Rohingya crisis: 41 citizens urge government to support ICC prosecutor’s call

Dhaka Tribune
Forty-one eminent citizens of Bangladesh have called upon the government to respond positively to a plea filed with International Criminal Court (ICC) by one of its prosecutors seeking a ruling on whether the court has any authority to hold hearings on the offences committed against Rohingyas.

Don't forget to read:

HRW Report Burma events 2017: https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2018/country-chapters/burma

Methodical Massacre at Rohingya Village: https://youtu.be/89ujUCRYL08

Widespread Rape in the Ethnic Cleansing of Rohingya in Burma: https://youtu.be/oOCd-_sqGGM

A statement, signing by the citizens April 9, was handed over to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Sunday, confirmed Shireen P Huq, a founding member of women’s rights organization Naripokkho and one of the 41 citizens.

Following the petition filed by ICC Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda, the international court formed a pre-trial chamber, which on May 7 urged Bangladesh to explain whether the crimes committed by the Myanmar authorities against Rohingya Muslims fall within its jurisdiction.

 “A number of us have urged the Bangladesh government to respond to the request from the International Criminal Court inviting Bangladesh’s observations with regard to jurisdiction for investigation into the mass ‘deportation’ of Rohingyas from Myanmar,” Shireen said.

“Bangladesh’s positive response is a critical step towards claiming accountability for the perpetration of atrocities against the Rohingyas in Myanmar and to ultimately seek justice.”

Commending Bensouda’s petition seeking a ruling from the ICC on whether it has jurisdiction to investigate the expulsion of Rohingyas by Myanmar’s security forces since August last year, the statement reads: “We call on the government to respond [positively] to the invitation from ICC Pre-Trial Chamber to Bangladesh to submit by 11 June its observations on the question and to support the prosecutor’s request.

“We also urge the government to support the views of the ICC prosecutor that the court may assert jurisdiction over crimes committed by the Myanmar authorities… This will be an important…step in ensuring justice for victims of the crimes against humanity…in Myanmar.”

It further says: “We believe the government of Bangladesh should provide the court with all information in its possession about the circumstances surrounding the presence of the Rohingya on its territory, as invited by the Pre-Trial Chamber.”

Bensouda in her petition argued that the ICC may exercise jurisdiction over the affair because an essential legal element of the crime of deportation, namely “crossing an international border”, occurred on the territory of Bangladesh.

However, Dhaka has yet to respond to the Pre-Trial Chamber’s request for its opinions.

Myanmar says won’t accept ICC measures

U Zaw Htay, director general of Myanmar’s Ministry of the State Counsellor’s Office, said they would reject any efforts to refer Myanmar to the ICC, of which it is not a member, over the conflicts in Rakhine, according to a statement available on the website of the country’s President Office.

“The United Nations has set a policy regarding the ICC, which says the court has jurisdiction only in its member countries. The Vienna Convention on International Treaties states that for a country to follow the 12 international agreements, it needs to first be registered and verified before it can become a member state,” he reasoned.

“Bangladesh is a member state of the ICC. The court asked for Bangladesh’s observations that will be reviewed by three ICC judges. This is their process…   The ICC cannot take actions against non-member states. If they try to proceed with something that cannot be done, we will not accept it.”

The 41 citizens

Transparency International Bangladesh Executive Director Dr Iftekhar Zaman, Supreme Court lawyers Dr Shahdeen Malik, Barrister Sara Hossain, Barrister JyotirmoyBarua and Cynthia Farid, USA Illinois State University’s political science professor Dr Ali Riaz, SHUJON- Citizens for Good Governance Secretary Dr Badiul Alam Majumdar, Brac University’s Centre for Peace and Justice Executive Director Barrister Manzoor Hasan, UBINIG (Policy Research for Development Alternative) Executive Director Farida Akhter, Action Aid Bangladesh Country Director Farah Kabir, DRIK Founder Dr Shahidul Alam, social activist Khushi Kabir, Bangladesh Mahila Parishad President Ayesha Khanum, Shadhona Artistic Director Lubna Marium, Women’s Rights Activist and Columnist Dr Maleka Begum, rights defenders Dr Hameeda Hossain, Muktasree Chakma Sathi, Reza Lenin, Maheen Sultan and Md Nur Khan Liton, Women’s Rights Organization Naripokkho’s founder member Shireen P Huq, economist Dr Shapan Adnan, Nagorik Uddyog’s Chief Executive Zakir Hossain, Visual Advocacy through Photography Campaigner Mahmud Rahman, Gonoshasthaya Kendra CEO Dr Manzur Kadir Ahmed, COAST Executive Director Rezaul Karim Chowdhury, rights and cultural activist Asif Munier, Dhaka University’s (DU) sociology professor Dr Samina Lutfa, physician and health rights activist Dr Zafrullah Chowdhury, Central Women’s University Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Perween Hasan, the University of Oregon’s anthropology professor Dr Lamia Karim, pediatrician Dr Naila Z Khan, the Institute of Informatics and Development’s CEO Syeed Ahamed, University Press Limited’s Operations and Business Development Director Mahrukh Mohiuddin, filmmaker Razia Quadir, London Middlesex University’s PhD Student Manjida Ahamed and Geneva’s Graduate Institute PhD student Quazi Omar Foysal, and DU law professors Dr Shahnaz Huda, Dr Ridwanul Hoque, Dr Asif Nazrul, and Dr Sumaiya Khair.