Librarians’ Note: This E-Library is maintained by the International Crimes Strategy Forum (ICSF), a strategic coalition of activists and organisations sharing the common goal of assisting the prosecution of war criminals of Bangladesh 1971. Only the members registered to E-Library site will enjoy FULL-TEXT download-access to the entries. It is advised that you open your free-account today by clicking the Registration link. To be able to download full-text of the items stored on this library, or to add new items, you will need additional user-rights which can be requested from the Library-Admin at the Feedback-Address. You are also welcome to suggest new records to the library database. We hope the resources made available on this site will facilitate serious research of high standard on issues relating to the Liberation War of Bangladesh and the prosecution of war criminals.

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White Paper on the Crisis in East Pakistan. Islamabad: Government of Pakistan, 1971

Abstract: This is the white paper published by the Governement of Pakistan on the war of 1971.The following text is from the introduction of the white paper:
“This whiter paper provides for the first time, a full account of the event which led to the present crisis in East Pakistan. The crisis arose from the failure of the elected representatives of the people to reach a consensus on the essentials of a federal constitution, due to the attitude of the Awami League leadership which sought to escalate a mandate for autonomy into a move for secession.
These events have attracted the attention and the concern of the international community. However, the world has so far been fed on incomplete and tendentious information. The white paper sets out in detail the background of these developments, which culminated on armed rebellion aimed at the break up of Pakistan.”

A story of Anguish and Action: The United Nations Focal Point for Assistance to Refugees from East Bengal in India. Switzerland: United Nations Publication, 1972.

Abstract: This is report prepared by the United Nations High commission for Refugees on the event of their humanitarian relief activity in 1971 for the people of Bangladesh who took shelter in India

Alamgir, Jalal and D’Costa, Bina. “The 1971 Genocide: War Crimes and Political Crimes.” EPW. 46.13 (2011).

Abstract: A combination of factors has prevented those involved in the horrific genocide of 1971 in Bangladesh being brought to justice. Regional power politics, the economic considerations of Bangladesh immediately after its independence and continuing internal political strife have together held the process back. Now, the return to power in Dhaka of the Awami League has led to a new attempt at conducting war trials of the protagonists – most of whom belong to the Jamaát-e-Islami. But the government has to grapple with time deadlines, differences between domestic and international law and other complexities as it tries to bring about delayed justice for the wrongs done four decades ago. India and Pakistan also have important roles to play in helping the Bangladesh government in this endeavour.

Amnesty International. Amnesty International Fair Trial Manual. London: Amnesty International, 1998.

Abstract: This Fair Trials Manual provides a guide to international and regional standards for fair trial which are incorporated in human rights treaties and non-treaty standards. It will assist Amnesty International’s staff and other human rights defenders around the world seeking to protect the right to a fair trial. It will also help lawyers, judges, and others to understand international standards for the protection of the right to a fair trial.

Bose, Sarmila. “The Anatomy of Violence.” Economic and Political Weekly.October (2005)

Abstract: While events of 1971 continue to evoke strong emotion in both Pakistan and Bangladesh (formerly East Pakistan), there has been little systematic study of the violent conflicts that prevailed in the course of the nine-month long civil war. Popular attention has, thus far, focused on the Pakistani army’s action against the Bengalis, or on the India-Pakistan war. However, East Pakistan in 1971
was simultaneously a battleground for many different kinds of violent conflict that included militant rebellion, mob violence, military crackdown on a civilian population, urban terrorism to full-scale war between India and Pakistan. The culture of violence fomented by the conflict of 1971 forms the context for much of Bangladesh’s subsequent history. A careful, evidence-based approach to understanding the events of 1971 is vital if the different parties to the conflict are to be ever reconciled.

International Justice Tribune. Open Air Justice in DR Congo., 2011

Abstract: 10-day trial which was conducted by mobile court – a unique collaboration between international organisations and the DRC judiciary intended to bring justice to remote communities in South Kivu where no permanent courts exist.

Mascarenhas, Anthony. The Rape of Bangladesh. India: Vikas Publication, 1972

Abstract: The author from his personal experience of living in the area for a better part of his life has tried to sketch the political background to the horrifying events and tried to explain the motivations of the main characters. According to the author the atrocities of the Pakistan army was no less outrageous than the inhuman acts of Hitler and the Nazis.

Milam, William B. Bangladesh and Pakistan: Flirting with Failure in South Asia. India: Columbia University Press, 2009

Abstract: An active member of the U. S. Foreign Service until 2001, William B. Milam possesses an exhaustive knowledge of the history and culture of Bangladesh and Pakistan. His insightful study expresses a profound empathy for both countries and, with the death of Benazir Bhutto and the decline of Pervez Musharraf, could not be a timelier contribution to current debates concerning the stability of the region.

Since 1971, Pakistan has evolved into a praetorian state plagued by army interventions and corrupt civilian governments. Nevertheless, the tunnel-vision of General Musharraf triggered a political implosion in 2007, and widespread dismay over the assassination of Benazir Bhutto has led Pakistanis to vote overwhelmingly for unfettered civilian rule and the diminishment of religious parties. In contrast, the Bangladesh Army seems intent on returning control to civilians, having remained averse to power for the past seventeen years. Furthermore, Bangladeshi society isn’t nearly as Islamicized as Pakistan’s, though jihadi groups stand ready to exploit the government’s weaknesses.

Milam takes a hard look at the political and religious realities of both countries, especially the al-Qaeda-linked jihadi networks that threaten to permanently turn Pakistan into an ideological state. He also considers Islam’s undeniable influence on the culture of both societies, and, in turn, the influence of these cultures on the tone and expression of Islam. Milam includes an examination of the fear and hostility Pakistan has exhibited toward India, which has resulted in three wars and at least one mini-war.

The Public International Law and Policy Research Group(PILPG). Handbook on Establishing an International War Crimes Tribunal. PILPG, 2010.

Abstract: The Public International Law and Policy Group’s Handbook on Establishing an International War Crimes Tribunal analyzes the major issues that need to be addressed in creating an international hybrid, or domestic War Crimes Tribunal. The Handbook is useful for governments emerging from civil war, international conflict, or transitioning to democracy which are interested in bringing perpetrators of war crimes and crimes against humanity to justice as part of the process for establishing the rule of law and an enduring peace. The Handbook will be useful for international organizations and NGOs who are providing assistance to such governments. Establishing an International War Crimes Tribunal is designed to serve as a practical guide for diplomats and lawyers involved in the establishment of international war crimes tribunals. Emphasis is placed on crafting statutes and rules in such a way as to enhance their effectiveness. Prepared by: Zachery Lampell, Senior Research Associate, PILPG, drawn from a memorandum prepared by COVINGTON & BURLING LLP (Harris Bor, Benoît Charrière-Bournazel, Christopher Leonard, Sarah Marshall, Tom Nicholson and Kelly Vance), and a memorandum prepared by Michael P. Scharf and the CASE WESTERN RESERVE UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF LAW INTERNATIONAL WAR CRIMES RESEARCH OFFICE.