakistan which is dominated by the
Punjabi nationality, and they have waged a genuine democratic national resistance. Since its annexation, except for a few brief periods, Balochistan has
been under military occupation and siege. The natural resources of the Baloch people have been looted criminally...The Balochi language and culture
have been suppressed in colonial style.

"Pakistan's military-dominated establishment...have committed gross atrocities and serious war crimes against the Baloch population. A ruthless military
operation has been going on in Balochistan since last five years....(which) has resulted in the loss of life for thousands of the Baloch people, including
children, women and elderly, and has resulted in displacement of hundreds and thousands of civilian Baloch population. The national leaders of
Balochistan have been in prison without trial, humiliated and target killed by Pakistani civil and military authorities. Thousands of political activists have
been kidnapped, tortured and killed......

"We genuinely believe that it is the moral duty of Great Britain to assist the Baloch people in ending the illegal occupation of their country, as per the treaty
of 1876 between the Great Britain and the State of Kalat (Balochistan)."

>> Baloch to go to any lengths for rights: Khan of Kalat

The thrust of the Khan's arguments was on the unique position Kalat enjoyed in August 1947 when the British left the subcontinent. Unlike the hundreds of
other princely states in British India, he said, Nepal and Kalat occupied an entirely different position. Kalat had the right to have diplomatic relations with
other countries, and the British paid "taxes" to Kalat, while in the case of the princely states the situation was the other way around.

Between August 1947, when the British left the subcontinent, and March 1948, Kalat was an independent country. Unlike Pakistan, which became
independent on August 14, 1947, Kalat became independent six days earlier - on Aug 8. It acceded to Pakistan on March 27, 1948, after the Khan of
Kalat, His Highness Baglar Begi - the present Khan's grandfather - signed an agreement with the Quaid-i-Azam.

According to the terms of the agreement, the centre was to control only four subjects: defence, foreign affairs, communications and currency. In all other
matters, Kalat was to be completely independent. (As an aside, he pointed out, Kalat was the only area in Pakistan where there was still a Qazi court. This
was to point out the continuity in Kalat's political tradition.)

However, subsequent governments did not abide by the terms of the agreement of accession. Makran, Kharan and Bela were part of Kalat, but later they
were given separate status when during the time of Governor-General Ghulam Mohammad a Balochistan States' Union was created.

Balochistan then constituted 62 per cent of (West) Pakistan. Later, parts of the province were given to the NWFP, Punjab, and Sindh. But even now it
constitutes 46 per cent of Pakistan.

ENDS
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