Sympathy for the Rohingya
Those who are directly involved in genocide of the Rohingya minority in Myanmar should be brought to justice in the International Criminal Court
Mohammad Amjad Hossain
Since Rohingya minority citizen of Myanmar has been subject to massacres, raped and losing their hearth and home by military junta of Myanmar since August of 2017 in particular they have become refugees in Bangladesh. Bangladesh government was applauded by world leaders, including President of Turkey, King of Jordan while President of Indonesia, President of Switzerland, Queen of Jordan and First lady of Turkey eloquently praised Bangladesh government for providing shelter to Myanmar refugees having visited camps of Rohingya refugees. Some countries also offered financial assistance too. Last but not the least, three Nobel laureates for peace visited Bangladesh to see Rohingya refugees in make-shift camps in Coxs Bazar and Teknaf as well to find out the situation. They also visited no man land on Bangladesh-Myanmar border.These Nobel Laureates are convinced that genocide took place in Rakhine state against the people of Rohingya and asked another Nobel Laureate for peace Aung San Suu Kyi to speak out the truth for the sake of justice or she should resign from the administration.
Three Nobel laureate Mairead Maguari of Northern Ireland ,Tawakkol Karman of Yemen and Irans Shirin Ebadi attended a press conference on 28 February in Dhaka following visits of refugee camps at Kutupalang and Baluakhali. Mairead Maguari has spoken on behalf of other Nobel Laureates ,who suggested that Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi must stop turning a deaf ear to the persecution of the Rohingya or risk facing, including army generals, who are directly involved in genocide of Rohingya minority in Myanmar should be brought to justice in International Criminal court. They are members of The Nobel womens Initiative established in 2006 who visited refugee camps to get acquainted with humanitarian crisis following exodus of several hundred thousand of Rohingya from Myanmar. They visited at the invitation of Bangladesh Naripokko.
Well done and said, but the fact remains that Myanmar is not signatory to Rome statue in establishing International Criminal court. Similarly, Myanmars friends: China and India who have investment in Myanmar, are not signatory to Rome Statue either. However, Bangladesh is signatory to the statue of Rome. Having established international Criminal Court in The Hague as of now eleven situations have been under investigation.
Since Tokyo trial and Nuremberg trial after second world war at least two international trial came to my notice. Security council resolution 1966 of December 2010 succeeded establishing International criminal tribunal for Yugoslavia and Rwanda to try those responsible for violation of International humanitarian law in the territory of former Yugoslavia since 1991 and Rwanda as well.
This writer recalled twelve Nobel laureates in an open letter to the security council in December of 2016 requested intervention to end human crisis in Rakhine state of Myanmar.
Of the Nobel laureates archbishop Desmond Tutu, Malala Yousafzai and Dr. Mohammad Yunus included. No concrete action appears to have been initiated by the Security council because both China and Russia, veto power would not support formation of International tribunal for Myanmar. As of now Security Council on 13 September of 2017 expressed concern at reports of excessive violence during security operation by Myanmar while China and Russia asked security council to resolve any problem in consultation with Myanmar government.
Now the question arises who is going to bell the cat. There are two alternatives available in front of Bangladesh government. Being a signatory to International criminal court in The Hague Bangladesh could prepare preliminary case depending on reports by Amnesty International and reports by foreign news media, apart from satellite pictures of destructions of homes of Rohingya by Myanmar government. Doctors without borders would also provide sufficient evidence of death of Rohingya at the hand of Myanmar marauding army commanders. Recently Doctors without borders gave an estimate at least 6700 Rohingya died in the first month of conflicts. Fortify Rights, Human Rights organization specializing on Myanmar holds the opinion that tactics adopted by Myanmar authority are right out of the genocidaires playbook.
On the other hand, Bangladesh could pursue the British government to continue insisting security council to form International criminal court in line with International tribunal for Yugoslavia or Rwanda. Since British Ambassador to the United Nations took initiative in the Security Council in 2017 to condemn Myanmar government while the British Foreign secretary Boris Johson paid a visit to Rohingya refugee camps in Coxs Bazar on 10 February to see for himself plight of refugees it would be more appropriate by Bangladesh government to pursue British government to bring a case for the formation of International Tribunal on Myanmar.
From March 2 Deputy Assistant to US President and Senior Director for South and Central Asia at the National Security council in the White House of USA Lisa Curtis visited Dhaka for three days and also showed sympathy to Bangladesh government for sheltering Rohingya refugees and said that her government and international community are looking for ways to help improve the situation and ensure the safe return of Rohingya to their home in Myanmar. She also visited Rohingya refugee camps in Coxs Bazar.
It is hardly possible to cross hurdle in the Security Council to establish International tribunal. Therefore, Bangladesh may initiate action in International Criminal court to bring perpetrator of crimes against humanity and restore citizenship of Rohingya minority of Myanmar. Initially, Bangladesh government is responsible to make a case against Myanmar government for dilly-dally tactics. The prime Minister drew attention of the world leaders while addressing General Assembly session in 2017 since huge waters have flown from Bay of Bengal since 1992.Practically Rohingya minority in Myanmar is systematically target since then.
Sympathy and praise for providing shelter to Myanmar Rohingya minority in make shift camps in Bangladesh would not be enough unless these downtrodden broken hearted Rohingya are returned to their homeland in Rakhine state of Myanmar with due honor, apart from restoring their citizenship.
The writer is a retired diplomat
