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Rising calls for recognition of 1971 Bangladesh genocide

Ian Martin, an English human rights activist who witnessed the early days of the conflict in Dhaka, highlighted the importance of remembering these events despite their relative obscurity in the West…reports Asian Lite News

Calls for justice and recognition of the 1971 Bangladesh genocide are intensifying, as highlighted in a recent international event. Organised by ‘Genocide 71,’ an initiative of Mukto Ashor and Bangladesh History Olympiad, the event featured diverse voices emphasising the need for global acknowledgment and education about the atrocities committed by the West Pakistani army and their collaborators.

With eyewitness accounts and advocacy from human rights activists, researchers, and former legislators, the push for international recognition and justice for the victims of the genocide, which resulted in an estimated 3 million deaths, is gaining momentum.

A webinar titled “International Webinar on Bangladesh Genocide, Justice for the victims 53 years and counting!” was organised on Saturday. Muktoi Ashor is a prominent non-governmental organisation from Bangladesh. The webinar was hosted by Priyajit Debsarkar, an independent geopolitical analyst.

The webinar featured a range of speakers, each bringing unique perspectives and expertise. “On March 25th, 1971, 53 years ago, the West Pakistani army, along with local collaborators, perpetrated horrific atrocities in Bangladesh, we pay our tributes and respects to those who fell that day. Their targets were civilians, including students, women, and children. They were eagerly anticipating the restoration of democracy after the General Election of 1970” said Priyajit in his remarks.

Ian Martin, an English human rights activist who witnessed the early days of the conflict in Dhaka, highlighted the importance of remembering these events despite their relative obscurity in the West.

“Enduring memories of my life is standing on the roof of Gulshan on 25th 26th March 1971, hearing the shells, watching the ep rifles and police on targeted assault on Iqbal hall and Dhaka University. Why 1971 has been so less in the public domain in the West, especially from a genocide point of view?” said Martin.

Syed Muntasir Mamun, Chief Innovation Officer, Director General, MoFA Dhaka Bangladesh, emphasised the necessity of preserving eyewitness accounts and tangible evidence to educate future generations about this dark period. “The eyewitness accounts are now available including the tactical and tangible evidence. These have to be made public so the world can have a look. Bangladesh is open to inspection and we are happy to host events and external agencies and experts to carry out their own independent assessment” said Muntasir

Ayreen Khan, a visual artist and researcher, focused on the often-overlooked experiences of women and minority communities during the genocide. Her poignant reminder of the atrocities committed against women, including systematic rape and torture, underscored the urgency of ensuring their stories are heard and acknowledged.

Bob Lancia, a former American legislator, stressed the importance of international recognition through resolutions like the one pending in the U.S. Congress. His advocacy for educational initiatives and memorialization efforts resonated with the broader goal of ensuring that the world does not forget the victims of 1971.

Abu Sayed, (General Secretary BD History Olympiad and Author) speaking on behalf of the organizers, reiterated their commitment to elevating the Bangladesh Genocide to the international forefront. Their efforts include educational workshops, exhibitions, and publications aimed at fostering awareness and recognition worldwide.

The Bangladesh Genocide refers to the systematic and widespread atrocities committed by the Pakistani military and their collaborators in East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) in 1971. Following the declaration of independence by Bengali nationalists on March 26, 1971, the Pakistani military launched “Operation Searchlight,” targeting civilians, intellectuals, political activists, and minority groups. The campaign involved mass killings, rapes, torture, and forced displacement, resulting in an estimated three million deaths and widespread human rights abus

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Borrell Seeks Gaza Ceasefire, Investigates Genocide Claims

Josep Borrell, the EU's high representative for foreign affairs and security policy, speaks at a press conference with Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky (not in the picture) after a two-day informal meeting of European Union (EU) foreign ministers in Prague, the Czech Republic, on Aug. 31, 2022. (Xinhua/Deng Yaomin/IANS)

Borrell was speaking at European Commission headquarters alongside Mohammad Mustafa, the recently appointed prime minister of the Palestinian Authority, which governs in the West Bank, and Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide…reports Asian Lite News

The European Union’s top diplomat, Josep Borrell, reiterated calls for a ceasefire in Gaza and the release of Israeli hostages kidnapped by Hamas, following a meeting with the Palestinian Authority’s new prime minister in Brussels on Sunday. “We must do everything in our power to reach an immediate end of the hostilities, to achieve the immediate release of all hostages, to alleviate the humanitarian catastrophe unfolding in Gaza,” said Borrell at a press conference.

Borrell was speaking at European Commission headquarters alongside Mohammad Mustafa, the recently appointed prime minister of the Palestinian Authority, which governs in the West Bank, and Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide.

The three met donors to the Palestinian Authority in Brussels on Sunday to discuss the newly-formed government in the West Bank, led by Mustafa. Borrell also said allegations that Israel is committing “genocide” should be investigated. Noting an ruling by the United Nations’ International Court of Justice (ICJ) on Friday, which ordered Israel to stop its offensive in the Gazan city of Rafah, Borrell said: “This important international Court of Justice verdict also orders Israel to ensure access to any United Nations mandate investigating the allegations of genocide.” While he emphasized that he’s only calling them “allegations”, Borrell added, “they have to be investigated according with the ruling of the ICJ.” Norway – which is not a member of the EU – announced on Wednesday that it will recognize the state of Palestine.

The EU itself cannot do the same unless all of its 27 member states do so first. Hamas seized control of Gaza in 2007 after elections the previous year led to fighting between Hamas and Fatah, which controls the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank.

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Gaza war is ‘real genocide,’ Spanish defence minister says

Spanish Defence Minister Margarita Robles also said Madrid’s recognition of Palestine was not a move against Israel, adding that it was designed to help “end violence in Gaza.”

The Spanish defence minister said on Saturday that the conflict in Gaza is a “real genocide” as relations between Israel and Spain worsen following Madrid’s decision to recognize a Palestinian state.

Israel has strongly rejected accusations made against it by South Africa at the International Court of Justice that it is committing genocide against Palestinians, saying it is waging war on Hamas.

The remark by Spanish Defence Minister Margarita Robles in an interview with TVE state television echoed a comment by Spanish Deputy Prime Minister Yolanda Diaz, who earlier this week also described the Gaza conflict as a genocide.

“We cannot ignore what is happening in Gaza, which is a real genocide,” Robles said in the interview, during which she also discussed the Russian invasion of Ukraine and conflicts in Africa.

She also said Madrid’s recognition of Palestine was not a move against Israel, adding that it was designed to help “end violence in Gaza.”

“This is not against anyone, this is not against the Israeli state, this is not against the Israelis, who are people we respect,” she said.

Israel’s campaign in Gaza has killed nearly 36,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza health officials, and destroyed much of the enclave. Israel launched the operation to try to eliminate Hamas after the Palestinian group attacked southern Israel on Oct. 7.

Spain, along with Ireland and Norway, declared this week it would recognize a Palestinian state on May 28, prompting an angry response from Israel, which said it amounted to a “reward for terrorism” and recalled its ambassadors from the three capitals.

Judges at the ICJ, the top UN court, on Friday, ordered Israel to immediately halt its military assault on the southern Gaza city of Rafah, in a landmark emergency ruling in the case brought by South Africa accusing Israel of genocide.

On Saturday, Spain’s Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares said that Israel must obey the court’s ruling.

In a post on the social media site X, he said, “The International Court of Justice’s precautionary measures, including the cessation of Israel’s offensive in Rafah, are mandatory. We demand their application.”

South Africa has accused Israel of failing to uphold its obligations under the 1948 Genocide Convention.

Israel rejects the accusation, arguing it is acting to defend itself and fighting Hamas after the Oct. 7 attack.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said on Wednesday that if more nations recognized the Palestinian state, it would add to international pressure for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.

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Turkey to join South Africa’s genocide case against Israel

Israel, which is not a member of the ICJ, also argued that the court has no jurisdiction and asked the court to reject the case outright…reports Asian Lite News

Turkey announced it is joining South Africa’s genocide lawsuit against Israel in the International Court of Justice on Wednesday.

“Our legal experts have been studying how to participate in the legal case against Israel at the ICJ,” said Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan as he announced the move.

Fidan said an application will soon be filed with the ICJ.

During the mid-January hearings, South Africa argued to the judges in the Hague that Israel’s military campaign was intended to cause “the destruction of the population” of the Gaza Strip.

Israeli representatives, led by former Supreme Court president Aharon Barak, rejected the claims, arguing that Israel has a right to defend itself, respects international law, and that Palestinian casualties were the result of Hamas embedding its tunnels and military infrastructure in civilian areas.

Israel, which is not a member of the ICJ, also argued that the court has no jurisdiction and asked the court to reject the case outright.

In a provisional ruling issued on January 26, the ICJ ordered Israel by a vote of 15-2 to “take all measures” to prevent “genocide” in Gaza, but did not order the implementation of a ceasefire.

Legal experts said it could take years for a final ruling on whether Israel is committing genocide against the Palestinians. However, a ruling on the genocide claim, while legally binding, would be difficult to enforce.

Meanwhile, Israeli leaders are bracing for the possibility that the International Criminal Court’s chief prosecutor, Karim Khan, may soon issue warrants for the arrest of senior Israeli officials for war crimes, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, and Chief of the Israel Defense Forces Lt.-Gen. Herzi Halevi. It is also speculated that Khan will ask for warrants to be issued against Hamas leaders.

Although both the ICC and ICJ are based in the Hague, they are separate courts.

Foreign Minister Israel Katz instructed Israel’s embassies to “immediately prepare for the outbreak of a severe anti-Jewish and anti-Israeli anti-Semitic wave in the world.”

Due to what the Foreign Ministry said is the “seriousness of the threat,” Katz also instructed Israeli representatives to impress on local Jewish communities the need to boost security for their institutions.

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Baloch Long March Advances

The Baloch Long March is being orgainsed by the Baloch people who have called for an end to state terrorism and massacres in Balochistan….reports Asian Lite News

The Balochistan Yakjehti Committee’s extensive march protesting the alleged Balochi genocide has departed from Dera Ghazi Khan and is presently on its way to Taunsa Sharif.

The Balochistan Yakjehti committee shared images and videos of people taking part in the ongoing long march en route to Taunsa Sharif.

While sharing the videos and images on X, the Balochistan Yakjehti Committee wrote, “The caravan of the ongoing long march against the Baloch genocide has left Dera Ghazi Khan, the next stop will be Taunsa Sharif!

Mehrang Baloch, a political worker, said that their long march has left from Dera Ghazi Khan. She urged people of Dera Ghazi Khan, Taunsa and Dera Ismail Khan to participate in the march.

In a post on X, Mehrang Baloch wrote, “Despite all the threats and conspiracies of the state, our long march has now left from DG Khan, we strongly appeal to the people of DG Khan, Taunsa and DI Khan to be a part of this caravan in maximum numbers. No power in the world can defeat people power.”

Earlier, the Balochistan Yakjehti Committee said that the administration was forced to remove the obstacles in front of the transport vehicles before the long march starts. It further said that the long march will now be held as per schedule.

In a post on X, Balochistan Yakjehti Committee stated, “The administration has been forced to remove the obstacles in front of the transport vehicles before the long foot march begins. Now the long march will go back to Taunsa today according to its schedule. Today there will be a meeting in Taunsa where the brave Baloch people of Taunsa are requested to participate fully. After Dera Ghazi Khan, the Ghayors of Taunsa appeal to the Balochs to fully participate in the long march.”

Earlier, the Balochistan Yakjehti Committee said that the long march against the blocking of transport across Dera Ghazi Khan and threats to travellers has left Dera Ghazi Khan on foot towards Islamabad.

In a post on X, the Balochistan Yakjehti Committee stated, “The long march against the blocking of transport across Dera Ghazi Khan, threats to travelers and state conspiracies has left DG Khan on foot towards Islamabad.”

“The state cannot stop the long march by stopping the transport, the long march will in any case go ahead for the recovery of their loved ones and against the ongoing genocide and state terrorism in Balochistan. Dera Ghazi Khan, on a long march from the Ghayur Baloch of Taunsa We invite you to actively participate and be a part of it,” it added.

Notably, four students from Ghazi University were detained by police two days prior for setting up a welcome camp for the protesters. Shaukat Ali, Asif Leghari, Miraj Leghari, Abdullah Saleh, and ten other people–including women–were taken into custody due to their alleged violations of Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, which forbade public meetings and was enforced by the district government, Pakistan-based Dawn reported.

The Baloch Long March is being orgainsed by the Baloch people who have called for an end to state terrorism and massacres in Balochistan.

Earlier, in Turbat, Balochistan, the Long March faced resistance as at least 20 participants, including women, were detained as the Baloch Yakjehti Council’s (BYC) long march reached Dera Ghazi Khan, Dawn reported.

Led by Mohammad Asif Laghari, the BYC’s long march was intercepted on Shah Sikander Road. The police claimed the participants resisted, leading to the detention of several men and women, although the women were later released.”

Baloch Solidarity Committee’s Dharna is continuing at DG Khan, Gadai Changi, but the police have blocked the road from all sides and are continuously harassing and harassing the Baloch people participating in the dharna,” posted the Baloch Yakjahti Committee on X.

ASP City Rehmatullah Durrani informed protesters of the imposition of Section 144, prohibiting processions or rallies, a directive the participants defied.Legal proceedings have been initiated under Section 144, with police warning of action against violators until December 19, according to police. (ANI)

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Massive Turnout in Baloch March Against Genocide

The Protestors said the the Baloch nation will no longer accept the process of kidnapping, killing and killing people in fake encounters….reports Asian Lite News


Enormous gatherings converged at Dera Gazi Khan in Balochistan during the March against Baloch genocide, initiating a sit-in to protest the arrests of numerous Baloch cadre and the alarming disappearances of Baloch individuals.

Thousands of people were seen participating in the ongoing rally by the Baloch Unity Committee in Dera Ghazi Khan. Ghayur Baloch of Makran, Jhalawan, Sarawan, Kohistan, Koh-e-Sulaiman and Dera Ghazi Khan are raising their voice against state terrorism. The protestors held placards and banners with slogans like stop your terrorism in the state of Balochistan. The Protestors said the the Baloch nation will no longer accept the process of kidnapping, killing and killing people in fake encounters.

Mehrang Baloch a political worker in her post on X said “If this state thinks that it has the force of paid soldiers, then it should remember that we have people’s power and with this people’s power the sit-in will continue till the recovery of our youth in DG Khan. Baloch people should ensure their participation in Dharna and tomorrow’s protest rally.”

Earlier, n Turbat, Balochistan, the Long March had faced resistance as at least 20 participants, including women, were detained as the Baloch Yakjehti Council’s (BYC) long march reached Dera Ghazi Khan, Dawn reported.

Led by Mohammad Asif Laghari, the BYC’s long march was intercepted on Shah Sikander Road. The police claimed the participants resisted, leading to the detention of several men and women, although the women were later released.

“Baloch Solidarity Committee’s Dharna is continuing at DG Khan, Gadai Changi, but the police have blocked the road from all sides and are continuously harassing and harassing the Baloch people participating in the dharna,” posted the Baloch Yakjahti Committee on X.

ASP City Rehmatullah Durrani informed protesters of the imposition of Section 144, prohibiting processions or rallies, a directive the participants defied, as reported by Dawn.

Legal proceedings have been initiated under Section 144, with police warning of action against violators until December 19, according to police.

Previously, a rally in Barkhan expressed solidarity with Balaach Mola Bakhsh’s family. The BYC’s spokesman reported the marchers’ departure from Kohlu town to Dera Ghazi Khan via Barkhan, where they were halted by a heavy police contingent. Attempts to enter Dera Ghazi town, observing a partial strike, resulted in a police baton charge.

Approximately 20 participants, including two women, were taken into custody and moved to an undisclosed location. BYC leaders condemned the baton charge, vowing to continue their struggle and reach Islamabad to protest the ‘extrajudicial killing’ of Bakhsh.

The committee also stated that the sit-in would continue until the arrested activists from DG Khan are released.

“The sit-in of Baloch Yakjehti Committee continues at Gadhai Chowk, Dera Ghazi Khan till the arrested activists from DG Khan are released. Despite hurdles and repression, a huge amount of people came from all areas of DG Khan to welcome the Caravan of long march against Baloch Genocide. We urge the people of Dera Ghazi Khan and peripheries to come and join the sit-in and protesting rally tomorrow at 12:00 am to halt the collective genocide of Baloch nation,” the committee said in another post on X.

The committee also requested Baloch people of Dera Ghazi Khan and surrounding areas to reach DG Khan where the dharna is currently being staged.

The committee said “The brutal actions taken by the police in DG Khan for the last two days prove how much the state is afraid of the Baloch unity. By erecting obstacles in Sakhi Sarwar, Bawata Check Post and all other areas, the state sent a message to the Baloch that Baloch have no human and constitutional rights.”

The Balcoh Long March is being orgainsed by the Baloch people who have called for an end to state terrorism and massacres in Balochistan. (ANI)

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UK acknowledges Daesh’s acts of genocide against Yazidis

The government had found five instances where genocide has occurred: the Holocaust, Rwanda, Srebrenica and acts of genocide in Cambodia and against the Yazidi people…reports Asian Lite News

The governmnet, after almost nine years, on Tuesday formally acknowledged that the Daesh group committed “acts of genocide” against the Yazidi people in 2014.

In a statement, the government said that the Minister of State for the Middle East, Lord Ahmad made this announcement ahead of the nine-year anniversary of the atrocities committed by Daesh against the Yazidi people. Lord Ahmad, said, “The Yazidi population suffered immensely at the hands of Daesh 9 years ago and the repercussions are still felt to this day. Justice and accountability are key for those whose lives have been devastated.”

“Today we have made the historic acknowledgement that acts of genocide were committed against the Yazidi people. This determination only strengthens our commitment to ensuring that they receive the compensation owed to them and are able to access meaningful justice,” he added.

He further stated that the UK will continue to play its role in eradicating Daesh, including rebuilding communities affected by its terrorism and leading global efforts against its poisonous propaganda, according to the statement.

The government’s position has always been that determinations of genocide should be made by competent courts, rather than by governments or non-judicial bodies. This determination has been made following the judgment of the German Federal Court of Justice earlier this year, which found a former Daesh fighter guilty of acts of genocide and crimes against humanity committed in Iraq, Lord Ahmad said.

The government had found five instances where genocide has occurred: the Holocaust, Rwanda, Srebrenica and acts of genocide in Cambodia and against the Yazidi people.

According to the US government, Daesh launched the Yazidi Genocide in 2014, targeting Iraq’s Yazidi minority for mass execution, mass rape, systematic sexual slavery and forced labour, and forced religious conversion.

In 2019, the Global Coalition to Defeat Daesh, which includes the United States, and its local partners liberated all territory controlled by Daesh in Iraq and Syria. However, the lives and homes of Yazidi Genocide survivors remain in peril, with over 360,000 in displacement camps throughout Iraq and Syria. Daesh maintains a presence in Yazidi-populated areas and Turkey continually wages military attacks on Sinjar.

Earlier, in 2021, the United Nations acknowledged that the Islamic State in Iraq and the Daesh committed genocide against the Yazidi and war crimes against unarmed cadets and military personnel.

“A landmark moment has been reached in our work, with initial case briefs completed in relation to two key investigative priorities,” said Karim Asad Ahmad Khan, Special Adviser and Head of the United Nations Investigative Team to Promote Accountability for Crimes Committed by Da’esh/Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (UNITAD), in a briefing on the sixth report of the Team. (ANI)

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European Parliament hosts event on Bangladesh Genocide of 1971

The report quoted her as saying, “It’s time for the EU to recognize what happened in Bangladesh as a crime against humanity, more than 50 years after the nation was plunged in blood and tyranny.”…reports Asian Lite News

The European Parliament hosted an event, titled ‘The Forgotten Genocide: Bangladesh 1971’, on July 3 to underscore the true nature of the atrocities committed by the Pakistan Army and its local collaborators 52 years ago can no longer be ignored, Human Rights Without Frontiers (HRWF) reported.

The panel of speakers included Andy Vermaut, a human rights activist and president of Postversa, who delivered a passionate address on the victims of the Bangladesh genocide of 1971 and their kin. The event was moderated by Manel Msalmi, International Affairs advisor to MEPs, who spoke on the importance of recognition of the Bangladesh Genocide of 1971.

The event was attended by people representing different nationalities, including students from academic institutions in Belgium.

In 1971, the deaths of three million people, rape of more than 2,00,000 women, and the 10 million who fled the atrocities and took refuge in India, as well as the 30 million who were internally displaced, shocked many people around the world, the report noted.

“The attempt by the Pakistan military to destroy the Bengalis as a people during the Bangladesh War of Independence was recognised by some people, for what it was. However, the headline in the London Sunday Times read simply ‘Genocide’,” stated the HRWF report.

The piece claimed further that a Pakistani commander was quoted as making the genocidal intention clear, stating, “We are determined to rid East Pakistan of the threat of cessation, once and for all, even if it means killing two million people and ruling it as a colony for 30 years”.

“The target for killings was surpassed but East Pakistan nevertheless achieved independence as Bangladesh. Even after more than 50 years, those terrible events have still not been recognised as genocide,” the report stated further.

Fulvio Martusciello, a member of the European Parliament, hosted the event at the European Parliament.

As he couldn’t be present at the event physically, his speech was delivered by his representative Giuliana Francoisa.

MEP Isabella Adinolfi, who also featured in the panel of speakers, focused on the brutalities faced by the Bengali women during the Bangladesh Genocide in 1971 and called for its recognition by the European Parliament, the report stated.

The report quoted her as saying, “It’s time for the EU to recognize what happened in Bangladesh as a crime against humanity, more than 50 years after the nation was plunged in blood and tyranny.”

Global Human Rights Defence, an international human rights organisation based in The Hague, held a conference in the European Parliament, the objective of which was to convince members of European Parliaments (MEPs) and the wider society that the time has come for Europe and the world to recognise the genocide that was so swiftly forgotten in many countries after 1971, HRWF reported.

Sradhnanand Sital, president, Global Human Rights Defence, said after the Second World War Europe had said ‘never again’ but in Bangladesh there had been organised genocide, not only against the Hindu minority (who were especially targeted) but all Bengalis.

The director of Human Rights Without Frontiers, Willy Fautre, explained how years of persecution had culminated in the genocide. Since its foundation in 1947, Pakistan had been politically and militarily dominated by West Pakistan, where Urdu was the main language. Whereas, the most populous part of the new state was Bengali-speaking East Pakistan. Within a year, Urdu was attempted to be proclaimed the sole national language, the report noted further.

Decades of ethnic and linguistic discrimination against Bengalis followed, with their literature and music banned from state media. The oppression was reinforced by military rule. Although, in December 1970 an election was held where the Awami League, led by Father of the Nation of Bangladesh Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, swept to victory, it added. (ANI)

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Global Human Rights Defence raises awareness of Bangladesh genocide  

Bangladesh’s Ambassador to Belgium Mahbub Hassan Saleh commended the Conference’s efforts to shed light on the atrocities committed by the Pakistani Army during the 1971 Bangladesh genocide…reports Asian Lite News

Global Human Rights Defence, a leading human rights organization, hosted a conference titled “The Forgotten Genocide Bangladesh 1971” at the European Union headquarters in Belgium’s Brussels on July 3. The speakers urged the international community to actively campaign for the recognition of the genocide in Bangladesh.

The event aimed to shed light on and seek justice for the victims of the 1971 Bangladesh genocide, Global Human Rights Defence said in a press release. The Conference, organized by Global Human Rights Defence and presided over by Member of European Parliament Mel Fulvio Martusciello, brought together 65 participants, including speakers from various fields, all united in their commitment to seeking recognition for the victims of the 1971 Bangladesh genocide. Global Human Rights Defence and the esteemed speakers called on the international community to take action. They urged them to actively campaign for the recognition of atrocities conducted by the Pakistani army during the Liberation War of Bangladesh in 1971 and recognise it as genocide. They also seek a public apology and trial at the International Criminal Court (ICC) to hold those responsible accountable for their actions.

In her opening remarks, Manel Msalmi, International Affairs Advisor and moderator of the Conference, emphasized the severity of the 1971 atrocities, which have yet to receive the global recognition they deserve. For more than 50 years, the Bengali people have been deprived of the healing and closure they desperately need.

Member of European Parliament Isabella Adinolfi expressed gratitude to all participants and showed solidarity with the families of the victims and survivors of the 1971 genocide. She also highlighted the violence and persecution that women went through, emphasizing the need for recognition by EU institutions.

While concluding her address, Isabella Adinolfi conveyed Martusciello’s message: “It’s time for the EU to recognize what happened in Bangladesh as a crime against humanity, more than 50 years after the nation was plunged into blood and tyranny,” according to Global Human Rights Defence’s press release.

The event featured prominent speakers, including Sradhanand Sital, Chairman of Global Human Rights Defence; Willy Fautre, Director of Human Rights without Frontiers, Andy Vermaut, President of Postversa, Giuliana Franciosa, Isabella Adinoilfi MEP; Mahbub Sales, the Ambassador of Bangladesh in Belgium and Paul Manik, a survivor who managed to escape the genocide in 1971.

Bangladesh’s Ambassador to Belgium Mahbub Hassan Saleh commended the Conference’s efforts to shed light on the atrocities committed by the Pakistani Army during the 1971 Bangladesh genocide, according to the press release. He reiterated the staggering scale of the tragedy, with approximately 3 million Bengalis killed, over 2 million Bengali women raped, and 30 million Bengalis displaced. Despite some recognition of the events, the genocide remains largely unknown in the international community.

The event also included a partial screening of Global Human Rights Defence’s documentary film titled “Bangladesh: What Happened?” This comprehensive account of the genocide in 1971 by the Pakistani Army served to further illustrate the gravity of the situation. (ANI)

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Calls grow for global recognition of 1971 genocide

Photo taken on Dec. 14, 2016 shows images of the victims of the genocide including eminent academicians, litterateurs, doctors, engineers, journalists and other notable personalities who were murdered by Al-Badr, an auxiliary force of the then Pakistani occupation army in Dhaka, capital of Bangladesh. Bangladesh observed Martyred Intellectuals Day in commemoration of the martyrdom of the members of the intelligentsia who were assassinated at fag end of Bangladesh liberation war. (Xinhua/Rizwan Karim/IANS)

Guterres made the appeal in his message to mark the International Day of Commemoration and Dignity of the Victims of the Crime of Genocide and of the Prevention of this Crime, observed on Friday…reports Asian Lite News

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres this week urged countries to take concrete steps to protect minorities and other communities at risk of genocide, in wake of rising hate speech and discrimination worldwide.

Guterres made the appeal in his message to mark the International Day of Commemoration and Dignity of the Victims of the Crime of Genocide and of the Prevention of this Crime, observed on Friday. “States have the primary obligation for preventing genocide, but religious and community leaders, civil society, the private sector and the media – including social media platforms, play an essential role,” he said.

For the Secretary-General, the International Day is an opportunity to remember and pay tribute to the victims and survivors of genocides across the world. “It is a day to reexamine our collective failure to prevent this crime in the past, and to redouble prevention efforts for the present and the future,” he added.

Farman Ali to Yahya Khan — men behind the Bangladesh genocide.

Yet, more than 70 years after the international community adopted a convention on genocide prevention and punishment, “the threat of genocide remains present in many places around the world,” he warned.

On the day commemorating victims of genocide, Paulo Casaca, executive director of the Brussels-based South Asia Democratic Forum, said the 1971 Bangladesh genocide was a notable event after the enforcement of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide in 1951.

“Whereas an International Crimes Tribunal in Bangladesh addressed some crimes, Pakistan, the country whose military establishment is accountable for the genocide organisation, has neither recognised its responsibilities nor acted to punish the culprits,” he said.

He stated that a crime that benefitted from complicity or at least a silence of Western powers – first and foremost by the United States diplomacy – has yet to be fully recognised on the international stage.

“However, beyond Bangladesh, it is in the United States that we witness the strongest process towards international recognition today,” he added.

Casaca contended that the International Day of Commemoration and Dignity of the Victims of the Crime of Genocide and of the Prevention of this Crime, in 2022, is the right occasion to start a movement demanding universal criminal accountability for past atrocities, at both the national and international fora.

The Bangladesh genocide will necessarily be a top subject in this agenda, but it should be articulated with other genocides and atrocities that have taken place more recently, he added. (ANI)

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