Kurigram, Aug 11 (bdnews24.com)—US ambassador James F Moriarty added his voice to others of the diplomatic community on Tuesday, saying that diplomats in Dhaka had not acted behind the scenes in the January 11, 2007 declaration of emergency and subsequent political 'changeover'.
Moriarty also said a democratic system had emerged in Bangladesh from a "free and fair election in December".
Others have made similar statements over the past month as foreign diplomats have come under fire recently, and demands have surfaced to bring the leaders of the 1/11 changeover "to justice" for imposing emergency rule and installing a two-year interim regime without constitutional basis.
Outgoing German ambassador Frank Meyke on July 26 praised the former caretaker government for its role in restoring democracy in Bangladesh, and also stressed that diplomats in Dhaka played no part in prompting the state of emergency in January 2007.
But, he added, "Once it happened, we supported it."
Prior to that, British high commissioner in Dhaka Stephen Evans on July 15 refuted allegations that the diplomatic community in Bangladesh had a hand in "calling the army out of barracks" during the 1/11 changeover.
Evans said the state of emergency was imposed at the time as an "internal dynamic" in Bangladesh.
He also mounted a strong defence of his predecessor Anwar Choudhury who is seen by many as one of the brains behind the changeover.
Meanwhile, former British envoy Anwar Choudhury, on a recent trip to Dhaka, denied the allegation of having orchestrated the 1/11 events as some have alleged, the main opposition BNP being among the loudest of Choudhury's detractors.
The Bangladesh-born British diplomat's visit to Bangladesh as director in charge of International Organisations of the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office, had sparked some protests.
"I categorically deny any involvement in the 1/11 shift in the political scenario," said Choudhury in a statement on Aug 5 during his stay.
US ambassador Moriarty made his comments on Tuesday at the close of a training session for American and Bangladeshi military personnel from the engineering and medical divisions at Chilamri in Kurigram.
Moriarty also said that the US wanted to see the trial of war criminals in Bangladesh prosecuted in a transparent and neutral manner, while maintaining internationally acceptable standards.
The trial of individuals accused of war crimes should not be politicised, he said.
bdnews24.com/corr/pks/am/rah/1920h
