Baloch rights activist Mahrang Baloch has voiced her concerns about the international community’s silence regarding the atrocities faced by the Baloch community in Pakistan. Speaking at the ‘Middle East and North Africa Youth Conference’ (MENAYC) in Beirut, Lebanon, Baloch highlighted the severe issues confronting young people in the Middle East and North Africa due to ongoing wars and conflicts. The conference, which concluded on Sunday, brought together numerous young activists and over 80 delegates from 14 countries.
In a video message, Mahrang Baloch stated, “We, the Baloch people, are facing horrific genocide even in the 21st century, and we deeply regret the world’s silence on our plight. For seven decades, the youth, mothers, sisters, and daughters of our land have endured the worst tragedies of war.” She lamented the global silence, adding, “Around the world, people are raising their voices for oppressed people, but the greatest shock for us is that no human rights organization has spoken up for us, nor have anti-war advocates addressed our genocide.”
Baloch specifically highlighted the issue of enforced disappearances, stating, “Balochistan is the region with the highest number of enforced disappearances in the world.” She accused the Pakistani army and secret agencies of orchestrating these incidents, noting that the youth are particularly targeted for voicing their concerns against the administration.
She further elaborated, “This number has grown to thousands over the past two decades. Many Baloch youth have been missing for years, with state institutions not even informing their families whether their loved ones are alive or dead. This terror extends beyond the youth, to teachers, journalists, poets, intellectuals, artists, women, children, and older people.”
Mahrang Baloch also spoke about the personal impact of these disappearances, sharing that her own father was a victim. “When my father was first subjected to enforced disappearances, I was only 13 years old. I, along with my siblings, protested for a safe release, but instead, I received the mutilated body of my beloved father. He was killed, his mutilated and severely tortured body was dumped in a remote forest.”
Reflecting on her participation at the MENAYC, Mahrang Baloch posted on X, “My Video Talk: I am deeply honored to have been invited to the ‘Middle East and North Africa Youth Conference’ in Beirut, Lebanon. Unfortunately, I was unable to attend due to prior commitments. However, I recorded a video message which I shared with courageous young voices across North Africa and the Middle East, who, like the Baloch, are confronted with systemic wars and crises that tragically escalate to the level of genocide. Thanks for having me.”