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HRCP fact-finding missions’ report 33
HRCP found nearly all the shops at Dera Bugti closed. They were told they had remained shut for over
a month. Ashopkeeper, who spoke to a team member at his medical store, stated he had opened his shop after
a month, and only because the HRCP team was in town. He said he had only a few syrups and tablets, and no
other medical supplies. Only this store and two small kiosks were open from the 200 or so shops in Dera
Bugti.
Meeting with Nawab Akbar Bugti
The HRCP team drove down to an undisclosed location to meet the Nawab. They expressed their
concerns to him, particularly on the issue of using mines, running of private prisons and alleged abduction of
eight policemen. The Nawab did not deny that there were mines around but denied that his tribesmen were
involved. About private jails, he explained that the facts were being distorted. According to him, the punishment
for those convicted by local jirgas, is executed by limiting their movements. Therefore, such people hang
around in a confined area but they are not locked up in a prison. He emphatically denied abducting eight
policemen. According to him, the authorities had contacted him to use his good offices, in locating the abducted
policemen. He said he had tried to get them freed but was unsuccessful.
On a more positive note, the Nawab, agreed that the root cause of the dispute was political, which
must eventually be resolved through political means. At the same time, he had several misgivings and did not
trust the motives of the government. He was convinced that they had been spoiling for a fight, in order to
establish a military rule in the area, for the purposes of getting exclusive management of the natural resources of
the Province.
Human rights violations
During both missions, the HRCP teams were given documentation and verbal accounts of incidents of
human rights violations. HRCP could not verify all accounts presented to them because of time constraints and
because Dera Bugti was virtually empty. However, those reports, which were either confirmed by a credible
source or given first-hand, are being documented. Other allegations, provided by the spokesperson of Jamhoori
Watan Party, are being reproduced.
Bombings
The residents of Dera Bugti, who met the team in Sui, on route and in Dera Bugti city, all confirmed that
the FC bombed civilian targets on March 17 ,h , 2005. Since December 30'\ 2005, use of rocket launchers,
shelling and bombarded has regularly been carried out by the FC. They have used heavy weaponry, gunship
helicopters and rocked launchers targeting civilian targets and population as well. It is alleged that since then at
least 150 civilians, mostly women and children have been killed. This figure includes the fatalities suffered on
March 17th, 2005.
The HRCP team saw widespread destruction of schools and houses in Dera Bugti and Sui. Local
people also showed the team pieces of shrapnel and other evidence of the devastation caused by the fighting.
Indiscriminate use of force
There was overwhelming evidence, by the destruction visible in the area, that the security forces have
engaged in excessive and indiscriminate use of force, also against the unarmed civilian population.
Disappearances
♦
Gul Muhammad Bugti, father of Khadim Hussain, resident of Mandowali Colony, Thesil Sui,
Zila Dera Dugti was abducted on November 17 lh , 2005. According to his family members he