New Foreign Minister Abul Hasan Mahmud Ali on Saturday said there would be no room for impunity for the ‘horrific crimes’ committed during the Liberation War in 1971. “The nine verdicts pronounced by the tribunals so far have proven that there was serious violation of IHL (International Humanitarian Law) committed by those convicted, and that there would be no room for impunity for the horrific crimes,” he told the inaugural session of a function in the city. Mahmud Ali said the trials by ICTs are not only critical for reclaiming the fundamentals of Bangladesh’s identity and integrity as a nation, there are also triumph of international humanitarian and human rights laws, as enshrined in the Constitution. “The International Crimes Tribunals (ICTs) of Bangladesh have set a new paradigm by holding trials of these heinous crimes in our domestic courts in accordance with our amended 1973 ICT Act, pursuant to the Rome Statute provisions,” said the Foreign Minister. He also said these tribunals have set the bar higher in upholding international standards of fair and due process by allowing defendants the right to appeal before the highest courts of the country which was not the case for Nuremburg or contemporary War Crimes trials. The inaugural session of the 23rd South Asian Teaching Session (SATS) on International Humanitarian Law (IHL) was held at the Ballroom of the Ruposhi Bangla Hotel in the evening. The teaching session was jointly organised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Bangladesh, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Dhaka and the ICRC Regional Delegation in New Delhi. Foreign Secretary M Shahidul Haque, Head of Delegation of ICRC, Dhaka Christine Cipolla, Regional Legal Adviser, ICRC, New Delhi Charles Sabga and Director General (UN & HR) of the Foreign Ministry Saida Muna Tasneem, also spoke on the occasion. “It’s not just imperative for the State apparatus to have a sound understanding of IHL, it’s increasingly becoming crucial to disseminate basic knowledge of IHL among the general populace,” said the Foreign Minister while speaking as the chief guest. At his first public appearance since assuming office, he highlighted the salient features of IHL in Bangladesh’s foreign policy pursuits concerning peacekeeping, disarmament and ongoing trials of crimes against humanity and genocide. Referring to the current conflicts in Syria, Somalia and D R Congo, Mahmud Ali said, “The global IHL regime remains our best bet to ensure that some semblance of sanity and humanity is maintained even in the midst of such mayhem and violence”. He also recalled ICRC’s valuable contributions during Bangladesh’s War of Liberation in 1971. Shahidul Haque said: “As Bangladesh is one of the major contributors to peacekeeping operations all over the world, the integration of international humanitarian law is imperative for our work.” In Bangladesh, the ICRC seeks to protect and assist people adversely affected by natural and other humanitarian disasters. It promotes greater understanding of international humanitarian law among the authorities, academics, and law enforcement and armed forces personnel. A total of 45 government officials, academics and legal professionals from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Iran, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka are taking part in the 23rd SATS. – UNB
