November 8, 2024
By Basharat Khan
QUETTA
A camp established 16 years ago for the families of missing persons in Balochistan, was set on fire by unidneitifed persons on November 6. The camp was set up by the Voice for Baloch Missing Persons (VBMP) near the Quetta Press Club, and houses the families of nearly 7,000 missing persons.
“We have now been left under the open sky ever since our camp was burnt down,” says Mama Qadeer, the Vice Chairman of the VBMP. The camp began in 2009. “This has been the fourth attempt to destroy our camp, but this will not dampen our spirits,” he says, adding that he did not understand what the arsonists wanted to achieve by vandalising the camp.
Undeterred by the attack, Hooran Baloch, the General Secretary of the VBMP, says her organisation will continue to hold camp till the last missing person has been recovered. “These tactics won’t scare us,” she said. “They will get tired of burning our camp but we will not get tired of sitting here.”
The camp, established 16 years ago, has faced arson attacks multiple times. Mama Qadeer expressed his concerns about his safety. “The camp was previously burnt down in 2013, 2016, and 20 days ago. I fear for my life at this point; I could be harmed any time.”
Every day, families of the missing persons, along with representatives from various political parties, visit the camp to express solidarity. “Our purpose in coming to the camp is to demand the recovery of our loved ones,” says a young girl participating in the protest camp. She says the arson attacks on the camp prove the individuals committing these acts did not wish to sit with them to negotiate an early return of the missing persons in Balochistan.
Mama Qadeer and other members of the VBMP have demanded that the government take immediate action to recover the missing persons. They have vowed to continue their protest until all the missing persons are found.