Mon 29 Oct 2007
Jamaat: “No War Crime”, Only “Civil War”
Posted by khujeci_tomai under Liberation War , jamaat-e-islami
A month ago, Islamists made a fiery national issue over “Mohammad Biral” cartoon and were handed head of ex-Communist leader Motiur Rahman. Can Secularists learn from tactics of opponents? Can they take Jamaat’s statement “there are no 1971 War Criminals” and 1971 was a “civil war” and turn it into a mega-issue?
DENIAL
*Shah Hannan says “there was no genocide, only civil war.”
*Ali Ahsan Mujaheed: “There were no war criminals”
RESPONSE
*Constitution Allows Banning of Islamist Politics
*Try War Criminals Through Special Commission
*Gen. Ibrahim on War Criminals
*War Heroes Blast Jamaat
*Public Outrage over Jamaat Statement
*War Crimes expert says Mujaheed “blatant lie”
*War Heroes Demand War Crimes Trials
ANALYSIS
*Exit The Tiger, Enter The Dragon
*War Crimes & Criminals
*Sir, Sir, Honorable Sir
POLITICS
*The Kingmakers
*The Survivors
*Ali Ahsan Mujahid with the Crown Prince
FACT FILE
*What Jamaat Said In 1971
*Industries Minister Motiur Rahman Nizami (now meeting with Ratan Tata) in 1971
*Pakistani Major’s Account of Jamaat Role
*Fact File on Delwar Hossain Sayeedi
*War Criminals were not pardoned
*History Speaks Up
*Other 1971 and Jamaat posts
[(1)Golam Azam and Nurul Amin hold talks with Gen Tikka Khan in 1971 to form peace committee , (2)Golam Azam faces public wrath in city 1981 (3) Maulana Mannan along with madrassa teachers meets Gen Niazi in 1971 ]
RAPE DENIAL
*Replies to Sarmila Bose
October 27th, 2007 at 3:22 am
Did any of the footages shows that they were involved in the killings. Is there any footage that shows any of the alleged criminals had been torturing, shooting or killing any persons? So how their war criminality will be proven in the court with these footages.
BTW, here, we saw the footage of Sabur Khan and Abdul Mannan. Sabur Khan was so popular and powerful leader of khulna, even no Awami leaguer had the guts to stand before and come out victorious in poll against him. In Sheik Mujib’s time, first Bangladesh national election of 1973 he was one of the few [maybe 2-3] elected opposition mps. So if those rajakers were killers or bad people how they could be elected by electorates whereas the pro-liberation candidates get rejected. He didn’t buy vote like the recent years. So, was Abdul Mannan. He was an elected parliament member and minister.
And how come, the gonaadalat mock trial didn’t have the name of Golam-Azam, whereas he is desingated as the top war-criminals.
Here is the part excerpt from the daily star reference: ” Led by eminent poet Sufia Kamal, the commission comprised renowned academics, litterateurs and other professionals. On March 26, 1994, it unveiled accounts of the war crimes committed by 16 persons.
The war criminals are former acting aamir of Jamaat Abbas Ali Khan, Matiur Rahman Nizami, senior assistance secretary general of Jamaat Muhammad Kamaruzzaman, former BNP lawmaker Abdul Alim, Jamaat leader Delwar Hossain Sayeedi, Maulana Abdul Mannan, Anwar Zahid, Abdul Kader Molla, ASM Solaiman, Salauddin Quader Chowdhury, Maulana Abdus Sobhan, Maulana AKM Yousuf, Mohammad Ayen Ud Din, Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojaheed, ABM Khaleq Majumder and Dr Sayed Sajjad Hossain.”
Thanks.
October 27th, 2007 at 4:44 am
Even a real criminal would have claimed innocent if not prosecuted in 36 years. Court needs solid evidence to prosecute. If one failed to produce necessary evidence has to live with this claim.
Those who did not experience the independent war don’t know what to believe at this stage of history. Failure to come up with supporting document might result in the same fate as it had for Golam Azam. So, be careful everyone.
October 27th, 2007 at 8:25 am
“Those who did not experience the independent war don’t know what to believe at this stage of history. Failure to come up with supporting document might result in the same fate as it had for Golam Azam.”
Post-71 guy right here. I can believe that this group worked against our independence in 1971, when even today they look westwards for their “Islamic” inspiration.
“Supporting documents”? Abuwardha bhai, if you are about to commit a crime, are you going to write a memo outlining your crime? Are the victims’ testimonies not enough for you? Go out and talk to the people. You will find them and they’ll talk. And not all of them are die-hard “secularists” or “anti-Islam” or whatever you choose to call them!
October 27th, 2007 at 8:26 am
#2,
Your sentence construction is amusing “Even a real criminal ….” , ha ha ha!
“Those who did not experience the independent war don’t know what to believe at this stage of history.” - is that true? What a well researched revelation! Your veiled propaganda style is clever but not smart enough. It will take another 36 years of political failure even if you can dream about wiping out the history.
October 27th, 2007 at 10:07 am
Abuwardha, how do you know that the post-1971 generation don’t know what to believe? I was born after 1971, have read a few books, and heard a few stories, and talked to a few people including members of Jamaat-e-Islami. I have no difficulty believing Jamaat’s role in the war. Why have you decided to become a spokesperson on my behalf? If you don’t know what to believe, then why not simply say that?
Bitterboy, Abdus Sabur Khan didn’t become an MP in 1973, he won in 1979 and led the Muslim League in the parliament.
October 27th, 2007 at 11:53 am
Thank you Jyoti for correcting me the mistake and I appologize for the inadvertent misinformation.
Anyway, Sabur Khan, Fazlul Kader Chouldhury, Shah Aziz so on were good of friends of Sheik Mujib in their political career. Moreover, Sheik Mujib started his career as Muslim League student leader. They believed in Pakistan concept and that didn’t mean that they were bad people. Just their political calculation went wrong. They were not any one to be so hatred as our so called Shwadenatar-chetonadari groups try to potray them. BTW, Shah Aziz, as a very prominent attorney pleaded and fought for Sheik Mujib in some of his court battles on gratis.
I had a chance to meet Shah Aziz while he was prime minister and with that short-time encounter I was so impressed with and believe, he was one of the good persons and politicians with extreme rare quality.
Thanks.
October 27th, 2007 at 1:48 pm
Welcome Asify, SC, Jyoti. No one should fight a notion of post ’71 generation worked against the independence war. For some everything is possible. Emotion might drive some into an argument, but making sense is a whole different story. Trying to get the facts of a propaganda, shouldn’t need Islamic inspirations or to look westward. It should be a part of any impartial mind. But one should wander, why asking for facts cased irritation to some.
Criminals usually try to hide crime evidence. But who stopped the willing to prosecute them. There should be enough evidence to bring at least some of those ‘war criminals’ to justice. Why not? Is it lack of evidences or desire to prosecute?
Some people might be used to the long process to justice, but questioning the motivation of long process shouldn’t be a crime. One shouldn’t be attacked for fearing the loss of the true history due to some motivated veiled ‘progressive’ propagandist. Jyoti, unfortunately, everyone is not so open minded.
October 27th, 2007 at 5:50 pm
Bitterboy #1
“Did any of the footages shows that they were involved in the killings. Is there any footage that shows any of the alleged criminals had been torturing, shooting or killing any persons?”
There is no footage to show that Yahia khan and other pakistani generals planned “operation searchlight”, ordered to kill bengalis. No footage to show that
BanglaBhai or Jalnal Hazari is torturing people. We learned these from the accounts of the victims and witnesses.
abuwardha,
“Those who did not experience the independent war don’t know what to believe at this stage of history”
I did not experience the war but I know what to believe, you should simply say that you have found it difficult to believe the role of Nijami-Mujahid during our liberation war, because if you believe what has been published in Daily star, it will make you a clear supporter of war criminals.
October 27th, 2007 at 6:08 pm
i do not see any point in replying to some people’s comments here nizami and mujahid formed paramilitary al badr and al shams and openly declared to wipe out the so-called Mukti bahini. They led the massacre of intellectuals. Why do we need to debate on this. They formed peace committees which they led and which raped and killed ppl. Is this not enough. Whether they are supported by a group of ppl or personally nice to bitterboy or sheikh mujib is not the question. They led a group of killers, they armed themselves and helped killed and raped. Is this not enough? Decades after the world war nazi collaborators are still punished.
This is going to be an acid test for this government. If it tries nizami and gang it will have people’s support. If it does not a majority of the population will be forced to believe that all this talk of corruption and reform is just a sham.
October 27th, 2007 at 6:21 pm
“Why not? Is it lack of evidences or desire to prosecute?”
It is definitely a lack of desire to prosecute.
Exactly what makes you think I’m emotional abuwardha? What makes you think I haven’t looked at the facts? What makes you think that I haven’t gone and done the research? The trouble is no matter what we produce, it’s never enough to convince you. Even if we were to reproduce some Pakistani officers’ testimony itself on DP, you would find something wrong with it. Well so be it, to you your way, to me mine. Just don’t accuse me of being over-emotional about this without having done the research and found facts.
The question is NOT of prosecution, it is one of denial. Mujahid did not just say that collborators and war criminals were not prosecuted, he said they never existed. This goes against what the government of Bangladesh itself says about the liberation war in its “dolilpotro”. As such, this is first-class “anti-state activity”. But don’t worry, I have no illusions, the people most concerned with “anti-state activity” are not about to pick up Mujahid. Nor would I support a move to pick him up.
But the question remains, that if he really doubts something so fundamental to Bangladesh’s birth, should he be allowed to run for office? I leave that question to a true patriot like you abuwardha (no sarcasm).
October 27th, 2007 at 8:16 pm
For everyone wanting evidence and solid research: http://www.thedailystar.net/story.php?nid=9218
October 27th, 2007 at 9:41 pm
#7 “who stopped the willing to prosecute them”
What about:
1. Assassination of major political leaders closely associated with the war
2. Driving a major section of the population out of the country
3. Military takeovers
… all of which not only destroy evidence (not least because testimony is lost or silenced) but spread fear among others who might otherwise have been able to come forward to testify
October 28th, 2007 at 1:10 am
Borosha,
You are wrong as we have seen the footages of BaglaBhai’s and his cadres direct atrocites: beatings, killings and hanging people upside down. We have direct evidence how Hazari’s men tortuted reporters Tipu.
As politicians with religious affiliation, of the erstwhile East Pakistan had no safe-haven in India like the AwamiLeaguers and the Russian-block leftists. So they couldn’t flee to India. Even the leader like Bhashani was kept house-arrest in India because Indian government couldn’t trust him due to his china-connection.
So, the Muslim leaguers, the Jamati, Nejami and so on had no scope to flee and therefore, had to stay inside the country and work with the Pakistani army to save themselves besides their penchent for united Pakistan.
Even our elites, university teachers, news-paper editors, reporters, secretaries and the high officials who couldn’t flee had to keep some liason with the-then administration. Late Shamsur Rahman had stayed back and been working as usual with showing loyality to Pak regimen. If we’re really hellbent to get all the footages then, I believe, we can retrieve some similar footages of some of the so called intellectuals who are now very vocal about trial of war criminals.
Just getting some footages doesn’t anyway prove their malign association with the Pakistani administration to the extent of war-criminality. There were war-crimes, there were atrocities, rape and killings; but the planning, decision and execution authority was soley with the army. Rajakers/albadars were mere helpers or accoplices. As 195 real culprits were pardoned for whatever reasons, the legality or moral justification of putting the accomplices to trial had been sealed off. If even the international tribunal is now formed they have to make it over from the scratch. The tribunal would have to try first to get the real war-criminals, not the associates first. As the actual criminals had been pardoned perhaps, international war tribunal won’t see the legal basis of trying anyone from the associates. What they can do is, they can just demand apology from Pakistani Government.
Lastly, people get inflammed though, I have to say the truth, some members of freedom fighters were also committed some crimes to the degree of war-criminality during and immediate post-liberation time to rajakers, albadars, shanti-committee members, muslim league members and chairmen and non-bengalis. They killed, raped and perpetrated other atrocities without letting them have the due process what we are fond of talking about and getting insured about every alleged criminals.
I always try to remind those who are adamantine about the trial, how Mandela was lauded by the world community for his long-sacrifice, the historic victory rooting the appertheid and then finally visionary rule of reconciliation. We need reconciliation and can’t afford to further the already divided nation.
Thanks.
Thanks
October 28th, 2007 at 4:03 am
Bitterboy, just one advice: before any reconciliation can happen, there has to be a frank admission of truth, in all its inconvenient details, by the perpetrators of the crimes involved. You cannot have your denial and demand our forgiveness too.
Yes, it’s you versus us. Bitterly divided. So, please do not cite one (or two) instance(s) of Bangalee mob atrocity to balance thousands of instances of planned, pre-meditated atrocities by the Pakistanis as well as by Bangalee Al-Badrs and Bihari Al-Shams, two cadres of collaborators led by Jamat-e-Islami’s Prof(!) Golam Azam, known as Razakars or Rajakars in general.
And no, we are not talking about just verbal support for the sake of survival — the intellectual collaborators were rightly pardoned by Sheikh Mujib — we are talking about the active roles played enthusiastically by the Rajakar mullahs and Madrassah students as well as common thugs and criminals, from intelligence gathering, pursuit and torture of young men as suspect Muktijoddhas, to kidnapping of women of all ages to satisfy the most prurient demands of Pakistani soldiers (your Muslim brothers, not mine). These Rajakars — nothing less than Mir Jafars — were the lowliest of lowly Bangalees and Biharis. The fact that you defend these *known* criminals while seeking no justice for their victims speaks volumes about your really twisted mental process, your mis-education, and our mis-fortune as a nation. Because of people like you — and I’m going to repeat here something I have said elsewhere — I feel ashamed of my Bangalee identity today.
Whether you and your Jamati Muslim brothers will win this conflict, or we secular Bangalees, only time can tell. Maybe you and I will be long dead and forgotten by then. But let me go on record here that the Bangalees that fought and suffered and died for a free and independent Bangladesh in 1971 — both Hindus and Muslims — did not fight for Muslims like you or Abuwardha, much less for shameless fanatics like Mujahid, Nizami, or Golam Azam. And if your Jamati brothers win, the future generations will only conclude that the Muktijoddhas really lost this war that began in 1971 (and continues today), a war that was by an coward army’s heinous attack on an unarmed civilian population in the dark of the night — Nazi style — methodical, cruel, and inhuman beyond imagination.
We were all willing to have an open mind, and I think we could even try “truth and reconciliation” — but with outrageous claims by the likes of Mujahid (what an appropriate name!), claims that dwarf even the shamelessness of Prof Golam “একাত্তরে আমরা ভুল করিনি” Azam, we can’t just go on pretending to be one nation ready to forgive and move on.
October 28th, 2007 at 5:05 am
Borsha #8. Some people might have stronger faith then other in terms of ’71. One has the right to ask for justice without leveling anyone or defending anyone until it is proven in the court of law. Desire of some to defame rival ideology worked against the due process. People should blame those who are more interested in setting up public court knowing that uncivilized activity wouldn’t be a binding judgment but a publicity stunt. And those forces are still active.
Some people are only interested in punishing no criminals but Nijami. They are not interested in justice and not worthy of any intellectual discussion. Political parties wouldn’t always agree, but calling it a criminal act is a sign of BAKSHALI mindset.
Fact and fact only says the right think that no body can pardon a criminal. But it is also true that unsubstantiated charge wouldn’t make anyone a criminal. Unfortunately, some people are just interested in story telling. This is a time to bring actual charges with hard evidence to punish culprits. Stories didn’t work in last 36 years and it wouldn’t work in the future.
CTG should not work to fulfill political motives of rejected politicians. Otherwise, they would be recognized as stooges. CTG should continue to prosecute anyone whoever is involved in unlawful activities.
Asify, please don’t take it personally. Facts aren’t in question. What are being done with facts is in questions. Everyone is talking about all sorts of facts. Lets put them to test in court.
In general, never like to defend anyone. Mujahid is right in this regard. 195 war criminals of Pakistani army men along with collaborators were pardon under the Shimla agreement between India, Pakistan and Bangladesh on 9th April of 1974. The agreement was defined the pardon in clause numbers 13, 14 & 15. Dr. Kamal Hossain was a signor of that agreement. Shongram, here is your answer.
Having said that, those who committed crime such as rape, murder or arson were not pardon and should be prosecuted. Unfortunately, self-claim humanitarian aren’t interested to prosecute them but asking to hang Nijami or Mujahid. Those hyper active politicians are primarily responsible to derail the whole process from the beginning.
Any one found guilty in the court of law wouldn’t be allowed to run for office. But asking to banned them without a proven crime hardly a justice. Only those who are afraid to compete with Jamat are behind this campaign and aren’t interested in true justice.
October 28th, 2007 at 6:05 am
Dear ========
All these commotion and uproat against rajakers, albadars, etc have nothing to do with what they did in 1971. The only reason is, certain group when they see Jamaatis are their political or election enemy they starting biting them and demand their trial. But when they need their favor for getting to power, they don’t evne bother to kiss their feet.
You may go personal against me and the others like me cursing us shameless, crap and trash. But a crap be turned cap and trash can be turned treasure.
Just an hour before I saw in the internet news, here in the USA a news headline titled “Trash Turned to Treasure”. Somebody garbaged a precious art work and somebody else salvaged it from garbage and that assumed to sell million dollar as antique priceless art work.
We don’t want to bury the issue just for its political value. Otherwise, I know very well, Golam Azam just after he won the court battle to regain his citizship in a public meeting he apologized for his role in 1971. And even 195 war criminals were pardoned by Sheik Mujib, Pakistani head of states Mr. Newaj and Mosharraf during their visit in Bangladesh sincerely sought apology to Bangladeshi for their act of savagery in 1971. Yet, we are reviving the same issue with malign motive.
What Mr. Mujaheed commented was, in my read, somewhat audacious but mostly it expresses his sign of frustation due to overuse and abuse of the issue to corner them.
Thanks.
October 28th, 2007 at 6:46 am
Bitterboy #13,
There is no footage showing that Bangla Bhai or Jainal hajari is beating or killing people. Yes, there are pictures of dead bodies, hanging upside down, we know that BAngla Bhai did that from witnesses, from newspaper reports.The pictures of dead bodies of Intellectuals in Rayerbazar, who killed them? It was Pakistan army and their “accomplices” who could not flee from East Paksitan. There are evidences and witnesses, not only the footages of Nizami and Go-Azam. There are people who WITNESSED
THE ATTROCITIES Of JAMAT LEADERS.
How can someone compare poet Shamsur Rahman with Go-AZAM-NIZAMI gang? I think we have allowed jamat to propagate their propaganda
for too long. today they have denied their role during the war, tomorrow we will hear that it was indian army and Muktibahini who
committed the genocide and PAk army and their “accomplices” wanted to save us.
October 28th, 2007 at 6:50 am
Hmm, lots of evidence.
So, why no cases? Why doesn’t someone just walk into a thana and file a GD or a FIR?
October 28th, 2007 at 8:54 am
http://www.banjamaateislami.org নামে একটি ওয়েবসাইট বানানোর কাজ চলছে। দয়া করে যে যা জানুন, যার কাছে যে তথ্য আছে অতি সত্বর পাঠানোর অনুরোধ করছি। যে ঠিকানায় ই-মেইল করবেন:
engrsdg@gmail.com
October 28th, 2007 at 12:57 pm
Ans to 15. 2 of them
No cognition of the nature or standards of evidence. Yes lots of information, loss, hurt and unanswered questions.
No spine or genuine will really. Im sure the judiciary are quite as partisan and swayable as the bangladeshi people. Maybe they know that they would lose credibility and get the fine detail wrong.
October 28th, 2007 at 3:39 pm
Tacit
I do not think, any genocide trial was ever done in regular court. For special tribunals, I think special political environment is needed, if not constitutional ammendment. Will AL, BNP (both fractions) and Army will agree?
October 28th, 2007 at 4:49 pm
Was it a civil war or genocide, ethnic cleansing or liberation, uprise or revolution?
It was 36 years ago, it was HISTORY.
Its now time for us to move on and develop the nation which was the purpose of that history.
If we continue to fight that history - the real purpose will not be accomplished.
BD needs to develop the FUTURE, not the history!
October 28th, 2007 at 4:53 pm
Borosha,
I agree with you we didn’t see the footage of BB but we saw in the footage, the perpatrators who were the cadres of BB and it was not difficult to prove their crime and they admitted their acts boldly saying that those killings were part of fight angainst Sorbohara, enemy of local people or enemy of Allah.
If you guys have such evidences why don’t you file cases against them without just yelling at and demanding stripping off their rights to pariticipate in politics. I know, Zohra Tajuddin once filed a murder case against Golam Azam but it was squashed.
The naggers had their own government but they didn’t do anything because perhaps, they formed the government with the favor of alleged war-criminals. This kind of demand is just wastage of time. If you think have enough evidencs, go ahead to try them. Otherwise, justice delayed is justice denied and I believe it is already too late get the justice retrieved.
Thanks.
October 28th, 2007 at 5:34 pm
Susanta, creating new website may work as a propaganda tools. There are lots of them. ‘71 are being used for political gain, which are taking the steam out of judicial process.
Fighter 71, those who are only interested in handing out punishments are demanding Special tribunals. They aren’t interested in justice. If there is evidence, any criminal could be tried in due process.
October 28th, 2007 at 5:42 pm
tacit, I’ll present just once instance: during AL’s 96-01 time, the sister of one of the martyred intellectuals filed a case against those who picked him up on Dec 14 in a microbus. One of the “accused” is living in NYC now, a leader of some Islamic Society of North America; the other in London, another big leader of the Muslim community there (those who were unfortunate enough to witness the kidnapping also got a glimpse of these Rajakars’ faces: and they were both featured in a British documentary about our war criminals).
So the sister receives a death-threat, and the least AL govt could do was provide 24 hour police protection at her residence. But the law takes its own time in Bangladesh, and not much happens in the remaining years (you can forget about getting to the point where the Govt has to proceed for extraditing the ISNA leader out of US).
And so, after BNP-Jamaat comes to power, even the FIR files seem to have gotten misplaced(?), and the sister, being retired now (who happened to be at her brother’s house when he was kidnapped), cannot afford to pursue this matter by going to court everyday and bribing the clerks to revive the case (she happens to be a university professor, just like her brother was, in Dhaka University). And the BNP-Jamaat govt concludes there is no threat to her life (perhaps because they knew very well, like any Jamaati thug would, about the ultimate fate of this case?), and withdraws even the police protection.
In other words, everybody “seems” to have given up, even if there may be a case pending, at least in theory. Can you imagine an ordinary citizen, from rural Bangladesh, barely able to make both ends meet, further endangering his own life as well as those of his family in order to take these matters in his own hands, to pursue these cases when the govt/police is not interested… because of their priorities set up by a corrupt political system, while the criminals are back from hiding, marauding in their very neighborhood with dao, kirich and guns?
Don’t you know how the police refuses to accept a case, just because they can, even after a magistrate intervenes because the evidence/seriousness of the complaint is so egregious?
LET ME REMIND YOU that the AL govt at least provided an environment when such a case could be filed for the first time, even if they didn’t provide any other help (by asking the police/magistrate to give the matter higher priority, e.g.). Perhaps this is what Shahriar Kabir had in mind when he said in a recent TV interview something to the effect that “of course one could prosecute the criminals of 71, only if the Govt had any honest support…” And I have a feeling he implicated both the AL and the BNP-Jamaat govts as well as all the previous pro-Pakistani martial law regimes who legitimized themselves by using the very same war-criminals we so despise.
I BEG YOUR PARDON, tacit, because I am not sure if your question was pure rhetorical sarcasm, or just a sign of the total absence of a conscience… in either case fit to be totally ignored. But in the end I felt there are lakhs of morons on the internet who might be roaring with a thundering applause at the “apparent” scoring of a huge point by you on behalf of the Jamaatis against us, the pro-71, culturally inclined, secular fools who didn’t know who/what we have been fighting for all this time. (Perhaps we were better off writing Bangla in Arabic script!)
AND SO, I am sincerely hoping I have shown here the near absurdity of “walking into a thana and filing an FIR…” even when one has some connections in the govt and some very influential friends in the legal profession.
FINALLY, even IF you were being sarcastic, think of the unknown number of raped women, whose very families disowned them, didn’t want to have anything to do with their unwanted child: by mocking their guardians for not having filed an FIR, you only mock your own society and its ethics (or lack thereof). BUT WORST OF ALL, YOU MOCK the very victims; victims not once, not twice, but THREE TIMES… of rape and torture and the utter dehumanization, and then the denial of justice or of even loving care and a shelter… and now in 2007 the ignominy of surviving it all because YOU have the luxury of making rhetorical arguments out of the very WORTHLESSNESS of their existence.
As many of us have observed over the last 30+ years, the dead of 1971 found true bliss: they are lucky not to be living… living only to see the futility of their ultimate sacrifices.
October 28th, 2007 at 9:54 pm
witnesses are ready to give evidences, but who will protect them from the “ROG KATA BAHINI” of Jamat.people who tried to speak up against Jamat had to embrace the fate of Dr. Taher of Rajshahi University and Humayun Azad.
“The naggers had their own government but they didn’t do anything because perhaps, they formed the government with the favor of alleged war-criminals”
THe “naggers” are left wing parties and Awami league, they did not form Govt with the help of jamat, BNP formed the Govt with Jamat.
President Musharraf did not apologize, he just admitted the “mistakes” while visiting Bangladesh
“Your brothers and sisters in Pakistan share the pains of the events of 1971. The excesses committed during the unfortunate period are regrettable,” Musharraf wrote in the official visitors’ book at the National Martyrs Memorial at Savar.
However, PAk army’s Bengali accomplices never admitted the mistakes.
October 28th, 2007 at 10:07 pm
Re #25, actually, my questions was more of a call to action. I was looking for the sort of concrete details that you presented in the first part of your answer.
The people involved in these crimes have invested a tremendous amount of money and planning to stay free so far, it can not be expected that they may be brought to justice by the least amount of efforts. I’m glad you think the AL did a better job than the BNP government, it’s a hair-splitting excercise in passivity.
Lastly, I do not appreciate the tone of your answer. If my questions arouses these sorts of emotions in you, then you’re going to have a very tough time constructing factual, dispassionate cases against the war criminals. In fact, it probably explains a bit about how these people have been free so far.
October 28th, 2007 at 10:20 pm
#16:
If Golam Azam really apologized for his role in 1971, doesn’t that come to admission that he did something wrong?
So why now do we hear Jamaat and Golam Azam did nothing wrong in 1971?
You can’t have it both ways.
October 29th, 2007 at 2:14 am
2 questions:
1. Why did AL did not bring war criminals to justice? They had 10 years to do that.
2. Why did AL forge alliance with JI in ’90s ?
#26
Borsha,
Logi-Boitha bahini should protect the people. They are now far more superior than Rog-Kata group. They have scored some Jamaatis in Octoberfest, and am sure that they can repeat the feat.
October 29th, 2007 at 2:51 am
tacit, a lady did file a case during the time of Hasina government. Life threatening calls and other dramas were staged around her. She was put under government protection. It seemed people were being discouraged to come out for justice. Later government withdrawn her protection and thanks goodness she wasn’t harmed.
United Bangladesh works against the goal of a group of people. These people are diminishing in numbers but they are very adamant to destabilize Bangladesh. They know once this issue is settled people will reconcile the differences and move forward. For them who ever is anti Indian is automatically leveled as anti independent. Late major Jalil became a Rajakar in their definition.
Our media never truly interest for national reconciliation. They often work to create fear in people. Every time crisis looms they will team up with the anti reconciliation forces and bring out issues to destabilize the country. We saw them campaigning to foreigners to over through BD government when Muslim countries were under threat. They are doing the same right now when everyone is just holding their breath for democracy in Bangladesh.
Media and leftist forces view Muslim as foreign in Bangladesh. Islamic influence often viewed as an influence of Pakistan. They see only two cultures in Bangladesh; one is Bengali and other Islamic. These two forces were able to fool people for some time, but shouldn’t expect to fool Bangladesh all the time. Bangladeshi knows very well who they are and have punished them it the poll.
This issue needed to be address at the appropriate time. Stable political environment is vital to resolve these issues. For opportunist unstable moment is the best time to raise demand and bargain. Thoughtful people should oppose these dark forces.
October 29th, 2007 at 3:56 am
So Abuwardha, you mean to say now is not a good time - tell me, will the time be ever good to address such painful issues?? Don’t you think the country needs to purge itself of this terrible past and bring the criminals to justice sooner rather than later?
Khujeci_tomai: ‘If the Islamists have the cunning to burn effigies of Motiur during “State of Emergency”, why can’t the Left do the same with effigies of Jamaat leaders? Or will they keep playing that gentlemanly game? And keep losing?’ - I completely agree with you.
Can’t the Left organise demos and go out in the streets (I’m thinking of Dhaka here but this could also be undertaken by people organising themselves and demonstrating in front of BD embassies all over the world) with similar effigies of the Jamaatis? By the time we wake up things might be too late..
October 29th, 2007 at 5:10 am
We talked enough on the issue. My final two comments the topic.
Firstly, I heard the interview of Vetran Shariar Kabir. He commented, Jamati leaders must be tried for their war-crimes and
anti-liberation role. But if one has to be tried for anti-liberation role or collaboration, constitution has to be amended or appended.
He has expressed a wierd definition of anit-liberation force. He opined the country was liberated with the basic spirit of secularism and those who opposes this idealism are the enemy of our independence and they should be tried and barred from politics. If so, anybody who opposes one of the our 1972 constitution is the enemy of independence. Then what about Sheik Mujib, Zia, Ershad, Hasina! Mujb guillotined democracy through BAKSAL, Zia did socialism, Ershad Secularism by introducing state religion as Islam and Hasina changed some those idealisms from party goals.
But, FYI SK’s such claim was a blatant lie. We fought for Independent Bangladesh as the fight was imposed on us and had no alternative but to fight the Pakistani army for our survive from their atrocities. It was never a fight of secularism vs religion. If it were, we, our parents and grand-parents did not have special fastings, prayers and Khatome-Quran [recitation]for independence and release of Sheik Mujib.
Moreover, we voted for AWL and Sheik Mujib for 6-points manifesto. Secularism and socialism talk came later and we introduced those pillars in our constitution just to make our big allies or Murrubis India and Russia happy on us. This was the big problem of our constitution. Constitution framers were pretty careless to consider the people’s will to be reflected in the constitution.
Secondly, on the first release day I have watched the war-crime documentary made by London based our so called own and international experts on this field and which often times is referred to as the proof of war-crimes by alleged criminals. The producer or director was one Indian citizen Geeta Saigal
better called Garu Chagol, because she tried to sell it as documentary but in fact it was nothing but a short-film or partly fiction movie.
My question why we should so heavily depend on Indian producer or director for such vital documentary!
Thanks.
October 29th, 2007 at 8:04 am
Jamaat’s current statements are a major departure from the line it has run since the 1980s on the Liberation War. That line was something like ‘We were not opposed to independence, but we did oppose the war because we don’t trust India’. In the late 1990s and earlier part of this decade, there were talks of issuing a statement of regrets along the line of what Musharraf said in 2002.
The current statements are a major departure from that strategy. J@Shadakalo makes an interesting point:
“Jamaat does not act hastily, and they are not given to hyperbole like AL or BNP. Every single statement coming out of their mouths are carefully phrased. So Mujahid’s statements were not made in a vacuum; neither were Mr. Hannan’s.”
http://shadakalo.blogspot.com/2007/10/another-snake-claims-there-was-no.html
October 29th, 2007 at 10:52 am
#27
“If my questions arouses these sorts of emotions in you, then you’re going to have a very tough time constructing factual, dispassionate cases against the war criminals. In fact, it probably explains a bit about how these people have been free so far.”
Exactly, i want to add that the management of this national emotional disturbance is very insidious and that the national heresy accusation at the curious only works a little at the domestic level.
Making it a condition for national unity and purpose doesnt seem do work despite efforts to make it so. Its not just JIB who arent swallowing it, but what strikes me is JIBs shahosh not to be swayed by fashion and the blowing of the angry wind.
This makes them a peculiar asset to any status quo i feel and at present thats BD.
October 29th, 2007 at 1:45 pm
New Age sets the record straight.
Editorial
There is no doubting Jamaat�s
collaborator past
The claim made on Thursday by Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mujahid, secretary general of Jamaat-e-Islami, Bangladesh, that a tripartite agreement of 1972 that identified 195 Pakistanis as war criminals means that there were/are no other war criminals in Bangladesh is a point that can be made only in technicality. In fact, the Simla Agreement between the then Indian prime minister Indira Gandhi and her Pakistani counterpart Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, and endorsed by the then Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, was a diplomatic necessity (for all three parties) that dealt with what was to happen to Pakistani prisoners of war and not their Bangladeshi collaborators.
The collaborators to the genocide committed by the Pakistan army in 1971, of course, were offered a general amnesty by Mujib. But that amnesty came alongside a collaborator law that set up 75 tribunals across the country that would try the more serious crimes � murder, rape, arson � that were committed by non-army personnel during the war, making the amnesty a qualified one. These tribunals saw some 36,000 cases lodged, and investigations were ongoing when, in an unfortunate and ultimately telling turn of events, the post-Mujib regimes of Khandakar Moshtaque and Ziaur Rahman abolished those tribunals in the name of �national unity,� effectively making the amnesty unconditional. Those actions, however, cannot and does not wipe out from the nation�s history or conscience certain undeniable truths � that there was a War of Independence, that war crimes took victims by the millions, and that whether in committing these crimes themselves or in actively abetting the Pakistan army, there were collaborators to the genocide who have ultimately gone unpunished, some of them even unrepentantly so.
There can also be no debate or doubt about the active collaborator role Jamaat played during the war, both as a political unit and many of its members individually. No amount of amnesty or statement of denial can wipe away either the documentary evidences or the oral history borne of lived experience of Jamaat�s part in the genocide.
Despite that, however, today Jamaat finds itself not only socially rehabilitated but also a major player in the political mainstream. The twin factors responsible for that are (a) the gradual Islamisation of politics and the state since almost the inception of the once-secular state of Bangladesh, and (b) the political opportunism of the ruling class, including those who have presided over every regime since independence. The process began with Mujib�s general amnesty, followed by Moshtaque and Zia�s abolition of the collaborator tribunals, Zia�s introduction of �bismillah� to the constitution, and Ershad�s adoption, by way of the eighth amendment to the constitution, of Islam as the state religion.
Then the latter-day leaders of Bangladeshi mainstream politics took on the baton of providing Islam in general and Jamaat in particular with �democratic� credentials. When the eighth amendment was challenged in the courts by pro-Awami League lawyers, it was challenged partially, with the adoption of a state religion, and by extension the legitimacy of Islamist parties, remaining unquestioned. This was followed by both the Awami League and the BNP accepting Jamaat as an ally in the anti-Ershad movement, the BNP taking support from Jamaat to ensure majority in the fifth parliament, the Awami League joining forces with Jamaat in opposing and ultimately ousting the sixth parliament, the Awami League inducting at least one identified war collaborator in its cabinet in the seventh parliament, and the BNP doing the ultimate honours of forming government with Jamaat in the eighth parliament.
Today, with the elections to the ninth parliament uncertain and a perceived political vacuum hovering over the nation, all those responsible for Jamaat’s rehabilitation especially the beleaguered Awami League and BNP should own up to the part they played in allowing Jamaat to come to the fore. And instead of stopping merely at rhetoric, they should propose and deliver on constructive, rigorous actions politically, socially and culturally to take up the fight to secularise the state.
As for Jamaat, setting up a commission to revisit and reopen the war crimes and collaborator files would be a welcome step towards breaking its growing hegemony. Because that hegemony is not only one of obscurantist, Islamist politics, but also a legacy of a collaborator past.
October 29th, 2007 at 4:01 pm
Talking about evidence?? There is no footage of Hitler killing millions of innocent people. So he is innocent right? There is no video Footage of Titumir er basher kella so there was no baser kella? There was no Video footage of vasha andolon and you beloved leader Golam Azam taking lead so there was no Vasha Andolon. Man You should start writing your own History book. Man do some research, read some world history and come back write comment.
October 29th, 2007 at 6:44 pm
Bonbibi,
BD had and has opportunities to punish any criminal. What one needed to understand that forces that are crying for punishment aren’t interested in punishing criminals, but only interested in decapitating the rival leaderships of so called four founding ideals? In Bangladesh very little if at all are interested in these four ideals, namely Democracy, socialism, secularism & Bengali nationalism. One might have notice that at the pool. Jamat happened to be the one of the most organized force in their way.
In ’71 Jamat was a very small force, compare to all other forces. After ’71 secularist thought they have finished the challenger of the four ideals and lost interest in punishing the criminals and indulged into looting and gathering. After they become sober were surprised to see that Jamat became a reckoning force and (how absurd it may sound) demanded to hang them.
Loosing hope in going back to power in a fare election, secularist are asking temporary government to finish that job thinking it could be a very unpopular for them politically. To presser CTG secular media tried to instigate public unrest, and still hopes to create infighting among Bangladeshis so their neighbor can step in. Once they come, in my friend, no body will be spared. Learn it from Iraq. Opponent of two nations’ theory never was happy in a divided India and still at work to undo it.
Shahriar Kabir gong target to finish Jamat first, then they will go for other Islamic parties, after that will go for Bangladeshi nationalists and final target would be any one that stands for Bangladesh or against united India. This is a time for freedom loving Bangladeshis to be united against this fascist force.
Criminals would and should be tried in Bangladesh. It needed for the sake of justice. Many People waited lifetime for it and still needed to wait for the democratic government. Jamat leaders aren’t running away from the country, thou many would be happy to see that. It seems they are in BD to stay.
Jyoti,
Jamat’s position is the same all along and is getting root in BD. Now, they are just getting bolder. Talkative opponents’ inability to produce trial worthy evidences and demand of kangaroo court are creating question in public mind about their intentions. Probably, it is empowering Jamat. Jamat opponent have failed to prove them-selves either for justice or not anti-Islamic. Misguided accusations toward Islam and Jamat made Jamat an ally to Islam in public eyes.
Shah Hannan’s position is arguable but not out of realty. Bangladeshis participation in the 70’ election is the testimony of support to a united Pakistan. Pakistan’s unwillingness to accept AL for government started the war. Now, one can argue what to call it, a civil war or independent war.
Secular forces became reactionary force. They are often unable to engage in intellectual arguments but very active in verbal attack. Intolerance could be enough for their demise.
A pluralistic society needs to be tolerant. In America, national flag is used for all sorts of things, from door mat to lingerie. Many don’t like it but accept it. Some people in Bangladesh think that Bangladesh and everything in it belong to them. This mindset is the primary cause of social hatred and needed to be changed.
October 29th, 2007 at 6:55 pm
#32 “It was never a fight of secularism vs religion. If it were, we, our parents and grand-parents did not have special fastings, prayers and Khatome-Quran [recitation]for independence and release of Sheik Mujib”
No-one is saying it was secularism vs religion or that the 1971 war was against religion. When, in this debate, people talk of secularism, they talk of separation of organized religion and the state, not an absence of religion. The Bengali term is less confusing: “Dhormo niropekhota” - or - neutrality with respect to religion. It is not “nastikota”.
In other words, an environment where citizens were equals in every respect, independent of their religious identity - both in terms of their actual stated religion, and in terms of how they chose to observe it (if at all) - these questions would be for the individual and not the state to decide.
Mujib himself repeatedly said “Dhormo niropekhota ar dhormo hinota duti ek jinish noy”.
October 29th, 2007 at 7:19 pm
tacit,
Before you complain about my tone, please examine your original question, that begins with a preamble of “Hmmm…” My “tone” was really a response to your tone, which I have already indicated speaks volumes about your attitude, and as we have found out, the attitude of the police as well as that of the judiciary, regarding the whole matter.
And don’t you have any doubts about my ability to construct a factual, dispassionate case. Just make sure the accused do not lie under oath. They have been lying through their teeth for the last 35 years, BTW, so the habit may be rather ingrained. I’d venture to speculate they might even rationalize it to be “jaayej to lie under oath in a court of man-made laws…” after all, these people were “defending Islam and Allah’s laws,” and anything goes.
Yes, I know I am going to have a tough time… getting any justice today that is to say, with the best justices all retiring, leaving us with largely partisan judges appointed by the BNP/Jamaat govt, with little or no judicial wisdom, not to mention fake certificates and no briefs. They will also go, “Hmm…” at every piece of evidence I present.
Bonbibi,
I’m afraid we’ll never find the right time to prosecute the Razakars — in the end, these thugs will ask for even more time for re-re-defining the “cognition of the nature or standards of evidence…” i.e., they’ll not stop asking for more time until all the witnesses have died out and the police have lost or misplaced all the evidence filed, and that day even a fair judge will then have to throw these cases out.
The AL govt of 1972 had already the standards of evidence defined, BTW! The case against the hardcore criminals might have proceeded had Aug 15 not happened. Apparently, some 11,000 killers, rapists, and kidnappers were released in the aftermath without a trial. And some of them are talking with very loud voices these days.
October 29th, 2007 at 7:29 pm
Hey fugstar, the nakba never happened. Discuss without emotion!:)
October 29th, 2007 at 8:41 pm
flying hawk #29,
Neither logi-botha bahini nor Rog kata Bahini will protect the common people, their objective
is to protect their party’s interest.If we have to depend on any of these evil forces to save our lives, its really very sad moment for Bangladesh.
abuwardha #30
“Media and leftist forces view Muslim as foreign in Bangladesh. Islamic influence often viewed as an influence of Pakistan”
Islamic influence is not viewd as influence of Pakistan, using Islam for political and personal gain is viewd as the culture of Pakistan.During Pakistan regime, every genuine demand by Bengalis was referred to as conspiracy against Islam and Pakistan, In their process of “islamaization” and to “purify”
Bengali culture, Pakistan army killed thousands of Bengalis.the culture of justifying oppression
in the name of Islam is termed as Pakistani culture.
Bitterboy,
“It was never a fight of secularism vs religion”
There cannot be a fight between secularism and religion, because secularism does not oppose religion or anyone’s religious belief.Secularism means state will not discriminate anyone and treat everyone equally irrespestive of their religious background.
from wikipedia
“secularism may assert the freedom of religion, and freedom from the government imposition of religion upon the people, within a state that is neutral on matters of belief, and gives no state privileges or subsidies to religions, In another sense, it refers to a belief that human activities and decisions, especially political ones, should be based on evidence and fact rather than religious influence”
During 1971 war, Hindu community was specially targeted by the pakistan army and we fought for a country where everyone can practice his/her religion peacefully, in that sense it was a fight for secularism.
bonbibi
burning effigies is the way of the extremists, why should we take the path of those whom we are fighting against?
October 29th, 2007 at 9:20 pm
abuwardha
“Only those who are afraid to compete with Jamat are behind this campaign and aren’t interested in true justice.”
Come on man!! Are you out of your mind?? Who would afraid to compete against Jammat? Now you think you guys are powerful? Come to the earth, think clearly, powerhouse of BD politics use Jamat because they need someone from their “shathethakuk” mentality and also they are not confident about their ability not for the power of Jamat It’s not a question about election it’s a question of Justice. Justice for those who died for a reason and that reason is YOU, ME and 15 koti manus for a better future. Not for something you are doing in this blog. Supporting the cause of collaborates. If you think like Nijami and others you are welcome leave Bangladesh and go to Pakistan, they might give you citizenship there. What Bihar’s in Camps are waiting for last four decades. JUST STOP BUGGING
October 29th, 2007 at 9:21 pm
#40
ok. but have i accused you of being emotional yet or are you preempting me?
What happened was the failure of arab organisation to succesfully prosecute their own defence over a long period of time. Nakba was doomed to occur.
Should have put more love into resolving the troubles of reform in the Ottoman setup, rather than sell them out to the western powers and put their own selves in a vulnerable position only to get completely knocked for 6 30 years downstream.
“So aunty Palestinian, my people too have a habit of lurching from mistake to mistake, from pond to fishbowl to teaspoon bringing ruin upon themselves but ritually celebrating it.
See we share more than religion after all! Tell me the one about the gharqad tree again, it makes me feel better.
We have some places for you at our universities if you’d like to study. You know Ummah’n'all…. what do you mean you’ve heard about them and don’t want to come…?”
October 29th, 2007 at 9:56 pm
just wanted to post this wiki link on civil war.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Civil_war
“Ultimately the distinction between a “civil war” and a “revolution” or any other name may be arbitrary, and is determined by usage.”
However, historically, the America Revolution of the 1770 is not termed as a civil war, because they won. The Americans do not identify themselves as ‘colonist insurgents’.
By all the definitions, US, International and general, our Liberation War was not a ‘civil war’.
1) We (Bangladesh) did not have an ‘identifiable regular armed force)
2)We did not have an organized army
3)Most importantly, we were protesting anarchy and we won.
On the wiki article about war laws we can read that
“Some of the central principles underlying laws of war are:
Wars should be limited to achieving the political goals that started the war (e.g., territorial control) and should not include unnecessary destruction
Wars should be brought to an end as quickly as possible
People and property that do not contribute to the war effort should be protected against unnecessary destruction and hardship”
So, if we go by these internationally approved theories (since the UN still won’t recognize ours about the genocide), we can safely come to the conclusion that war crimes were committed in our country in 1971 (if not prior to that also).
This article further states that,
“War crimes include such acts as mistreatment of prisoners of war or civilians. War crimes are sometimes part of instances of mass murder and genocide though these crimes are more broadly covered under international humanitarian law described as crimes against humanity.”
“Under the Nuremberg Principles, the supreme international crime is that of commencing a war of aggression, because it is the crime from which all war crimes follow. The definition of such a crime is planning, preparing, initiating, or waging a war of aggression, or a war in violation of international treaties, agreements, or assurances. Also, participating in a common plan or conspiracy for the accomplishment of any such act constitutes such a crime.”
In light to these laws, we can safely deduce that those who collaborated with Pakistan Army in perpetrating war crimes against civilians, are war criminals. They are war criminals because they involved civilians who were not fighting the war. They are war criminals also because for them, the war was not about self-defense (like it was for Bangladeshis) or national interest (Pakistan), it was merely about ensuring that they have a safe haven in Bangladesh and don’t loose their own power and property. This is how ‘war of aggression’ is defined. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_of_aggression
The Jamaat conspirators must be going by the old, Nazi adage, ‘A lie told often enough becomes the truth.’
October 29th, 2007 at 9:58 pm
Oh, I see, it’s the “hmm” you object to.
This little word captures not only my tone, but also the tone of Bangladesh’s police and judiciary?
Out of respect for the topic at question, I’m going to restrict any further responses to your comment. I’m comfortable letting my comments so far speak for themselves.
Permit me one suggestion though, casting aspersions on judges and opposition witnesses even before anything has come to trial does not really denote a high degree of confidence. By litigating before any court, one indicates full confidence in the court. If you don’t have full confidence, then don’t press charges. But don’t try to hedge your bets either way.
October 29th, 2007 at 10:27 pm
abuwardha #37,
“In Bangladesh very little if at all are interested in these four ideals, namely Democracy, socialism, secularism & Bengali nationalism.”
For years bengalis have fought for democracy and currently CTG is working “hard” to “restore” democracy.What makes you think that
bangladeshis are not interested in democracy?
If we did not want democracy, why did we fight against Ayub Khan and Ershad?
“After ’71 secularist thought they have finished the challenger of the four ideals and lost interest in punishing the criminals and indulged into looting and gathering”
If anyone tried to punish the criminals it was the Govt from 1971-1975. After the “Islamists” gained power , criminals were set free. “nirbashito” and daily star articles have explained these in details with names and dates but you are trying to ignore this.
“Opponent of two nations’ theory never was happy in a divided India and still at work to undo it.”
not only opponent of 2 nation theory is still at work, opponents of ” Bangladesh theory”(those who did not want the break up of pakistan) are still at work.
“Shahriar Kabir gong target to finish Jamat first, then they will go for other Islamic parties, after that will go for Bangladeshi nationalists and final target would be any one that stands for Bangladesh or against united India. This is a time for freedom loving Bangladeshis to be united against this fascist force.”
Since ‘71, only the “secularists” and anti jamat
leaders and intellectuals have been killed.Infact, jamat and other extremists are trying to finish the “secularists”, its not the other way.”indian cospiracy” is a very old theory, since 47 to 71, we have heard it enough,
every demand of oppressed bengalis was termed as ” indian conspiracy”, Now in independent Bangladesh demand for the trial of war criminals is termed as “indian conpiracy”.
“Jamat leaders aren’t running away from the country, thou many would be happy to see that. It seems they are in BD to stay.”
Jamat leaders actually ran away to escape the punishment right after our liberation war. why did they run away then if they are afraid of nothing? Now they will stay because they are close to 100% success in finishing up their opponents.
“Misguided accusations toward Islam and Jamat made Jamat an ally to Islam in public eyes”
no one has made any accusation against Islam,
speaking against jamatis does not mean speaking
against Islam.Jamat and Islam may hold the same meaning for you, but not for all people of bangladesh. When someone accuses jamat for their role in 1971, he becomes anti-Islamic,
when “secularist” are being attacked, its for the safeguard of Islam.
“Secular forces became reactionary force. They are often unable to engage in intellectual arguments but very active in verbal attack”
who is capable of intellectual arguements in bangladesh, is it Nijami who lied about bangla bhai or is it Mujahid who lied about his role in 1971?
“A pluralistic society needs to be tolerant”
yes you are right, we have to be tolerant but we should not be tolerant to extremism and injustice. We have tolerated them for too long, now they have become strong enough to deny their role in 1971 and to distort our history.
October 29th, 2007 at 10:44 pm
Borsha,
21st century should be the time to open every one’s mind and extant horizon. Political Islam is not a Pakistani phenomenon. It is a global renascence of Islam. If one continues to judge everything in terms of ’71 may not have the time to look toward future. If one is concerned with Pakistanization of Islam should try to educate people in true Islam.
Islam never supports any injustice. Continued talk about Pakistani Islam and relating that to ’71 brutality is a very shrewd way of discrediting Islam. People are much smarter for not to understanding that.
Kutub,
Please don’t jump the gun and read the whole tread. Issues of ’71 are in discussion not Jamat in particular. Justice for all means not excluding anyone, even Jamat.
No one should support unsubstantiated demand, not only Jamat supporters. AL & BNP’s action speak for Jamat’s power. No body needs to validate that. No body should think Bangladesh should be in their pocket. Someone with such a low tolerance threshold should strictly visit only romantic sites.
October 30th, 2007 at 12:21 am
Yes, tacit, now that your Freudian slip can no longer be retracted, we’ll just have to let it speak for itself. And no, I’m not hedging my bets either way: I thought I made that clear when I explained how the lone case I’m aware of got nowhere! Perhaps you need to read my responses one more time.
And let me see if I got the topic of this Blog right:
(i) Jamaat’s denial, i.e., the lies it’s been perpetuating, not the same lie, but various lies at different times depending on the circumstances and the govts in power.
(ii) Jamaat’s outrageous audacity of late, claiming there were no war-criminals, in addition to their continuous armed violence over the past 20+ years in the peripheries.
(iii) How did we get here?
On all three counts, I think my two previous posts are more to the point than anybody else’s on this page.
(iv) I also see some pseudo-analysis here where the claim is made that all the “persecution” of Jamaat is really motivated by AL’s (as well as the rest of the moderately liberal to the far Left)’s fear of the Jamaatis’ “sure success” in the next election. (What an irony! the persecutor now claims to be persecuted, and the victims have somehow become the persecutor!)
Well, let me propose that Jamaat, in spite of its loud voice, might not be able to capture more than 15 seats in a fair election even today, or tomorrow, with Sh Hasina and Kh Zia both behind the bars. This I conclude after my personal survey of common people on the streets of Dhaka and Chittagong. So, the conspiracy theory, no matter how beautiful it must be for Jamaatis, is just that. Unless, through their repeated lies, they are transformed into the truest Muktijoddhas in our minds one fine morning…
(v) While we are putting forward conspiracy theories on why the AL and other liberal secular “politicians” may want to “keep the issue alive” without actually prosecuting the war-criminals, let me propose an alternative theory: maybe the pro-71 politicians are finally realizing that whatever alliance/look-the-other-way deals were forged with the Jamaatis were really bad mistakes, and so they are now trying to correct those mistakes… I wish it were so, at least!
(vi) I could further speculate that the whole 15 August 1975 massacre was part of a conspiracy by ISI to achieve exactly where we are today: get the war-criminals out of the jails/exile and rehabilitate them, and (eventually) turn Bangladesh back into a virtual colony of Pakistan, because the lame armed forces of Pakistan were never allowed to get even with the Indians (they lost in all of the three wars with India), and so they might feel a little more secure if Bangladesh were to act as an ally in case of yet another Indo-Pakistani conflict.
It may not be totally irrelevant to mention here that another big mistake of Sh Mujib’s was to retain the services of the IG of Police from 1971 — he was a known collaborator, but apparently no one else qualified enough for the job could be found in the post-independence months. The rot could’ve started there.
October 30th, 2007 at 1:04 am
Borsha,
Thanks for the correction. Probably we adore the same democracy. The democracy people wanted weren’t same in essence with BAKSHALi democracy. People were fooled and realized that soon after the independence.
Selective information may help some argument but wouldn’t resolve any issue. After the independence, thousands got killed without trial, including Shiraz Shikdar. Those were in custody either did not have charges filed against them or in custody for years without trial.
Sadly, people do die; secularist as well as non secularist. No murder could be justified. Instead of blaming someone, all should work toward punishing perpetrators. Bangladesh needs to come out from this self defeating practice. If perpetrators aren’t present for justice, still they could be tried in absencia.
People in Bangladesh know who are retinal. That’s why someone looses popularity and someone gains it. Media plays a strong roll to bring out special version of any story. Like today, Janakantha thought that story of Shajahan Chowdury’s surrender in court takes president over the conclusion of August ’21 brutality. I t would be if somehow Jamat could be involved. That’s why smart people wouldn’t believe everything reported in the news paper. If it’s not for the people, Islamist could have been extinct in Bangladesh today.
October 30th, 2007 at 3:25 am
Listen hard while Jamaat still at least talks about a civil war, meaning conflict, suffering and loss of life.
I’m waiting for them to start echoing what seems to be the Pakistan line - it wasn’t even a war, but mere binary fusion. Two monsters for the price of one.
And don’t forget, without those pesky Hindus, nastik communists and shala Indians, 1971 would never even have had to happen.
October 30th, 2007 at 4:04 am
abuwardha #47,
20th century is not only the right time to extend horizon and open up the mind, Also, it has become easy to do that, just type “Bangladesh genocide” in google and youtube. But still some people close their eyes, ears and mind and raise question whether any genocide took place, whether it was a liberation war or civil war.
If the global Renaissance of Islam takes place in true sense, then all criminals including Nijami and Mujahid will be put on trial.
We are discussing jamati leaders role during 1971, definitely we have to judge it in terms of 1971. But some people judge everything from their “anti-indian” perspective and senses conspiracy against Islam when ever anyone talks against jamat leaders.
why are you twisting my words? when did I say about pakistani Islam? PAkistani ruling elites branded us as traitors and enemy of Islam , so that they can oppress us and treat us like a colony.
from the book “East Pakistan the End Game”
by Brig A. R Siddiqi(ISPR under Yahia Khan),
this is not secularist propaganda, A. R Siddiqi is Pakistani
[Niazi had assumed a distinct pontifical posture and tone, In fact, it was difficult to tell if he was a military commander or a high priest.He seemed to have little time for planning as a military commander beacuse he went about from town to town addressing troops on the ideology of Pakistan and Islamic values, For him every soldier is a custodian od Pakistan and Islamic values.
Niazi openly encouraged the jawans in their unsoldierly, inhuman and canal indulgences." WHAT IS YOUR LAST NIGHT's SCORE? he would ask the jawans with a satanic glint in his eyes, THE SCORE REFERRED TO THE NUMBER OF WOMEN THE SOLDIER MIGHT HAVE MOLESTED.]
This is how the Pakistan army wanted to save Pakistan and Islam. The brutality of ‘71 was done in the name of Islam and this is what I pointed out. If anyone discredited Islam then its the pakistan army and their accomplices. Bengalis are smart enough to understand this.
October 30th, 2007 at 4:47 am
{html code corrected]
To those who have been patiently rebutting Bitterboy, Abuwardha, and other Jamaat sympathizers: Thank You! and my apologies! You have done a tremendous job, much better than I ever could!
Abuwardha (#15),
please stop perpetuating Jamaati propaganda here that “collaborators were pardoned along with the 195 Pakistani war criminals”: see for example this article.
The Paksitani war-criminals were supposed to be tried by their own courts (never happened). Also note, “In addition, the provisions of the General Amnesty explicitly stated that the absconding accused or convicts would be eligible for amnesty only when they would surrender in court, plead for amnesty and declare allegiance to Bangladesh.”
Razakar Motiur Rahman Nijami happened to be absconding at that time: please show us evidence he ever surrendered in a court and pleaded for clemency! The fact that he rode his minister’s car with the Bangladeshi flag may be used as evidence that he “declared his allegiance to Bangladesh” (albeit passively and reluctantly, most likely — because his recent activities show such allegiance might have been just a temporary, “strategic retreat”)!
October 30th, 2007 at 2:01 pm
#51 If anyone discredited Islam then its the pakistan army and their accomplices. Bengalis are smart enough to understand this.
হায় রে বাঙ্গালী!
If only this were true
We are our own worst enemy, we don’t need to look too far for where the rot started
October 30th, 2007 at 2:12 pm
abuwardha
I was a student of RU and have witness the brutality of your friends during my university years. They use to cut students vain right and left. And now you are talking about tolerance? And again who are you to tell me which site to visit? Bangladesh is a free country and we are free people, for your information this is not pre 1971, this is 2007.
October 30th, 2007 at 2:28 pm
Dear All,
Can we document here all the outstanding projects related to documentation of the crime and the genocide that is currently ongoing?
I understand there is a genocide convention in Dhaka Dec 27th organized by Liberation War Museum.
Few members of Drishtipat are also exploring the truth commission concept and a proposal regarding this with Ain O Shalish Kendro.
In the USA, I saw an email from Dr. Nurun nabi on an initiative related to working with a university on documentation.
There may be a few useful items that may come off this new excitement on this issue. Let’s channel our passion to producing long term results on this.
Also in Bangladesh which are the key organizations that has produced substantial documentation on the genocide and how accessible are they?
October 30th, 2007 at 3:06 pm
NirBasito
You are right on calling Pseudo analysts. Otherwise we would have analyzed our way out to something conclusive. There are people who like to keep this issue alive. For them it gives a chance to redeem past mistakes.
Badar Uddin. Omar said in Somokal (10/30/07) that Media and leftist should pay better attention on how to out pace Jamat instead of bringing out issues that takes Bangladesh nowhere. If secular influence increases, Jamati influence reduces. Secularists have their work cutout for them. Instead of wasting time here, they should get back to people. If one continues the constructive work they eventually will have a place in public arena.
Those who masseur Jamat’s successes in accordance to parliament seats have nothing to worry, and should get back to nap. Jamat may never able to win 15 sets by themselves. No one in this tread doubts your ability to speculate. One should notice the source of your accusation of Jamati propaganda.
No where it is claimed that criminals should be pardoned. Everyone is wondering why they weren’t punished. People are questioning the motive behind the punishment demand at a sensitive time.
Shongram,
Civil war is not a game. Specially, for those who don’t have cousins next door to rescue them or will give shelter. True Bangladeshis have no place in between death and win. Bangladeshis aren’t too happy seeing their success went in to someone’s pocket.
Borsha,
Thanks for understanding the dilemma of Bangladeshi Muslims. Pakistanis butchered them in the name of Islam and they are also paying for others crime for being Bangladeshi Muslim.
Islam never pardons a criminal and never hands out summary punishments. Only proven crime should be punished. We should be all for it.
October 30th, 2007 at 3:51 pm
Instead of fruitless debates with the Jamaatis and their sympathisers, we should work on collecting the documents, creating awareness and write to the government on behalf of the expatriates who believe that warcriminals should be tried.
October 30th, 2007 at 4:17 pm
Kutub,
My apology, just didn’t like the idea of shutting off alternate views.
October 30th, 2007 at 4:37 pm
List of Rajakars
Source: ekattorer Ghatak O Dalal-ra: Ke Kothay?
Published by Muktizuddha Chetona Bikash Kendra, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
http://www.nybangla.com/March_26/Doc%20of%20WAR/Razakar%20List.htm
Golam Azam (paper clippings)
http://www.nybangla.com/Muktijoddho/G_Azam/Golam-Azam_1971.pdf
Ali Ahsan Mujahid (paper clippings)
http://www.nybangla.com/Muktijoddho/Muzahid/Muzahid.htm
More on Nijami’s 1971 activities, please click this link:
http://www.nybangla.com/Muktijoddho/Nizami/Nizami.htm
Credit: Mahbubur Rahman Jalal
A rare article written by Gen Zia from 1974 on the backdrop of the war and discrimination faced by Bangalees before 1971.
http://ghatok-dalal.tripod.com/zia.html
October 30th, 2007 at 5:13 pm
ppl, this is an old technique. We were talking about those dogs who killed and raped our brothers and sisters. Pls do not derail this conversation. There is no point in talking about what mistake Mujib made or how zia made Shah Aziz his prime minister.
we must not debate. The time for action has come. Is there anyone in this blog who can file a war crime petition in a Belgian court, if our ’so popular and law-loving corruption-hating’ government does not want to try them. Belgian court tries war crime even if the crime did not take place in the Belgian territory.
i urge Asif Saleh as the owner of this blog to take an initiative. Today those killers have issued a press note denying the presence of any war criminal in their fold. Pls, someone, stand up. The time to fight another war has come.
October 30th, 2007 at 6:13 pm
Exactly as Asif S. and others have said, lets focus our energy translating the debate into something concrete. Can someone list what are some practical steps we can take ?
October 30th, 2007 at 8:09 pm
#56 “Civil war is not a game. Specially, for those who don’t have cousins next door to rescue them or will give shelter. True Bangladeshis have no place in between death and win. Bangladeshis aren’t too happy seeing their success went in to someone’s pocket.”
So, basically, Hindu Bangladeshis are not “true Bangladeshis”, but Golam Azam and Nizami are?
Who - from those who “have cousins next door” - was rescued from death?
Check out this report from TIME magazine (August 2, 1971, PAKISTAN: THE RAVAGING OF GOLDEN BENGAL http://www.time.com/time/printout/0,8816,878408,00.html)
“The Hindus, who account for three-fourths of the refugees and a majority of the dead, have borne the brunt of the Moslem military’s hatred. Even now, Moslem soldiers in East Pakistan will snatch away a man’s lungi (sarong) to see if he is circumcised, obligatory for Moslems; if he is not, it usually means death. Others are simply rounded up and shot. Commented one high U.S. official last week: “It is the most incredible, calculated thing since the days of the Nazis in Poland.”
IT IS OUR SHAME THAT WE HAVE FAILED TO MAKE THE WORLD AWARE THAT JAMAAT-PAKISTAN ACTIVITIES IN 1971 WERE LIKE THE ACTIVITIES OF THE NAZIS. The awareness was there in 1971, but we have squandered it.
You say “Bangladeshis aren’t too happy seeing their success went in to someone’s pocket” yet we are basically debating here how a component of the most corrupt government in Bangladesh’s history should be held up on a pedestal.
October 30th, 2007 at 8:58 pm
Shongram,
Please don’t read into a comment. It sounds like Muslims didn’t have any contribution in the independent war. By the way no one is advocating for Jamat here.
Those who want no war criminals to run for offices should hurry to file and prove charges in time before election. EC just said they need court order to bar anyone from running for an office. Like ‘Fact and Facts only’ and E.H said, please focus on judicial process.
October 30th, 2007 at 9:15 pm
There are large number of documents that Asif posted with “List of Rajakars”.
Those should be suffice to get started for a war crime petition. Let’s get started.
Would suggest Asif S. to initiate this.
October 30th, 2007 at 10:07 pm
Maybe, we can help this effort:
“Sector commanders to sue war criminals”
http://www.thedailystar.net/story.php?nid=9630
October 31st, 2007 at 1:47 am
From Chanchal Khan
Dear All,
Mannan Bhuiya (another leftist turned Razakar) yesterday
appeared in TV channels and said the following :
“there were Razakars, Albadars , Al Shams in 1971 but after
liberation the then government (meaning AL) gave them
general amnesty and hence there is no scope of any debate
on that subject”>
He was in effect, (as expected) echoing Muzahid’s voice .
Today’s newspapers also give information that are confusing
to the younger generation about the so-called general
amnesty.
Please circulate the following facts in blogs, newspapers
and in any way you can (including issuing press releases
by organisations). We need to build mass awareness
regarding the facts that are grounded in history of our
glorious liberation war.
THE FACT :
Let’s get the facts straight : the 1972 constitution
debarred politics based on religions.
There is a common misunderstanding, which the Jamaatis
and BNP (refer to Mannan Bhuyia’s media interview on the
26th October 2007) and their well-wishers often exploit,
that the Bangabandhu had pardoned the war criminals. This
is an utter falsehood to confuse people. Let us go back
into the history for a moment.
The Special Tribunal Order was promulgated on 24 January
1972 (PO NO-8 of 1972) to try those Pakistani
Collaborators/Razakars/Al-badrs and other stooges of the
Pakistani army. 37,000 collaborators were arrested under
that order. 26,000 were released in a general amnesty by
the Bangabandhu government against whom there were no
grievous charges.
At the time of Bangabandhu’s killing on 15th August,
1975, the remaining 11,000 classified collaborators,
Razakars and Al-badrs were under trial and among them were
included Nizami and Abbas Ali Khan. They did not get any
clemency or mercy shown by the Bangabandhu government nor
were they released from jails. On 4 November 1972, all
religion- based politics were abolished according to
sections 12 and 38 of the Bangladesh Constitution.
Bangladesh Citizenship Act was introduced on 15 December
1972.
On 18 April 1973, Golam Azam and his co-accomplices were
stripped of their citizenship through a gazette
notification. Bangladesh government issued an order,
International Crime Act of 1973 for the Pakistani war
criminals. Bangladesh Criminal Act/Collaborator Act was
rescinded by a martial law proclamation on 31 December
1975. Furthermore, on 18 January 1976, the war criminals
were asked by the concerned ministry to apply for
citizenship. Accordingly, Golam Azam and other
collaborators and Al-badrs/Razakars, who lost their
citizenship, were allowed to return to Bangladesh and get
back their rights to participate in political activities.
Golam Azam got his citizenship back under the patronage of
Ziaur Rahman.
The bottom line is International Crime Act of 1973 is
still active and effective. Article 47, Section 3 of the
Act allows trial of war criminals of Pakistan if the UN and
other humanitarian Organisations agree and if they are
sincere to try and bring those Pakistani war criminals to
trial and punish. But Bangladesh government must start the
process first. Restoration of the 1972 Constitution will
allow total banning of religion-based political parties.
However, banning Jamaat from doing politics should not be a
problem if the Election Commission in its election reform
package and the Political Party Act includes the clause of
debarring participation of parties based on religion and
war criminals in the same way proven corrupt politicians
and loan defaulters would be banned from participation in
election.
I could identify at least 3 war criminals from the TV
footage who met the CEC three days back: Ali Ahsan Muzahid;
Delwar Hossain Sayedee, and Abdul Qader Mollah.
Let the opportunity not be missed! Let common voice
prevail.
Chanchal Khan
Australia
October 31st, 2007 at 2:10 am
Abuwardha,
Sure, no one said here criminals should not be punished. But disingenuous people like you are also claiming Nijami and Mujahid, two principle Razakars under Golam Azam, are NOT criminals.
You still have not shown us the evidence asked for. At least show us the Articles 13, 14, and 15 that you cite using your own source if you don’t trust my source (I must admit I have no idea what you’re trying to say there). And then I’ll show why they ARE still criminals.
Or you can choose to carry on your untruths, or should we call it typical denial Jamaati style? And when confronted, don’t hesitate to shift focus. Goebbels zindabad!
But for your kind information, we have been demanding the punishment of Razakars for the last 16 years (ever since we got “Democracy” back) — not for just the last two weeks. People know this quite well — they are not as stupid and ignorant as you think.
And so these people are rather questioning the motive behind your audacious lies “at a sensitive time.”
October 31st, 2007 at 3:29 am
can an initiative in the blogsphere be taken where all the information regarding the war crimes committeed during our liberation war will be stored. It should be an open source project where everyone can contribute. One of the most important thing is photo and video evidence. Mash has some, we can put everything that we have in one blog, or say a site. And every Bangladeshi blogger should put a badge/link to that site in her or his blog. We may support Mujib or Zia. We may be right or left, but we should unite now behind this one single demand. I do not have the organizational ability or the network to do it, pls someone take this step.
Let us not talk about vedaved now, if you are not a Jamati, lets talk about the ways through which we can save our country and islam from dogs like nizami and mojahed
October 31st, 2007 at 11:07 am
Ragib et al. I understand there was a wikipedia project regarding this. Is it still there?
Also any one know what is Nizami doing in London. Seems like he is here in a two weeks visit.
October 31st, 2007 at 12:01 pm
Prothom Alo picked up on the paper clippings by Mahbubur Jalal. No credit was given though. Jalal painstakingly went to the US libraries and copied and scanned all 71 related paper clips and books. Such is the power of documentation.
http://www.prothom-alo.com/index.news.details.php?nid=MTE0OTk=
Also new details were posted on the initiative by Sector Commanders Forum.
http://www.prothom-alo.com/index.news.details.php?nid=MTE0OTI=
The email address where you can send your documents and proof is:
m.harun@bdcom.com
More on this initiative later as I get them.
October 31st, 2007 at 1:55 pm
It does not appear that arguments and evidence is enough for those who remain to be convinced. Here is another way of looking at it. Two pertinent questions need to be brought up.
First is: How did Jamaat view our freedom struggle in light of their ideology?
The answer to that is clear in numerous public statements of Jamaat and their leaders. They viewed everything through the Islamist prism: India (aka non muslims) were helping Mukti Bahini (aka Indian agents) to destroy Pakistan (aka abode for muslims). So, they considered it their religious duty to fight against the enemies and their collaborators through all means available since in their view, Islam was under attack. In this world view, there is no room for muslim against muslim oppression or national/linguistic/ethnic aspirations. When you have such a world view, it is hard to be convinced otherwise, even in the face of overwhelming evidence. Muslims who lived in the west and had complete access to the reports in the foreign press looked the other way and explained it as part of conspiracy to weaken Pakistan. You look at the coverage in the muslim press at that time and you will be hard pressed to find anything other than the official Pakistan-Jamaat line.
If you accept that this was indeed the mind set, the next question for the skeptic is whether or not it is plausible that the Jamaat leaders, specifically those associated with Al-Badar and Al-Shams could engage in crimes including killing of intellectuals and other atrocities.
The answer is intimately connected to the world view I mentioned before. If you believe that it is an attack on Islam, you are supposed to fight with all means available. The intellectuals targeted were considered generally sympathetic to nationalist/leftist causes and so from Jamaat’s standpoint, enemies of Islam and legitimate targets.
The Moudoodi ideaology of religious activism or today’s Hizbut-Tahir ideology does not have any qualms about reacting violently to whatever they view as provocation–whether or not it is Ahmadiyyas, or cartoonist
infractions. Their interpretation of attack on Islam is so broad that a cartoon joke can land you into the gallows.
All the atrocities committed by Jamaat was part of what they considered “fight for Islam”. Had they been successful, I am certain that a plurality of Islamist historians will have treated them as vanguards of Islam. I am convinced of that by looking at the revisionist treatment of 1300 years of “glorious caliphate”, never mind the constant internecine conflicts and monstrous behavior by many of the caliphs.
October 31st, 2007 at 3:31 pm
With regards to branding some one as a “war criminal” versus “just happened to fight in the losing side of a civil war”, one has to distinguish between (i) those who, because of their mindset were unable to accept the evidence ot Pakistani army atrocities that was all around them and (ii) those who actively participated in the killings of civilians.
The first group included the vast majority of Ulemas, who were unable to shed the mindset I mentioned in my last article. This mindset is beautifully illustrated in the father character of “Matir Moina” movie. This also included the vilified Moulvi Farid Ahmed, who while sending supportive statements of the army, had sheltered Dr. Ahmed Sharif of Bangla department, who was a particular target of the army. He was also heroic in his last days when he got called by some one whose relative was among the disappeared on the 14th December Al-Badr episode. He tried to use his connection to find out what happened to them; this delayed his move out of Dhaka and he met a tragic end at the hands of some zealous Mukti Bahini.
Those of Jamaat persuasion, supporting statements were not enough. They formed the armed Al-Badar and Al-Shams and activism was part of their belief and those who care to find out, you can look at all the evidence of that is there for all to see.
October 31st, 2007 at 3:38 pm
I am not sure if you have seen these video clips already. Heartbreaking video clips from 1971/1972.
http://www.docstrangelove.com/2007/10/24/bangladesh-genocide-archives-video/
October 31st, 2007 at 3:50 pm
NiRBashito, Saleh Tanveer.
Didn’t want to go forward with this after seeing an agreement to pursue judicial process to punish perpetrators. One should reserve the comment about anyone until proven guilty in the court of law. It should a primary motto for anyone stands for truth and justice. Over enthusiasm to punish someone was the primary reason that clouded the sincerity of the process and ultimately derailed it.
Lets Jamatis speak for themselves. Jamat’s office secretary released the following statement on the newly revived issue of ‘71. In the statement he said “a certain quarter is carrying out campaign against Jamaat-e-Islami centering a statement made by Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojaheed, Secretary General and former Minister. Earlier they carried out this type of confusing propaganda against Jamaat-e-Islami. They have been making fabricated statements distorting Mr. Mojaheed’s speech sidetracking the same knowingly in different times. Their statements are not based on correct information. The then late Sheikh Mujibur Rahman government investigated the matter and identified 195 as war criminals and sent them back to Pakistan as per Simla & Delhi agreements without holding their trial. The detailed information in this connection has been presented before all. ‘Foreign Minister D. Kamal Hossain visited India on 17 April, 1973. On this occasion a joint declaration made by India and Bangladesh was published. In this declaration it referred to send them back to their country and holding of their trial on humanitarian ground and on the mutual basis. (Document of India-Bangladesh-Pakistan Relations Dec. ‘71—June ‘74, an Information Service of India Publication, Sree Saraswati Press Limited, Calcutta, Page-43). In this declaration it did not refer to any number of war criminals. On 17 April Bangladesh government issued a press release as regards war criminals for the first time. In the Press Release 195 persons were shown as war criminals (As above, page 43-44). Just after two days of publication of this Press Release D. Kamal Hossain said in the parliament that India and Bangladesh agreed that repatriation of others stranded including war prisoners except war criminals will be arranged on humanitarian ground (As above, 45-46). On the other hand, Indian Foreign Minister said in the parliament on 24 April, Pakistan was not interested with all issues referred in the Simla Agreement. They first want to discuss on war prisoners. Pakistan said that there was allegation of misdeeds occurred by a thousand or more than one thousand Pakistani soldiers and officials. They will accept if Bangladesh holds trail against them on condition that other soldiers and officers will be sent back to Pakistan. But Pakistan is now telling that they will not allow anybody to hold trail against their any soldier…… I hope it will be solved. (As above, 47, 50, 51) After four months on 28 August Pakistan and India issued a joint agreement. In this agreement it is stated that Bangladesh agreed that they would not hold trial against war criminals during the whole period of repatriation of stranded including war prisoners. After repatriation Bangladesh, India and Pakistan will sit together and discuss on war criminals and Bangladesh will discuss on the basis of equal rights (As above, 57, 60) After five months on 13-15 February, 1974 Indian Foreign Minister Sharan Sing visited Bangladesh. After this visit it was stated in the joint declaration along with other issues that ‘both Foreign Ministers hoped that Pakistan would obey all matters of Delhi agreement (28 August 1973) with credibility. Both countries also hoped that good relation and stable peaceful atmosphere will be created in the subcontinent on the basis of Simla and Delhi agreements (as above p. 63). After two months of this incident on 9 April, 1974 Bangladesh, India and Pakistan signed an agreement. There are 16 clauses in this agreement. Its 12 clauses have given descriptions of those talks, achievement and implementation in respect of stranded repatriation. In clause 13, 14 and 15 of the agreement talks on war criminals and declaration of amnesty were ascertained. In clause 13 peace, negotiation and friendly atmosphere with regard to war criminals was stated. In this talks Bangladesh Foreign Minister D. Kamal Hossain said, it is necessary to hold trial war criminals for clear and definite crime as per the law and international law. On the other hand, Pakistani Defense and Foreign Minister Aziz Ahmad said if any crime occurs, for that Pakistan is deeply sorry and strongly condemning it. In clause 14 it is stated that three Foreign Ministers are seeing the war criminals in good relation and negotiation eye. They said after recognizing Bangladesh Pakistan government is appealing to people of Bangladesh to see mistake of the past in the eyes of Forgive and Forget’. In this regard, Prime Minister of Bangladesh said “With regard to the atrocities and destruction committed in Bangladesh in 1971 that we wanted the people to forget the past and to make a fresh start, …. People of Bangladesh knew how to forgive.’ In clause 15 it is said that Bangladesh Foreign Minister declared on the basis of the above situation and at the backdrop of Pakistani government’s amnesty appeal to the people of Bangladesh” “The Government of Bangladesh had decided not to proceed with the trials as an act of clemency. It was agreed that the 195 prisoners of War may be repatriated to Pakistan along with the other prisoners of war.” This means that Bangladesh government has taken decision not to hold trial against war criminal as sign of amnesty. This decision has unanimously been taken that other war prisoners including 195 war criminals will return home (as above p. 65-68).’ The matter was discussed in detail that identifying war criminals and the issue like amnesty were not made overnight or secretly. Amnesty of war criminals and sending them back to their country were long process and outcome of discussion and everything were open. Signatories of this agreement of amnesty declaration Indian Foreign Minister Sharan Sing and Pakistani Foreign Minister Aziz Ahmed died, but signatory on behalf of Bangladesh then Foreign Minister D. Kamal Hossain is still alive. In accordance with the investigation of then late Sheikh Mujibur Rahman government the war criminals were 195 persons. There are no war criminals except 195 persons. At that time there was no war criminal in the country except that number. Now from where will war criminals come? So there is no war criminal in the country. Secretary General of Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojaheed disclosed this truth on that day. Late Sheikh Mujibur Rahman declared general amnesty in 1973. The accused who were involved with rape, looting and arson were out of the purview of this amnesty. After general amnesty the Awami League government led late Sheikh Mujib was in power. At that time any case was not filed against any Jamaat leader or worker accusing their involvement with killing, rape, looting and arson. Even any general diary was lodged with any Thana across the country. It proves that then leaders and workers of Jamaat-e-Islami were not involved in this type of incident. I hope that, this confusion will end after publishing this statement in the press.”
One should know that continuous propagation of an unsubstantiated claim is the Goebbel’s way. A piece of advice, keep Islam and its history out of this argument. Failure to differentiate between Islam and war criminals is one of the reason people got disenchanted. Reference of caliphs, not to mention, is a cleaver way to discredit Islam.
Tanveer’s description of Jamati intention is his own. Others have different prospective. One prospective is Bengalese was the majority in Pakistan. They had a reasonable chance to rule Pakistan. In the history of mankind this could be the only event when majority fought to walk away from that opportunity. Fighting to bring true democracy in the then Pakistan could have been the wiser choice for Banglees.
October 31st, 2007 at 4:21 pm
has anyone read today’s ittefak. On the front page, Abdul kader molla has said many ppl who went to our war of liberation went to help india or to get beautiful women. He has also said some muktijoddas are national traitors. He said this at a meeting the day before yesterday. In independent bangladesh!
October 31st, 2007 at 5:29 pm
Re: 74.
Please look at Bangladesh Observer and other newspapers of that era. I am old enough to have remembered those days vividly as a near adult. Look at Jamaat mouthpiece Sangram during the 1971 war, and then you will see, if you are serious about knowing the truth, if my description of the Jamati mindset is off.
Of course, I am in favor of a fair judicial process, nothing I said was against it. But, before that, there is a need to open up the minds of people (there are many Jamat sympathizers) about what happened during those times. You have to first convince them that the allegations are plausible, not just fabricated politically motivated stuff that Jamaat makes it out. In this context, I did not appreciate your reference to my “clever of discrediting Islam”. How did you make this conclusion? Are you saying that criticizing the likes of Yazid is equivalent to criticizing Islam? By the way, in arguments, we are all better off not to impugn each other’