No pressure to ditch war crimes trial: Law minister
Saturday, 29 August 2009
Minister for Law Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Barrister Shafique Ahmed has denied any international pressure on the government not to hold trial for crimes committed during the 1971 War of Independence from Pakistan, days after another minister had spoken of suggestions to scupper the plan.
The law minister said this at the launch of a book at his residence in the city Friday, reports bdnews24.com.
"Instead, Bangladesh is being assisted internationally with information and evidence to make the trial transparent, objective and acceptable", he said.
Minister for LGRD and Cooperatives Syed Ashraful Islam on August 20 had said they were under pressure not to try the war criminals. Without naming the countries from which the government was facing obstacles, he had said that they had been under strain from external as well as internal quarters.
The law minister said they had assurance of full assistance from United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon in holding the trial.
Mr. Ahmed also dismissed as baseless allegations by the Sector Commanders' Forum and Ghatok Dalal Nirmul Committee, two pro-liberation bodies, that the government was delaying the trial.
"It is taking time to ensure the security of the judges of the tribunal, lawyers, investigating officials, witnesses and foreign observers", he said, explaining the apparent delay.
"Also the office, where the war crime tribunal will sit, is occupied by several organisations which is holding up the trial."
The government plans to put in the dock Bangladeshis who face charges of committing murders, rapes, arsons and looting and abetting the Pakistani occupation army during the bloody nine-month war.
Shafique said no political party or person would be put on trial for political vengeance.
"This trial would have finished a long time ago if Bangabandhu (independence hero Sheikh Mujibur Rahman) was alive. He legislated International Crimes (Tribunal) Act 1973 in 1973 to try the war criminals."
"But a political party helped the war criminals settle down in this country. Ziaur Rahman had grabbed power with the help of the collaborators," he said.
The book, the law minister launched, was 'Shajaprapto Juddhaporadhi (convicted war criminals) 1971,' written by Prottoy Jasim.
"My book is for those who say there are no war criminals in this country. It contains data on those who were convicted as war criminals", said Jasim.
The law minister said this at the launch of a book at his residence in the city Friday, reports bdnews24.com.
"Instead, Bangladesh is being assisted internationally with information and evidence to make the trial transparent, objective and acceptable", he said.
Minister for LGRD and Cooperatives Syed Ashraful Islam on August 20 had said they were under pressure not to try the war criminals. Without naming the countries from which the government was facing obstacles, he had said that they had been under strain from external as well as internal quarters.
The law minister said they had assurance of full assistance from United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon in holding the trial.
Mr. Ahmed also dismissed as baseless allegations by the Sector Commanders' Forum and Ghatok Dalal Nirmul Committee, two pro-liberation bodies, that the government was delaying the trial.
"It is taking time to ensure the security of the judges of the tribunal, lawyers, investigating officials, witnesses and foreign observers", he said, explaining the apparent delay.
"Also the office, where the war crime tribunal will sit, is occupied by several organisations which is holding up the trial."
The government plans to put in the dock Bangladeshis who face charges of committing murders, rapes, arsons and looting and abetting the Pakistani occupation army during the bloody nine-month war.
Shafique said no political party or person would be put on trial for political vengeance.
"This trial would have finished a long time ago if Bangabandhu (independence hero Sheikh Mujibur Rahman) was alive. He legislated International Crimes (Tribunal) Act 1973 in 1973 to try the war criminals."
"But a political party helped the war criminals settle down in this country. Ziaur Rahman had grabbed power with the help of the collaborators," he said.
The book, the law minister launched, was 'Shajaprapto Juddhaporadhi (convicted war criminals) 1971,' written by Prottoy Jasim.
"My book is for those who say there are no war criminals in this country. It contains data on those who were convicted as war criminals", said Jasim.