‘Trial of war criminals to go ahead’

December 19, 2009

The government will inform the international community about the justification of holding a trial of war criminals, foreign secretary said on Saturday.

Briefing journalists at the foreign ministry, Mohamed Mijarul Quayes brushed aside media reports that said “Pakistan has been lobbying to stop” the trial of the war criminals.

“They have not approached us officially to stop the process of trying the war criminals,” Quayes told reporters replying to a question whether Islamabad was trying to hinder the trial as reported in a section of media.

He said the government was going ahead with the trial of war criminals to fulfill its commitment to the nation.

The foreign secretary said the government discussed the issue with the UN agencies to make the trial “transparent and international standards”.

“Not only a particular country like Pakistan, we will note the concerns of any country within the United Nations through our ministry, missions, civil society and media,” said Quayes.

Parliament on Jan 29 this year adopted a resolution on the trial of war criminals in absence of the main opposition.

The ruling Awami League in its election manifesto pledged to try the war criminals.

Foreign minister Dipu Moni has traveled to many countries since her taking office in Jan 6 this year and informed them about the issue of the trial of those directly involved in the killing of three million people during the nine-month freedom struggle against Pakistan in 1971.

Dipu Moni earlier told bdnews24.com that Pakistan did not want the war criminals to stand trial lest something “more embarrassing” comes out in the process.

The USA, China, Saudi Arabia and other Middle Eastern countries opposed the birth of Bangladesh in 1971.

Many western countries including the US now term the trial an “internal issue of Bangladesh” but stressed that the trial “should meet international standards and transparent”.

‘Trial of war criminals to go ahead’

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