The First World Congress on Enforced Disappearances (WCED2025): A Baloch Resistance Perspective – Aneesa Baloch
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Written By: Aneesa Baloch
In a significant move towards addressing one of the most heinous human rights violations, the first world congress on enforced disappearances (WCED2025) convened in Geneva from January 15 to 16, 2025. This landmark event, organized by the Committee on Enforced Disappearances (CED) in partnership with the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, brought to the fore the plight of thousands across the globe, particularly focusing on the situation in Balochistan, Pakistan.
The Baloch Narrative:
For the Baloch people, WCED2025 was not just an international forum but a beacon of hope and a platform to voice their longstanding grievances. The Baloch National Movement (BNM) and its human rights wing, Paank, played a pivotal role in highlighting Pakistan’s actions in Balochistan. According to Paank, enforced disappearances have become a systematic tool of state oppression aimed at silencing dissent and quelling any form of resistance or call for autonomy within Balochistan. These disappearances have not only targeted political activists, journalists, and students but also ordinary civilians suspected of having any affiliations with the Baloch resistance movements.
Criticism of Pakistan:
The Congress exposed Pakistan’s inadequate response to the issue of enforced disappearances, which has been a persistent blight on its human rights record. Despite the establishment of a Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances in 2011, progress has been dismal. The Baloch perspective at WCED2025 was clear: the commission has done little more than provide a façade of action while the actual numbers of disappearances continue to rise. Reports from organizations like Paank and Voice for Baloch Missing Persons (VBMP) indicate a significant increase in such cases, with over 500 individuals reported missing in Balochistan in 2023 alone, of which 47 were later found killed, highlighting a grim reality of extrajudicial executions. The Baloch resistance critiqued Pakistan’s military operations, which they argue have exacerbated regional tensions rather than resolving them.
International Response and Baloch Expectations:
The Baloch resistance leveraged WCED2025 to call for international accountability and intervention. They demand not only the immediate release of those forcibly disappeared but also a comprehensive investigation into these human rights abuses. The Baloch see the Congress as an opportunity to mobilize global human rights organizations, urging bodies like Amnesty International and the UN to exert pressure on Pakistan to end these practices. There’s a strong expectation for the international community to recognize these acts as crimes against humanity, potentially leading to sanctions or other punitive measures against those responsible.
The Path Forward:
From the Baloch perspective, the outcomes of WCED2025 are crucial for setting a precedent in international human rights law. The resistance hopes for concrete commitments from participating states and organizations to eradicate enforced disappearances globally. They advocate for a strategic action plan that includes.
Immediate Accountability:
Holding Pakistan accountable for each case of enforced disappearance and extrajudicial killing. Legal Frameworks: Pushing for stronger legal frameworks and enforcement mechanisms at both national and international levels to prevent such abuses. Support for Victims: Providing support and rehabilitation for victims and their families, who continue to suffer long after their loved ones have disappeared.
Conclusion:
WCED2025, from the perspective of the Baloch resistance, was not merely an event but a clarion call for justice, recognition, and peace. It underscored the need for the international community to not only listen but act decisively against states employing such draconian measures against their populations. The Baloch resistance remains vigilant, hoping this Congress will mark the beginning of the end for enforced disappearances in Balochistan and worldwide. However, they remain aware that without sustained international pressure and genuine commitment from Pakistan, the cycle of disappearance, torture, and death might continue unabated.
