Says Ashraf; sector commanders, Nirmul committee fire back at him

The government will bring a handful of war criminals to justice “as a symbolic trial”, said Awami League General Secretary Syed Ashraful Islam yesterday.

“The trial of war criminals doesn’t mean trials of thousands of people. It will be symbolic and those who led the massacre in 1971 will be tried,” he said clarifying government’s stance on the issue.

It is meaningless to create unrest everywhere in the country, he told journalists after placing floral wreaths on the portrait of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on road no 32 in Dhanmondi marking the historic March 7.

Sector Commanders’ Forum and Ekatturer Ghatak Dalal Nirmul Committee came down on Ashraf for his comments saying that it is the War Criminal Tribunal, which will decide on how many people will be tried for war crimes.

Shahriar Kabir, acting president of Nirmul Committee, blasted Ashraf for his comments saying that he has no right to comment like this. “Such comments will make the trial of war criminals a farce,” he told The Daily Star.

Thirty lakh people were killed during the liberation war and every family has the right to get justice, he said.

“It is the government’s responsibility to set up a tribunal, appoint prosecutors and investigation agencies. The government will only play the role of a plaintiff,” he said adding that the tribunal, however, could hold the trials in phases.

Lt Gen (retd) Harun-ar-Rashid, coordinator of the Sector Commanders’ Forum, said they don’t think Ashraf’s statement reflect the government’s final policy on the issue.

Let the government set up the tribunal first and then it will decide on the number of war criminals to be tried, he added.

He cited the examples of war crimes trials in Yugoslavia, Rwanda and Liberia. He also mentioned the Nuremberg Trials.

Ashraf, also the LGRD and cooperatives minister, said only a small number of people were brought to justice there for war crimes.

The AL general secretary said only three to four war criminals were tried in Yugoslavia; a small number of war criminals were tried during the Nuremberg Trials, a few in Rwanda while only one in Liberia.

He said, in their election manifesto, they pledged to hold the trials of war criminals and they will do so. The government is working to this end, he added.

“A court building has already been prepared. The prosecution team and investigation agencies are also ready,” he said.

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