The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) will support the movement to bring war criminals of the Liberation War to justice, said Chairman of the commission Prof Mizanur Rahman yesterday.
Addressing a rally organised by the Sector Commanders' Forum (SCF) at the Central Shaheed Minar, the chairman said, “We want those responsible for committing atrocities against humanity during the Liberation War in 1971 to be brought to justice so that they don't have the last laugh at the cost of our freedom fighters' lives.”
Crimes like murder, rape, genocide, mayhem, crimes against humanity and war crimes are recognised by the international law and so those criminals should be tried according to the International Crimes Tribunal Act, 1973, he added, demanding that the trial process should be sped up. At the programme, noted citizens and SCF leaders expressed their concern over conspiracies by anti-liberation forces to foil government's initiatives to bring the war criminals to trial.
Presiding over the function, SCF Chairman and the Planning Minister AK Khandaker said the process of trying war criminals should be accelerated so that the victims' family members can witness the criminals receiving exemplary punishment for the crimes they had committed.
Eminent educationist Prof Anisuzzaman said conspiracies are being plotted both inside and outside the country to thwart the smooth execution of the trial.
The speakers urged the government to speed up the trial process in order to help the nation get rid of a stigma and establish role of law in the country.
Educationalist Prof Serajul Islam Chowdhury said people of the country would be offenders as long as they do not bring the criminals to trial.
The speakers asked the people to unite against the conspiracies by the anti-liberation forces to create anarchy in the country.
The rally was the central part of SCF's day-long street rallies held at 12 spots in the capital to create mass-support towards the trial of war criminals.
General Secretary of SCF Lt Gen (retd) Harun-or-Rashid, SCF leader Maj Gen (retd) CR Dutta, Abu Osman Chowdhury, Barrister M Amirul Islam and cultural activists Hasan Arif, Golam Kuddus, among others, spoke at the programme.
THE DOCUMENT OF SURRENDER:
Pakistans Lt. Gen A. A. K. Niazi signs the instrument of surrender on 16 December, surrendering his forces to Lt. Gen Jagjit Singh Aurora commanding theMitro Bahini(Allies).
On 16 December 1971, Lt. Gen A. A. K. Niazi, CO of Pakistan Army forces located in East Pakistan signed the instrument of surrender. At the time of surrender only a few countries had provided diplomatic recognition to the new nation. Bangladesh sought admission in the UN with most voting in its favor, but China vetoed this as Pakistan was its key ally. However, the United States was one of the last nations to accord Bangladesh recognition. To ensure a smooth transition, in 1972 the Simla Agreement was signed between India and Pakistan. The treaty ensured that Pakistan recognized the independence of Bangladesh in exchange for the return of the Pakistani PoWs. India treated all the PoWs in strict accordance with the Geneva Convention, rule 1925. It released more than 90,000 Pakistani PoWs in five months.
Further, as a gesture of goodwill, nearly 200 soldiers who were sought forwar crimes by Bengalis were also pardoned by India. The accord also gave back more than 13,000 km² of land that Indian troops had seized in West Pakistan during the war, though India retained a few strategic areas. most notably Kargil (which would in turn again be the focal point for a war between the two nations in 1999). This was done as a measure of promoting "lasting peace" and was acknowledged by many observers as a sign of maturity by India. But some in India felt that the treaty had been too lenient to Bhutto, who had pleaded for leniency, arguing that the fragile democracy in Pakistan would crumble if the accord was perceived as being overly harsh by Pakistanis.
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