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PAKISTAN: Land mafia abduct and severely beat a further two fisherfolk activists who remain in serious danger

August 3, 2011

ASIAN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION - URGENT APPEALS PROGRAMME

Urgent Appeal Update: AHRC-UAU-037-2011

 

3 August 2011

[RE: PAKISTAN: Police fail to arrest the murderers of two fisher folk activists whereas encouraging false charges upon the villagers]
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PAKISTAN: Land mafia abduct and severely beat a further two fisherfolk activists who remain in serious danger

ISSUES: Human rights defenders; abduction; abuse; intimidation; false charge; right to food
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AHRC Campaign for protection of fisher folks:
http://www.humanrights.asia/countries/pakistan/protect-fisherfolks

Dear friends,

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received updated information that the land mafia of the coastal area of Karachi has abducted two fisherfolk activists, Mr. Latif Dorai and Bilal Ahmed Baloch on 18 July, 2011. The land mafia physically abused both and Mr. Latif was more seriously beaten whereas Mr. Bilal was released later. The alleged perpetrator Mr. Haji Yunnis tried to lodge a false charge against Mr. Latif threatening to kill him and complaining that Latif has been interfering in a government matter which, in fact, is his own illegal business. The chairperson of the Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum and other colleagues learned about the abduction and tried to file a First Information Report (FIR) at the Mauripur police station. So far they have failed to register it. Since the land mafia allegedly murdered two fisherfolk activists in May they have continued violence against the fisherfolk and enjoyed impunity. On the other hand the villagers and the human rights defenders face serious abuse and food insecurity.

UPDATED INFORMATION:

The AHRC has received information that after the land mafia led by Mr. Haji Younis and his son and former town mayor, Mr. Zulfiqar Younis allegedly murdered two activists of the Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum (PFF) in May 2011, they continue to carry out violent attacks against other fisherfolk activists who may face the same fate.

On 18 July, 2011, around 3pm, two fisherfolk activists, Mr. Latif Dorai (son of Muhammad Omar, 35 years old), a prominent leader of the PFF and Mr. Bilal Ahmed Baloch (son of Qadir Bax, 30 years old) were abducted on their way to the Kakka Pir village, Mauripur, Karachi, Sindh province. At the check post of the Coastguards, 12 armed persons hired by the land mafia who are engaged in Mangrove cutting in Keamari town which is one and half kilometers away from Kakka pir village stopped these two activists and tried to abduct them. The two victims asked the Coastguard personnel to prevent them from being abducted but the culprits forced the officials to talk to someone over the phone and as a result the officials gave up their intervention.

While Bilal managed to escape from them, the armed persons brought Latif to two notorious land mafia, Mr. Haji Younis and his son Zulfiqar Younis in Younis Abad, in Mauripur. More than 20 persons severely beat Latif. After this, they brought Latif to another place where the public hospital would be constructed in Kakka pir village.

Mr. Haji Younis forced Latif to call up the chairperson of PFF Mr. Muhammad Ali Shah and a general secretary of PFF, Mr. Saeed Baloch to ask both to come and rescue Latif, which he refused. Haji Younis then ordered his men to pour petrol over Latif and set him on fire.

Meanwhile, the PFF leaders were informed that Latif was abducted and beaten. At about 4:30pm, the PFF activist made a phone call to Latif and said that the PFF activists would be coming there with the police. Haji Younis listening to the dialogue immediately and took Latif to the Mauripur police station and filed a false FIR against him. Those who brought Latif to the police station made a false statement that he was interfering in a government matter, which is the reason why people had beaten him up.

The chairperson and the general secretary of the PFF along with other activists also reached the police station. They had to argue with the police to register a FIR against the land mafia who had committed abduction and assault against the activists.

Only after one and a half hours, the Station House Officer (SHO) registered a non-cognizable report that deals with a minor case, charging Haji Younis and Zulfiqar in regard to the offence against Latif. On the same day, Latif got medical treatment at the Civil Hospital Karachi on which the medical report has not yet been released although the SHO provided them with a letter to the Medical Legal Officer (MLO) of the Civil Hospital. The police do not see the incident as serious despite the fact that the fisherfolk activists currently face threats of murder and other serious human rights violations.

The police registered the false FIR against these two fisher folk activists whereas they failed to conduct an objective investigation into the incident. So far neither the Medical Legal Officer has issued a medical report nor has an FIR been registered against the perpetrators.

AHRC Campaign for protection of fisher folks:
http://www.humanrights.asia/countries/pakistan/protect-fisherfolks

BACKGROUND INFORMATION:

Latif Dorai and Bilal Baloch are the most active fisherfolk activists of PFF. Latif Dorai is one of the founding members of the PFF and both are directly engaged in the case of two deceased fisherfolk leaders. They are closely related with the Kaka Pir villagers. They are very active in public protest against the murders of Haji Abu Bakar and Abdul Ghani. Both stand into second leadership of PFF. Accordingly, the attack upon them apparently implies that the land mafias try to stop their public protest, which may cause another death.

SUGGESTED ACTION:
Please write to authorities to express your concern that the land mafias continue to committing violation and to enjoy impunity which may cause another death to the fisherfolk activists. The AHRC will write a separate letter to UN Special Rapporteurs on Human Rights Defenders and on the Right to Adequate Food.

To support this appeal, please click here:

SAMPLE LETTER:

Dear ___________,

PAKISTAN: Land mafia abduct and severely beat a further two fisherfolk activists who remain in serious danger

Name of victim:
1. Latif Dorai, 36 years old, living in Doraee Arcade, 5th floor, flat no. 502, Khada, Liayree, Karachi
2. Bilal Baloch, 30 years old, living in house no. 719, Mauripur, Tikri village, Hoxbay road, Karachi
Names of alleged perpetrators:
1. Mr. Haji Muhammad Younis, Former president of Pakistan Fishermen Cooperative Society,
Sandspit, Mauripur, Kemari town, Karachi-PAKISTAN
2. Mr. Zulfiqar Younis, son of Haji Muhammad Younis, Former Town Nazim of Kemari town,
Sandspit, Mauripur, Kemari Town, Karachi-PAKISTAN
Relevant law enforcement agency: Mauripur police station who registered false case against the human rights defenders whereas non-cognizable report against the perpetrators land mafias
Date of incident: July 18, 2011
Place of incident: Kakka pir village, Mauripur, Kemari town, Karachi, PAKISTAN

I write to you to express my deep concern about another two fisherfolk activists who were abducted and seriously beaten by land mafias on July 18, 2011.

I have learned that both activists are prominent leaders of the Pakistan Fisher Folk Forum (PFF) who have been struggling against land grabbing by land mafias. The attack upon these two activists implies that the land mafia might commit murder against them as I have learned from the murder of two senior fisherfolk activists whom the land mafias allegedly killed in May 2011.

Despite continuous threats and violations against the fisherfolk the police do not carry out their duty with an objective attitude. In this case, the police again registered a false case against the activists while registering a non-cognizable report against the perpetrators that is applied to a minor case. I am of the opinion that the unfair and impartial police attitude in favor of politically influential land mafias creates violence and food insecurity against the fisher folks.

On 18 July 2011, around 3pm, two fisherfolk activists, Mr. Latif Dorai (son of Muhammad Omar, 35 years old), a prominent leader of the PFF and Mr. Bilal Ahmed Baloch (son of Qadir Bax, 30 years old) were abducted on their way to the Kakka Pir village, Mauripur, Karachi, Sindh province. At the check post of the Coastguards, 12 armed persons hired by the land mafia who are engaged in Mangrove cutting in Keamari town which is one and half kilometers away from Kakka pir village stopped these two activists and tried to abduct them. The two victims asked the Coastguard personnel to prevent them from being abducted but the culprits forced the officials to talk to someone over the phone and as a result the officials gave up their intervention.

I am informed that while Bilal managed to escape from them, the armed persons brought Latif to two notorious land mafia, Mr. Haji Younis and his son Zulfiqar Younis in Younis Abad, in Mauripur. More than 20 persons severely beat Latif. After this, they brought Latif to another place where the public hospital would be constructed in Kakka pir village.

Mr. Haji Younis forced Latif to call up the chairperson of PFF Mr. Muhammad Ali Shah and a general secretary of PFF, Mr. Saeed Baloch to ask both to come and rescue Latif, which he refused. Haji Younis then ordered his men to pour petrol over Latif and set him on fire.

Meanwhile, the PFF leaders were informed that Latif was abducted and beaten. At about 4:30pm, the PFF activist made a phone call to Latif and said that the PFF activists would be coming there with the police. Haji Younis listening to the dialogue immediately and took Latif to the Mauripur police station and filed a false FIR against him. Those who brought Latif to the police station made a false statement that he was interfering in a government matter, which is the reason why people had beaten him up.

The chairperson and the general secretary of the PFF along with other activists also reached the police station. They had to argue with the police to register a FIR against the land mafia who had committed abduction and assault against the activists.

Only after one and a half hours, the Station House Officer (SHO) registered a non-cognizable report that deals with a minor case, charging Haji Younis and Zulfiqar in regard to the offence against Latif. On the same day, Latif got medical treatment at the Civil Hospital Karachi on which the medical report has not yet been released although the SHO provided them with a letter to the Medical Legal Officer (MLO) of the Civil Hospital. The police do not see the incident as serious despite the fact that the fisherfolk activists currently face threats of murder and other serious human rights violations.

The police registered the false FIR against these two fisher folk activists whereas they failed to conduct an objective investigation into the incident. So far neither the Medical Legal Officer has issued a medical report nor has an FIR been registered against the perpetrators.

I therefore, urge you to intervene into the case and am alarmed that the land mafia may commit another murder against these two activists. The police should take an impartial position. The fisherfolk are currently the victims whose human rights are seriously violated and who face threats to their lives by the land mafia. Given that the police failed to protect the victims and supported the perpetrators instead, the government authority concerned should make proper intervention into the situation in order to respect, protect, and fulfill the human rights of the fisherfolk. This is necessary to ensure justice in a society. The government itself must be made be aware that the international community is watching this issue.

More specifically, it should not take so much time for the Civil Hospital to provide a medical report about the victim activist in order to file a FIR against the perpetrator instead of a non-cognizable report. I am of the opinion that all false charges against the fisherfolk activists should be withdrawn and the correct complaint should be registered against the alleged perpetrators who must be brought before justice.

I look forward your prompt response.

Sincerely yours,

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PLEASE SEND YOUR LETTERS TO:

1. Mr. Asif Ali Zardari
President of Pakistan
President's Secretariat
Islamabad
PAKISTAN
Tel: +92 51 9204801/9214171
Fax: +92 51 9207458
Email: publicmail@president.gov.pk

2. Mr. Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani
Prime Minister of Pakistan
Prime Minister House
Islamabad
PAKISTAN
Fax: + 92 51 9221596
E-mail: secretary@cabinet.gov.pk

3. Syed Qaim Ali Shah
Chief Minister
Karachi, Sindh Province
PAKISTAN
Fax: +92 21 920 2000
E-mail: pppsindh@yahoo.com

4. Mr. Syed Mumtaz Alam Gillani
Federal Minister for Human Rights
Ministry of Human Rights
Old US Aid building
Ata Turk Avenue
G-5, Islamabad
PAKISTAN
Fax: +9251-9204108
Email: sarfaraz_yousuf@yahoo.com

5. Mr. Muhammad Ayaz Soomro
Minister for Law, Parliamantry Affairs & Criminal Prosecution Service
Sindh Assembly Building,
Court road, Karachi, Sindh province
PAKISTAN
Fax: +92 21 9211982
E-mail: secy.law@sindh.gov.pk

6. Chief Justice of Sindh High Court
High Court Building
Saddar, Karachi
Sindh Province
PAKISTAN
Fax: +92 21 9213220
E-mail: info@sindhhighcourt.gov.pk

7. Ms. Nadia Gabol
Minister for Human Rights
Government of Sindh,
Pakistan secretariat, Barrack 92,
Karachi, Sindh Province
PAKISTAN
Fax: +92 21 9207044
Tel: +92 21 9207043
E-mail: lukshmil@yahoo.com

8. Dr. Faqir Hussain
Registrar
Supreme Court of Pakistan
Constitution Avenue, Islamabad
PAKISTAN
Fax: + 92 51 9213452
E-mail: mail@supremecourt.gov.pk

9. Inspector General of Police
Police Head office, I. I. Chundrigar road
Karachi, Sindh Province
PAKISTAN
Fax: +92 21 9212051
E-mail: ppo.sindh@sindhpolice.gov.pk


Thank you.

Urgent Appeals Programme
Asian Human Rights Commission (ua@ahrc.asia)

Document Type :
Urgent Appeal Update
Document ID :
AHRC-UAU-037-2011
Countries :
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Extended Introduction: Urgent Appeals, theory and practice

A need for dialogue

Many people across Asia are frustrated by the widespread lack of respect for human rights in their countries.  Some may be unhappy about the limitations on the freedom of expression or restrictions on privacy, while some are affected by police brutality and military killings.  Many others are frustrated with the absence of rights on labour issues, the environment, gender and the like. 

Yet the expression of this frustration tends to stay firmly in the private sphere.  People complain among friends and family and within their social circles, but often on a low profile basis. This kind of public discourse is not usually an effective measure of the situation in a country because it is so hard to monitor. 

Though the media may cover the issues in a broad manner they rarely broadcast the private fears and anxieties of the average person.  And along with censorship – a common blight in Asia – there is also often a conscious attempt in the media to reflect a positive or at least sober mood at home, where expressions of domestic malcontent are discouraged as unfashionably unpatriotic. Talking about issues like torture is rarely encouraged in the public realm.

There may also be unwritten, possibly unconscious social taboos that stop the public reflection of private grievances.  Where authoritarian control is tight, sophisticated strategies are put into play by equally sophisticated media practices to keep complaints out of the public space, sometimes very subtly.  In other places an inner consensus is influenced by the privileged section of a society, which can control social expression of those less fortunate.  Moral and ethical qualms can also be an obstacle.

In this way, causes for complaint go unaddressed, un-discussed and unresolved and oppression in its many forms, self perpetuates.  For any action to arise out of private frustration, people need ways to get these issues into the public sphere.

Changing society

In the past bridging this gap was a formidable task; it relied on channels of public expression that required money and were therefore controlled by investors.  Printing presses were expensive, which blocked the gate to expression to anyone without money.  Except in times of revolution the media in Asia has tended to serve the well-off and sideline or misrepresent the poor.

Still, thanks to the IT revolution it is now possible to communicate with large audiences at little cost.  In this situation there is a real avenue for taking issues from private to public, regardless of the class or caste of the individual.

Practical action

The AHRC Urgent Appeals system was created to give a voice to those affected by human rights violations, and by doing so, to create a network of support and open avenues for action.  If X’s freedom of expression is denied, if Y is tortured by someone in power or if Z finds his or her labour rights abused, the incident can be swiftly and effectively broadcast and dealt with. The resulting solidarity can lead to action, resolution and change. And as more people understand their rights and follow suit, as the human rights consciousness grows, change happens faster. The Internet has become one of the human rights community’s most powerful tools.   

At the core of the Urgent Appeals Program is the recording of human rights violations at a grass roots level with objectivity, sympathy and competence. Our information is firstly gathered on the ground, close to the victim of the violation, and is then broadcast by a team of advocates, who can apply decades of experience in the field and a working knowledge of the international human rights arena. The flow of information – due to domestic restrictions – often goes from the source and out to the international community via our program, which then builds a pressure for action that steadily makes its way back to the source through his or her own government.   However these cases in bulk create a narrative – and this is most important aspect of our program. As noted by Sri Lankan human rights lawyer and director of the Asian Human Rights Commission, Basil Fernando:

"The urgent appeal introduces narrative as the driving force for social change. This idea was well expressed in the film Amistad, regarding the issue of slavery. The old man in the film, former president and lawyer, states that to resolve this historical problem it is very essential to know the narrative of the people. It was on this basis that a court case is conducted later. The AHRC establishes the narrative of human rights violations through the urgent appeals. If the narrative is right, the organisation will be doing all right."

Patterns start to emerge as violations are documented across the continent, allowing us to take a more authoritative, systemic response, and to pinpoint the systems within each country that are breaking down. This way we are able to discover and explain why and how violations take place, and how they can most effectively be addressed. On this path, larger audiences have opened up to us and become involved: international NGOs and think tanks, national human rights commissions and United Nations bodies.  The program and its coordinators have become a well-used tool for the international media and for human rights education programs. All this helps pave the way for radical reforms to improve, protect and to promote human rights in the region.