Geneva: Bangladesh genocide was raised at the UN 34th Session of the Human Rights Council on 14 March by a delegation led by Rahman Khalilur, Executive President of International Forum for Secular Bangladesh, Switzerland Chapter. The delegation included Swiss Nirmul Committee activists, Hassan Imam Khan, Nezam Uddin, Arun Barua and Ansar Ahmed Ullah of European Bangladesh Forum from the UK.
Rahman Khalilur spoke about ‘1971 Liberation War in Bangladesh, Crimes against Humanity & Genocide by Pakistan Army’ & Ansar Ahmed Ullah told the seminar that according to United Nations Human Rights Commission report Pakistan was responsible for one of the worst & most intense genocide in Bangladesh in 1971. But Pakistan has never acknowledged or accepted the crimes they committed against the civilian population of Bangladesh. None of the army Generals involved in the genocide has ever been brought to trial for their crimes. Unless those responsible are brought to justice a culture of impunity will prevail and the Pakistani military will continue to commit crimes against humanity.
Nirmul Committee delegation were speaking at the UN 34th Session of the Human Rights Council’s Open Dialogue on Enforced Disappearances in Pakistan, an interactive Global Talk held on Tuesday at UN’s Palais des Nations, Geneva, Switzerland organised by the Action Aides Aux Familles Demunies (A.A.F.D.). They attended the session in solidarity with Baloch people.
The event was chaired by Munir Mengal, President of Baloch Voice Association with special guest HH Khan of Kalat Mir Suleman Saud Ahmedzai. Other Key note speakers were Claudia Heildberg, human rights activist, Germany, Randi Hagen, lawyer, Norway, Baseer Naveed, Asian Legal Resource Centre, Prof K. Warikoo of Himalayan Research Foundation, Nepal and Italian poet Tony Schito. In addition, Kashmiri, Sindhi, Pashtun & Bengali human rights activists amongst others took part in the general discussion following the keynote presentations. The seminar addressed the systematic disappearances of Baloch people in Pakistan. Speakers stated 1992 Declaration for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearances affirms the connection between enforced disappearances and crimes against humanity. Human rights organisations and the family members of victims claim that more than 24,000 people are missing. Mass graves have been unearthed at different parts Balochistan
