Myanmar committed four counts of genocide, 12 war crimes: Expert on Rohingya crisis

A Bangladeshi war crimes expert has said Myanmar has conducted four counts of genocide, nine counts of crimes against humanity and 12 counts of war crimes.

Senior Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 20 Sept 2018, 04:38 PM
Updated : 20 Sept 2018, 07:25 PM

Dr MA Hasan, Chairperson of War Crimes Facts Finding Committee, Bangladesh, said the Myanmar army “shadowed and sheltered” by Aung San Suu Kyi wiping out the age-old Arakani people, named as Rohingya, from their homeland.

“This is a preplanned operation to annihilate the total Rohingya population to establish so-called Buddist hegemony and secure economic benefit by creating easy access to economically beneficial zone,” he said.

“There are definite evidence of their crimes and there are overt signs and signatures of their long-term intentions,” he said at the seminar ‘Rohingya Crisis: Response of Bangladesh and the International Community’ on Thursday.

Ten Rohingya Muslim men with their hands bound kneel in Inn Din village Sept 1, 2017. Reuters

A human skull is seen in a shallow grave in Inn Din, Myanmar Oct 26, 2017. Reuters

Foreign Secretary Md Shahidul Haque spoke as chief guest at the seminar organised by the Institute of Conflict, Law and Development Studies (ICLDS).

Former ambassador Muhammad Zamir chaired the seminar where diplomats from different countries including the UN resident coordinator in Dhaka joined the Bangladeshi diplomats, politicians, academicians, experts, former military officers, and media to discuss the issue.

It was organised ahead of the UN General Assembly where Rohingya will be a priority issue of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s address.

All the speakers maintained that the root cause of the crisis lies within Myanmar so the solution lies within Myanmar. They also warned against radicalisaiton and urged the international community to do more.

Genocide:

Genocide by killing, by causing serious bodily or mental harm, by deliberately inflicting of life calculated to bring about physical destruction and by imposing measures intended to prevent births.

Crimes against humanity:

Crimes against humanity of murder, extermination, deportation or forcible transfer of population, torture, rape, sexual violence, persecution, enforced disappearance of persons and other inhumane acts.

War crimes:

War crimes of wilful killing, torture, attacking civilians, attacking civilians objects, attacking protected objects, murder, rape, sexual violence, displacing civilians, mutilation, denying a fair trial and unlawful confinement.


The foreign secretary said the prime minister would attend a number of high-level meetings during the General Assembly and other events, and raise the Rohingya issue there.

He said Bangladesh is confronted with “formidable challenges” following the influx of Rohingyas.

“Despite all those challenges, the government of Bangladesh especially because of visionary leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has stabilised the situation now,” he said.

Bangladesh has sheltered 1.1 million Rohingyas.

It has also invited international community including the press to visit the areas where Rohingya refugees are camped and the international community has extended assistance, the foreign secretary said.

“As Myanmar is Bangladesh’s neighbour, and it is a conflict between Myanmar and its people, the government of Bangladesh intends to resolve the issue peacefully maintaining good relationship with Myanmar,” he said.

“In spite of some provocations (airspace violations and land mine), the government of Bangladesh maintained restraint. The government also provided necessary information to ICC,” Shahidul said.

Canadian High Commissioner in Dhaka Benoit Préfontaine said his country has been focused on addressing the crisis from the beginning.

“Solutions have to be found in Myanmar. We have to build coalitions. We have to build consensus,” he said.

Senior Economist of Policy Research Institute Ashikur Rahman, International Affairs Secretary of Bangladesh Awami League Shammi Ahmed, and Nuzhat Choudhury, daughter of martyred intellectual Abdul Alim Chaudhury, particularly warned against radicalisation.

Dr Ashikur, calculating Jordan’s response to Syrian refugee crisis, said the UN made a “very conservative” demand when they sought $1 billion for Rohingya response.

“Jordan spends $3,500 per refugee which is 6 percent of their total GDP and the figure is $2.5 billion. Our per capita income is $1750 dollars and if we spend $1300 dollar which is 70 percent of our per capita, then we are expected to spend $1.5 billion per year. But the UN made a demand of $1 billion.

“We have a problem if we don’t stand beside them. We are not only depriving them of basic needs, there is also a great risk of radicalisation,” he said.

“Some political parties in Bangladesh do want radicalisation. We need to keep that in mind. My appeal from the perspective of economics will be that the international community do more so that our fiscal pressure is mitigated and the chance of radicalisation itself is mitigated.”