Protest 101

Protests are always potentially volatile affairs, no matter where in the world they take place or for what issue. On one side, there is a large group of upset or angry people desperate to make a point, and on the other is law enforcement, whose job, ostensibly, is to keep things from getting even more inflamed and maintain order, all while respecting the right of people to protest. It is a very tricky balance, to say the least, and one that authorities worldwide struggle to get right. However, in many cases, the authorities are clearly not bothering to preserve the rights of the people and are seeking to silence them through violent intimidation outright. One hopes that this was not the case in Moro, Sindh on May 20, when clashes broke out after police attempted to disperse demonstrators protesting against the construction of new canals. The protesters, organised by nationalist groups, were reportedly armed with rods and sticks and had blocked the Moro bypass road. The ensuing clash with the police led to the death of one protester and the wounding of a DSP. The house of the Sindh home minister was also attacked and so were two trailers on the bypass road.

The Sindh inspector general of police has now formed a committee to probe the violent protest. The aim is to ascertain the facts that led to the situation, assess the police response and fix responsibility and recommend remedial measures to prevent such incidents in the future. The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has also called for an immediate, impartial inquiry into the incident and expressed alarm about the casualties and injuries among protesters and police. The alleged burial of the deceased protester under police supervision and subsequent arrests and charges of sedition against protesters and their families have only made the whole situation more concerning. The authorities have to remember that the people have a right to protest and that they have a responsibility to uphold this right. This does not mean condoning violence or not prosecuting those who behaved in a violent manner. The attack on the home of the Sindh home minister was wrong as were the attacks on the trailers. The police have every right to prosecute those responsible for these acts. And, if the reports of protesters being armed with rods and sticks are accurate, this too must be dealt with. If the authorities have a duty to respect the right to protest, the people also have a duty to protest peacefully. But recriminatory arrests and charges against those who were protesting peacefully and/or relatives of protesters must be avoided.

Such tactics rarely, if ever, help calm a situation and can be just as dangerous for law-enforcement officers as they are for protesters. In fact, all the evidence we have of the history of protests in Pakistan and around the world suggests that this only inflames the situation and weakens the position of the state. And yet, such tactics continue to be the first thing authorities reach for, with dialogue and discussion often being the last resort when the situation has gotten well out of hand. The inverse is what ought to be the case.