State of Emergency in Northern Balochistan: Toxic Air, Paralyzed Lives
Zahedan, Zabol, Doost Mohammad – May 23, 2024
Northern Balochistan is experiencing one of its most terrifying environmental crises today. Severe sand and dust storms have pushed the Air Quality Index (AQI) to 500—the highest hazardous level. This not only disrupts daily life but also violates the fundamental right of the Baloch people to breathe clean air.
Immediate Impacts on Balochistan’s People:
– Schools and public institutions shut down due to life-threatening conditions for children and the elderly
– A surge in respiratory patients in under-resourced local hospitals
– Daily work halted for farmers and herders, whose livelihoods are at risk
– Government inaction despite repeated pleas from Baloch communities
Lake Hamun: Victim of Discriminatory Water Policies
Once a lifeline for the people of Balochistan and Sistan, Lake Hamun has now turned into a barren wasteland. This disaster is a direct result of Iran’s and the Taliban’s unjust water policies:
1. Afghanistan’s Violation of Balochistan’s Water Rights:
– Deliberate denial of Helmand River water, violating the 1972 treaty
– Illegal dam construction (Kajaki, Kamal Khan) disregarding Balochistan’s rights
– Weaponizing water as political leverage against Baloch-populated regions
2. Iran’s Neglect and Discrimination Against Balochistan:
– Failure to enforce water rights in talks with the Taliban
– Unequal water distribution, favoring central provinces over Balochistan
– No drought contingency plans for Baloch-inhabited areas
The 120-Day Winds: From Blessing to Curse
The winds that once brought cool, fresh air now carry deadly storms of salt and toxic dust. These winds:
– Spread thousands of tons of hazardous particles annually
– Destroy farmland, worsening poverty in Balochistan
– Cause a sharp rise in respiratory and eye diseases
Humanitarian Disaster: Balochistan is Being Erased
Baloch Environmental Refugees:
– Dozens of villages abandoned
– Mass forced migration of Baloch people due to lost livelihoods
– Government inaction in restoring water rights and reviving Hamun
Future Threats:
– Total collapse of agriculture and herding in northern Balochistan
– Deepening poverty and unemployment in a long-neglected region
– Loss of natural and cultural heritage of the Baloch people
Global Silence and the Iranian Government’s Responsibility
This crisis is a blatant violation of Balochistan’s human rights, yet:
– The international community has failed to act meaningfully
– Iran’s government offers token gestures instead of real solutions
– The Baloch people’s right to a healthy environment is ignored
Urgent Call to Action
We demand human rights organizations, environmental groups, and the global community to:
1. Send independent observers to investigate this ecological disaster
2. Sanction Afghanistan’s illegal water projects violating Baloch rights
3. Pressure Iran to enforce the Helmand River water treaty
4. Provide emergency aid to Balochistan for clean air and water access
Balochistan is suffocating!
This is not just a local crisis—it is a test of humanity’s conscience. If we do not act now, we will witness the slow death of a people and their land.
