Why shed crocodile tears for an enemy of humanity?
Nizami was not executed by the verdict of a Kangaroo court like the execution of Saddam Hossain or the killing of Gaddafi without any trial. He died because it was the demand of humanity
Abdul Gaffar Choudhury
After the execution of Matiur Rahman Nizami, one of the top war criminals of 71, the people of Bangladesh accepted the execution solemnly. Jamaat as usual called hartal throughout the country, but it was ignored by the people. Nowadays most people do not approve death penalty. But in the case of enmity against humanity and treason death penalty is sometimes inevitable. Nizamis war crimes were so widespread and vicious that before his trial people used to call him Rajaakar, an evil collaborator of the Pakistani invaders. Though it was a delayed trial but at the end justice has been done.
His own people (Nizamis) did not protest against this execution but the protest came from Pakistan and Turkey. They also protested the execution of war criminals on previous occasions. Knowing full well that this protest or condemnation against Bangladesh is nothing but intervention in the internal affairs of another sovereign country, Pakistan continued to do this. The present Pakistan government is not responsible for the brutality done by Pakistani military in Bangladesh in 1971. They should have apologized to Bangladesh for their great crimes. Instead they are still continuing to support their Bangladeshi collaborators of 1971.
When Kader Mullah and Salahuddin Quader Chowdhury were executed present Pakistan parliament condemned it and claimed that they were great friends of Pakistan. Although one of Kader Mullahs friends said that the man who was going to be executed was not real Kader Mullah, Pakistan said this was the real man and a great friend of Pakistan. In fact Pakistans authority did not help Kader Mullah to save his life but identified him as their collaborator of 71s genocide.
Now Matiur Rahman Nizami is hanged and Pakistan again played the same role to prove that he was their associate in the 71 genocide. Islamabad said, Matiur Rahman Nizami was hanged because he was trying to uphold the constitution of Pakistan. Now one can ask if there was any real constitution in Pakistan at that time. After 8 years of establishment of Pakistan in 1956 Pakistan got a constitution passed in the constituent assembly. Within 2 years that constitution was torn by a military junta. Again a constitution was promulgated by Military dictator Ayub khan which did not last very long either. In 1969 Ayub handed over the power to Yahya Khan another military general and the country was ruled by martial law instead of a proper constitution.
Bangabandhu was a great constitutionalist. His first movement was to abolish the martial law and to bring up rules of constitution. He demanded that an election should be held on the basis of 1man, 1vote. After prolonged peoples movement the military Junta headed by Yahya had to submit to peoples wish and held an election on December 1970. Awami League came out as a single majority party and Sheikh Mujib prepared to attend the new parliament to frame a new constitution on the basis of his 6 points. At that moment the military junta of Pakistan suspended the meeting of the new parliament and used martial law aggressively on the people of East Pakistan.
The people of East Pakistan, now Bangladesh revolted against the military rule and Sheikh Mujib had to demand full independence of Bangladesh. His war was not against the constitution but against its violation. His war was against a jungle rule which was called Martial law and he wanted to liberate Bangladesh form that rule. So it is a Goebblean lie to say that Nizami was punished because he wanted to uphold the constitution of Pakistan. Any political observer would say that he collaborated with the martial law authority of Pakistan to suppress the constitutional rights people and to slaughter the people of East Pakistan to crush their movement for independence. It was a great treason to go against the wishes of the people of the country and helping invaders to make this country a killing field.
If for arguments sake we accept the claim of present Pakistan government that Nizami was hanged because he was trying to uphold the constitution of Pakistan then the question naturally arises whether that constitution had approved the looting, arsoning, raping and killing of people indiscriminately or generally framed to protect peoples life, rights and liberty? If the latter are the foundations of a constitution then did Nizami uphold these principals or tried to destroy it? His role in 1971 was not only action against the people but also action against humanity. One may mourn his death but cannot condone his crime,
It was not surprising that Turkey condemned and the Human Rights Commission of United Nations asked to halt this execution. It is amazing that United Nations could not stop the everyday mass murder in Syria and Iraq in the name of war against terrorism but are so concerned about the execution of a war criminal whose crime against inhumanity was almost infinite. Turkey was a secular state founded by Kemal Ataturk, a modern secularist leader.
The pro-Kemalist government was in power for a long time and the Americans could not penetrate into Turkey and could not subvert the secularist character of the country for a long time. During the long period of the Second World War Turkey remained a neutral country and did not join the Anglo-American camp. Ismet Inonu, a die-hard Kemalist, was the president of the country over a decade.
After the Second World War Washington started their penetration in the Turkish administration especially their military establishment. When Adnan Menderes was Prime Minister of an elected government. Like Chile General Garcel, the Turkish General with the collaboration of CIA overthrew the civil government and hanged its Prime Minister Menderes. Turkish military became the virtual ruler of the country. Their overt policy was to claim that they are following the policy of Kemal. But covertly they helped to regenerate the pro-Islamic parties to suppress Kemals secular ideals.
The military is no more in power in Turkey; now in power with a civil face is a fundamentalist party who rules the country and is trying to destroy Kemalism. Turkey lost its neutrality long ago when they became the member of the American military treaty known as the Baghdad Pact (Middle-eastern Pact) and played the western game in the Middle-east. Now that military pact is dead but the alliance between America and Turkey extended and Turkey has become an ally of Israel also. Now Turkey is engaged in killing hundreds of Kurds to suppress their movement for autonomy and violation of human rights is an everyday affair in the country. That Turkey is now shedding crocodile tears for a war criminal in Bangladesh who was tried and hanged after a prolonged trial which fulfils all legal obligation.
Nizami was not executed by the verdict of a Kangaroo court like the execution of Saddam Hossain or the killing of Gaddafi without any trial. He died because it was the demand of the people of his country and the demand of humanity at large. If the Hasina government is remembered in the history for a long time that will be for the courage and their determination to punish the war criminals against all odds.
London, Friday 13 May 2016
