ICC team in city to assess atrocity probe scope

A delegation of the International Criminal Court (ICC) arrived in the city Tuesday to find out whether there should be a probe into alleged atrocities committed by the Myanmar authorities concerned against the Rohingyas.
The delegation -- headed by ICC Deputy Prosecutor James Kirkpatrick Stewar -- will have discussions with Rohingya refugees in Cox's Bazar, senior government officials and representatives of international organisations, concerned official said.
"They sought our permission, and we gave it," Foreign Minister Dr A K Abdul Momen told the FE about the visit on Monday.
Last month, the Presidency of ICC constituted its Pre-Trial Chamber-III, consisting of Judge Robert Fremr, Judge Olga Herrera Carbuccia and Judge Geoffrey Henderson.
The ICC assigned to it the task of probing the Rohingya situation in the People's Republic of Bangladesh (PRB) and the Republic of the Union of Myanmar (RUM).
The decision followed a notice by the ICC Prosecutor, Fatou Bensouda, informing the Presidency of her intention to submit a request for an authorisation to open an investigation into the situation.
The prosecutor notified judges that she will seek an authorisation "to investigate alleged crimes within the Court's jurisdiction in which at least one element occurred on the territory of PRB - a state party to the Rome Statute since June 1, 2010 - and within the context of two waves of violence in Rakhine State on the territory of RUM, as well as any other crimes which are sufficiently linked to these events."
Once the prosecutor submits her request, the judges of Pre-Trial Chamber-III would decide whether or not to authorise her to open an investigation into the situation.
The judges would consider whether there is a reasonable basis to proceed with an investigation, upon examination of the prosecutor's request and the supporting materials.
Earlier, a seven-member delegation from the office of the ICC prosecutor visited Bangladesh in March for conducting an initial probe into alleged atrocities committed against the Rohingyas by the Myanmar military.
On September 6, 2018, following a request submitted by the prosecutor pursuant to Article 19(3) of the Statute, the ICC Pre-Trial Chamber-I decided by majority that the court may exercise jurisdiction over the alleged deportation of the Rohingya people from Myanmar, occurred on the territory of Myanmar (which is not a state party to the Statute) to Bangladesh.
On September 18, 2018, the prosecutor announced the opening of a preliminary examination concerning the alleged deportation of the Rohingyas from Myanmar to Bangladesh.
Meanwhile UNB adds, the ICC delegation members are scheduled to hold a meeting with Foreign Secretary M Shahidul Haque at state guesthouse Padma at 9:30am on Wednesday.
Later, they will meet Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan at his Secretariat office at 12pm and Law Minister Anisul Huq in Gulshan at 3pm on the same day.
The ICC delegation will have an internal meeting on Thursday and leave for Cox's Bazar on Friday afternoon.
They will visit Rohingya camps and hold a meeting with government authorities there on Saturday.
On Sunday, the ICC delegation members will hold meetings with Cox's Bazar DC, Refugee, Relief and Repatriation Commissioner (RRRC) and regional heads of Rapid action Battalion (Rab), BGB and acting superintendent of police in Cox's Bazar.
They are scheduled to leave Dhaka on Monday (July 22).

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