A report said that the Dutch government has frozen all contacts with Iran in protest over the hanging of a Dutch-Iranian woman. BBC reported that Sahra Bahrami, aged 46, was hanged for drug smuggling early on Saturday. An Iranian born Canadian journalist and film maker Mariar Bahari was arrested by Iran in June 2009. Canadian authorities turned the world upside down until he was released on 20 October 2009. However, the counties where Baluch have sought refuge are turning other way when it comes to Baluch’s being victimization in hands of the unruly countries. The living example is the unlawful detention of Ehsan Arjmandi by Pakistan.
Ehsand Arjmandi is an Iranian born Baluch who migrated to Norway and obtained Norwegian citizenship. He traveled to Pakistan on a private visit where he was arrested on 7 August 2009. Pakistan authorities have confirmed his arrested and accused him of possession of a fake Pakistani ID card.
However, after the passage of considerable period Eshan Arjmandi remains imprisoned without any charge. Neither has he been produced before a court of law. His whereabouts is also not known. His family remains anxious about him.
Despite all, Norwegian government has made no effort to secure Ehsan Arjmandi’s release. Unlike Canadian and Dutch government who went to the extent to cut diplomatic ties with Iran over the detention and hanging of their citizens, Norwegian government signed for granting packages to Pakistan since after Ehsan Arjmandi’s arrest.
Another political asylum seeker Faiz Baluch and a prominent Baluch leader Mr Hyrbiar Marri were arrested by the UK police on terrorism charges on the behest of Pakistan, without proper investigation. They were caged for 8 months before a jury found them not guilty and the judge released them.
Are Baluch regarded 2nd class people even in the countries where they thought would be safe? Or the UK and Norway have less courage to stand for their residents? Or have Baluch sought asylum in wrong countries? Could it be that Pakistani crimes against Baluch are not regarded as such!?
