Baloch Groups Hold Global Protests Demand Justice on 28th Anniversary of Chagai Nuclear Explosions

Seoul, May 28 (IANS) The Baloch National Movement (BNM) carried out peaceful protests and awareness campaigns across the world, marking the 28th anniversary of nuclear tests conducted by Pakistan in Balochistan’s Chagai district, while drawing global attention to the devastating impact on the region and its people.

As part of the campaign, the group on Thursday organised a peaceful demonstration in South Korea’s Busan against nuclear tests, which were conducted on May 28, 1998, in Chagai.

According to the BNM, speeches were delivered in both English and Korean during the demonstration to raise awareness about the humanitarian and environmental consequences endured by the people of Chagai for the past 28 years.

“Participants chanted slogans against nuclear injustice and distributed informational pamphlets highlighting the long-term effects of radiation, including serious health issues and environmental destruction in the affected areas,” the group stated.

Through the demonstration, participants called for global attention to the suffering caused by the nuclear tests in Balochistan while demanding justice for the victims, environmental rehabilitation, and accountability.

The BNM also carried out awareness campaigns across several cities in the United Kingdom, including London, Manchester, and Cambridge, highlighting the devastating impact of Pakistan’s nuclear tests conducted in Balochistan in 1998.

Through leaflet distribution and public outreach, BNM raised awareness about “how Pakistan used Baloch land for nuclear testing in Chagai without the consent of the Baloch people, leaving behind long-term environmental destruction, radiation-related illnesses, and widespread human suffering.”

The group said that the campaign was intended to draw global attention to the continuing impact of the nuclear tests on the people of Balochistan and to urge the international community to support justice, environmental rehabilitation, recognition of the victims, and the protection of human rights.

Describing May 28 as a "dark day" in the history of Balochistan, Tara Chand, President of the Baloch American Congress, called on the global community to recognise Pakistan as a “reactionary and terrorist state" while demanding the withdrawal of its nuclear weapons.

Taking to his social media platform X, Chand said, "May 28 is a dark day in the history of Balochistan, as it marks the date in 1998 when the Pakistani state conducted a nuclear explosion in Balochistan, setting the region on a path of destruction. In Pakistan, one-third of the population suffers from mental illnesses. Therefore, we appeal to the world to recognise that Pakistan is a reactionary and terrorist state and that its nuclear weapons should be withdrawn as soon as possible."

[VP]