Stop violence, return to peaceful protests: UN experts

A group of independent human rights experts associated with the United Nations has called for an immediate return to ‘peaceful demonstrations’ in Bangladesh.

In the wake of recent violence and attacks on minorities in Bangladesh, the UN experts have also urged the government for steps to stop such mayhem, according to the UN News Centre, an agency that promotes the activities of the global body.

The statement, which came on Friday, recognised that recent violence was related to the government’s effort to try the accused for committing atrocities, including genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity involving the country’s independence war in 1971.

Referring to a news release of the UN human rights office (OHCHR), the UN statement said there have been ‘worrying reports’ on attacks against members of the Hindu community, their homes and places of worship, as well as against journalists.

It says clashes in recent weeks between security forces and opposition activists have reportedly killed at least 88 people and injured hundreds of others.

The government of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has blamed Jmaat-e-Islami and its partner, the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party for such attacks. A former chief and current top leaders of the Jamaat-e-Islami and two others tied to the BNP stand trial for the crimes against humanity.

“I call upon the authorities in Bangladesh to ensure prompt, impartial and effective investigations of all killings committed irrespective of whether they were committed by a State or a non-State actor,” says the Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial executions, Christof Heyns.

The Special Rapporteur on freedom of expression, Frank La Rue, has warned against such attacks on journalists and other media workers.

“The on-going violence has threatened the safety of journalists in the country and led to the killing of at least one blogger, and injury of a large number of media workers. Twelve websites have also been shut down by the Bangladeshi authorities,” he noted, calling of all parties to refrain from inciting violence.

With regard to reported attacks on members of the Hindu community and their places of worship, the Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion, Heiner Bielefeldt, emphasised that “the government must ensure that the rights and freedoms of this community are protected in conformity with international human rights law.”

Together with the Special Rapporteur on adequate housing, Raquel Rolnik, he expressed particular alarm at the destruction of Hindu temples and homes in the context of the current violence in Bangladesh, which left tens of families homeless.

“The attacks against the Hindu community are of serious concern, due to the fact that it constitutes a minority group in Bangladesh which has been at risk of violence at various times of the country's history,” added the Independent Expert on minority issues, Rita Izsák.

“States must protect the existence and the national or ethnic, cultural, religious and linguistic identity of minorities within their respective territories,” she said.

Meanwhile, the Special Rapporteur on the promotion of truth and justice, Pablo de Greiff, added his voice, saying that “governments should strive to achieve justice for victims of past human rights violations and restore trust in the rule of law including through criminal prosecutions.”

Independent experts, or special rapporteurs, are appointed by the Geneva-based UN Human Rights Council to examine and report back, in an unpaid capacity, on specific human rights themes.