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| The Sectors Commander Forum comprising the sector commanders of the Liberation War holds a press conference at the Liberation War Museum in the capital yesterday. Photo: STAR |
The Sector Commanders' Forum yesterday decided to file cases against the war criminals and called upon all to identify them at the grassroots level and send the lists of names to the forum.
Protesting Jamaat-e-Islami Secretary General Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojaheed's recent remarks on the Liberation War and genocide of 1971, the commanders of different sectors of the Liberation War demanded his immediate arrest and trial.
At a press conference organised by the forum at the Liberation War Museum auditorium, they also demanded punishment to former secretary Shah Abdul Hannan for describing the Liberation War as a "civil war". Hannan denied the sacrifice of the country's people for the independence of the nation, they said.
Air Vice Marshal (retd) AK Khandker, who was the deputy chief of staff of the liberation forces in 1971, said these persons have played seditious roles by denying the country's constitution and existence and their statements are part of a hatred conspiracy to erase the history and identity of the nation.
Most leaders of the Jamaat-e-Islami were the collaborators of the Pakistanis in committing war crimes. Besides, many members of the Nezam-e Islam and Muslim League worked as the associates of the Pakistanis and were involved in crimes against humanity, Khandker read out from a written statement of the forum.
These top criminals of 1971 instigated and took part in mass killings of intellectuals and professionals as well as the common, innocent people of the land, the statement said, urging all to socially boycott them.
"We have decided to form a legal committee to vet the complaints regarding war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide and prepare for filing cases," Khandker said.
The committee will help try the accused who also violated the dignity of the constitution and the nation by making audacious remarks, he said, adding that concerted efforts of people will bring
success to this end.
"It is hoped that the government will take initiatives to try the war criminals and those who committed crimes against humanity under the domestic and international laws," Khandker said. He urged all freedom fighters and members of civil society to unite.
He described Mojaheed's claim that there are no war criminals in Bangladesh, nor did they exist in 1971 as a conspiracy to destroy the Election Commission's ongoing task to prepare the voter list.
Khandker said the Sector Commanders' Forum has sent two letters--one to the chief adviser and another to the chief election commissioner--urging them to declare the collaborators of the Pakistan army disqualified for registering as political parties and try all who were involved in war crimes and crimes against humanity.
"We expect clear pledges of all political parties for banning the war criminals' politics considering their crimes as the highest form of crime," Khandker said, adding that those who support these criminals will be considered as partners of the crimes.
The local collaborators of the Pakistani occupation forces were engaged in all sorts of crimes, including killing, rape and torture, and it is proved as per international definitions that genocide took place in this land in 1971, he added.
The sector commander also urged the media to boycott the war criminals.
Referring to the War Crime Fact Finding Committee (WCFFC), the forum statement said, "The Pakistani war criminals and their local collaborators committed 53 kinds of crimes. Of those, 17 are war crimes, 13 are crimes against humanity and four are linked to genocide."
Around 5,000 killing fields were made for the mass killings and the WCFFC has identified 920, it said, adding that 88 rivers and 65 bridges and culverts have been identified where thousands of common people were killed and dumped.
Khandker said investigations after the Liberation War found 195 Pakistani war criminals. There is also a primary list of the members of the Razakar, Al-Badr and Al-Sham groups who helped the Pakistani army in committing such crimes.
Forum Convenor Lt Gen (retd) Harun-ur Rashid said they are going to hold a convention with participation of the freedom fighters and launch a platform and go forward for the cause of the nation.
Lt Gen (retd) Mir Shawkat Ali said the war criminals could not be brought to justice so far because of the lack of political will of the successive governments since independence.
Sector Commanders Maj Gen (retd) Shafiullah, Maj Gen (retd) CR Dutt, Lt Col (retd) Abu Osman Chowdhury and barrister Tania Amir also spoke at the programme.
