ICC URGES BANGLADESH TO BECOME FIRST ASIAN SIGNATORY TO ICC
Bangladesh is being targeted to be first South Asian signatory to International Criminal Court (ICC). The action is urged by the Coalition for the International Criminal Court (CICC), a global civil society network of 2,500 organizations in 150 countries that advocates for a fair, effective and independent ICC.
In the Coalition’s release and outreach to Bangladeshi President Mr. Md. Zillur Rahman the CICC urged Bangladesh to prioritize its accession to the Rome Statute. The government of Mr. Rahman signed the Rome Statute on 16 September 1999 and his accession to power in December 2008 signifies an end to Bangladesh’s two year state of emergency.
“Now is the time for Bangladesh to move beyond the inertia and confusion of the past years and take a leadership role in South Asia by joining the International Criminal Court,” says Ahmed Ziauddin, coordinator of the Asian Network for the ICC and Advisor of Dhaka-based Odhikar, a member of the CICC.
“As Bangladesh works to address impunity for past crimes and reestablish the rule of law, joining the ICC will help ensure that grave crimes are not committed in the future,” he said.
Ratification only requires approval of the Cabinet, not the Parliament.
“Bangladesh can become the first country in South Asia to join the ICC, paving the way for an end to impunity in a region vastly under-represented at the Court,” said Brigitte Suhr, director of regional programs for the Coalition. “There are currently 110 ICC states parties. The movement to put an end to the commission of grave crimes keeps growing. Bangladesh can make history by putting its region on the map of countries committed to justice.”
Please see our release below for further details or visit us online at www.iccnow.org<http://www.iccnow.org/>
Let me know if I can provide you with any further information.
Many thanks,
Anaga Dalal
Head of Information and Communications
Coalition for the International Criminal Court
708 Third Avenue, 24th Floor
New York, NY 10017
Tel: +1 (646) 465-8517 (direct); (201) 600-4718 (cell); (212) 687-2863 (office)
dalal@iccnow.org<mailto:dalal@iccnow.org>
Together for Justice: Civil society in 150 countries advocating for a fair, effective and independent ICC.
For more information, visit us online at www.iccnow.org<http://www.iccnow.org/> or www.togetherforjustice.org<http://www.togetherforjustice.org
[cid:image002.jpg@01CA256D.689700B0]Coalition for the International Criminal Court
www.iccnow.org
For more information, contact
In Dhaka:
Adilur Rahman Khan
Secretary, Odhikar
Tel: + 880 2 9888 587
E-mails: odhikar.bd@gmail.com
odhikar@citech-bd.com
In the Philippines:
Evelyn Serrano
Asia Coordinator
Coalition for the ICC
Tel: +63 2 9267882
E-mail: Serrano@iccnow.org
In New York:
Michelle Reyes
Asia Outreach Liaison
Coalition for the ICC (New York Secretariat)
Tel: +1 646 465 8520
E-mail: reyes@iccnow.org
Anaga Dalal
Head of Communications
Coalition for the ICC (New York Secretariat)
Tel: +1 646 465 8517
E-mail: dalal@iccnow.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
25 August 2009
GLOBAL COALITION CALLS ON BANGLADESH TO JOIN ICC
Says Rahman Government Signed ICC Statute Decade Ago and Well Poised to Now Ratify
New York, USA – The Coalition for the International Criminal Court (CICC)-a global network of more than 2,500 civil society organizations-this week called on the People’s Republic of Bangladesh to accede to the Rome Statute, the founding treaty of the International Criminal Court, without further delay. Bangladesh is the August 2009 target for the Coalition’s Universal Ratification Campaign (URC), which each month calls upon a different country to join the Court.
In a letter dated 13 August 2009 to Bangaldeshi President Mr. Md. Zillur Rahman the CICC urged Bangladesh to prioritize its accession to the Rome Statute. The government of Mr. Rahman signed the Rome Statute on 16 September 1999 and his accession to power in December 2008 signifies an end to Bangladesh’s two year state of emergency.
“Now is the time for Bangladesh to move beyond the inertia and confusion of the past years and take a leadership role in South Asia by joining the International Criminal Court,” says Ahmed Ziauddin, coordinator of the Asian Network for the ICC and Advisor of Dhaka-based Odhikar, a member of the CICC.
“As Bangladesh works to address impunity for past crimes and reestablish the rule of law, joining the ICC will help ensure that grave crimes are not committed in the future,” he said.
The ratification process in Bangladesh requires approval only by the Cabinet, not the parliament. National coalition members maintain that the Rahman government’s recent commitment to bring the law governing the trial of war criminals up to international standards is a good sign of the government’s commitment to fighting impunity at home and abroad.
“Bangladesh can become the first country in South Asia to join the ICC, paving the way for an end to impunity in a region vastly under-represented at the Court,” said Brigitte Suhr, director of regional programs for the Coalition. “There are currently 110 ICC states parties. The movement to put an end to the commission of grave crimes keeps growing. Bangladesh can make history by putting its region on the map of countries committed to justice.”
Once Bangladesh joins the Court, the under-represented Asia/Pacific region will have a stronger voice at the ICC and can participate in a more meaningful manner. Currently, seven Asian states-Afghanistan, Cambodia, Japan, Republic of Korea, Mongolia, Tajikistan and Timor-Leste-are member states of the Court. Bangladesh’s accession is sure to spur other states in the region to join the growing global movement for accountability for the most serious crimes.
There are currently four active investigations before the Court: Uganda; the Democratic Republic of Congo; Darfur, Sudan; and the Central African Republic. The Court also has several situations under analysis, including in Colombia, Afghanistan, Georgia, Kenya and Cote d’Ivoire. It has issued arrest warrants in each of the four situations under investigation.
The June/July 2009 target for the Coalition’s Universal Ratification Campaign was Indonesia.
Bangladesh should not join the ICC now. It is currently a useless institution that will only help to challenge Bangladeshi sovereignty while countries like the United States flaunt the ICC and are not members. Until major countries sign, ICC will remain toothless to prosecute war criminals and perpetrators of murder and genocide who take refuge(and many already have taken refuge) in such countries.
Bangladeshi law should be made strong enough to try those who have committed crimes against Bangladesh. Giving the ICC one way access to Bangladesh without major country participation (not to mention Pakistan) is silly. I would recommend that Bangladesh intellegensia oppose this for the time being.
[Reply]
The Int’l Criminal Court is urging off & on to become signatory to its statute. ICC aAdvocates for a; fair, effective and independent ICC. B y not only becoming a signatory if the same is Ratified through our sacred JS/Parliament I’m pretty certain our standing in the Comity of Nations will be immensely enhanced!!! Especially now that, our benign GOB is determined to bring the defeatist Criminal; Rapists, murderers and arsonist of our sacred war of Liberation to justice!!!
Will some good samiratan correct me if I’m somehow wrong.
[Reply]
Hey Ma’am,
I have gone through your excellent write up and found minor slip-ups, to Ratify the ICC, Rome Statute it simply requires the Cabinet and definitely not the entire JS/Parliament. Also, Bangladesh is already a signatory to the ICC,Statute since the past several years!!!
So, Ma’am pls do press ahead till Bangladesh Ratify this ICC, Rome Statute within August, 2009 as our standing in the Comity of Nations will definitely receive a boost to our image. This will also be in consonance with our desires to prosecute the; evil, callouse,scourges who committed; Rapes,murders,loot,plunder and acts of wholesale arsons during the sacred war of liberation!
[Reply]
Mr. Mash,
Fyi Bangladesh has already signed the ICC Rome Statute a decade back. Now, it needs Ratification by the Cabinet only.
Insofar as Pakistan signing or not signing for which we should be least bothered, we are an independent & sovereign Nation and definitely no more an appendage of Pak &/or any entity!!!
As for USA flaunting the ICC, is there any evidencing Doxs manifesting the present Obama Adminstration??? This may be true during the then Bush Reign!!!
Do have a nice weekend, take care.
[Reply]