Genocide Day observed in Brussels

The Embassy of Bangladesh to Belgium and Luxembourg, and Mission to the European Union in Brussels today organized a virtual programme to mark 25 March, the Genocide Day of Bangladesh. The programme comprised a virtual panel discussion moderated by Ambassador and Head of Mission Mahbub Hassan Saleh. In his opening remarks, Ambassador Saleh recalled the dark night of 25 March 1971 when the Pakistan military launched a genocide under the code name “Operation Searchlight” in present Bangladesh on the innocent and unarmed Bengali civilians. He expressed gratitude to the Lemkin Institute for Genocide Prevention and Genocide Watch for recognizing the mass killings and rapes committed by the Pakistani occupation forces and their local collaborators, led by-e-Islami, as genocide. He expressed the hope that with time, this recognition would find wider reach and greater understanding in the international community.

Ambassador Saleh paid tribute to the 3 million martyrs who laid down their lives, deep respect to 200 thousand women who were violated and homage to the greatest Bengalee of all time, Father of the Nation Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

The panel comprised well-known international experts and researchers on genocide and a former diplomat. Professor Gregory H. Stanton, Founding President of Genocide Watch, founder of the Cambodian Genocide Project, founder of the Alliance Against Genocide, and former President of the International Association of Genocide Scholars, United States highlighted the important aspect of ‘denial’ in a genocide which is very much applicable for Bangladesh and for cases of genocide in other countries over decades. He mentioned that the US Government is yet to recognize the 1971 genocide in Bangladesh.

The panel benefitted from the experience shared by Desaix “Terry” Myers, former U.S. Diplomat who was posted to the US Consulate General in Dhaka as USAID Assistant Program Officer during 1970 - 1971. He detailed how the cable sent by then Consul General Archer Blood on 28th March 1971 to London, Washington, D.C. and Islamabad was titled ‘Selective Genocide’, stating that recognition of genocide had already taken place while it was going on. This was followed by two more cables sent by Archer Blood on 6th and 10th April 197.

Dr. Elisa von Joeden-Forgey, Co-Founder and Co-President of Lemkin Institute for Genocide Prevention and Endowed Chair in Holocaust and Genocide Studies, Keene State College, USA, highlighted that the case of Bangladesh already has the status of genocide amongst the scholars of genocide as it is mentioned in volumes of publications and also taught in classes on genocide. She recalled how the Western Press during 1971 itself repeatedly used the term genocide. Given that the atrocities committed by the Pakistani forces are so indicative of the crime of genocide, she opined that it is impossible to overlook this case.

Panelists Irene Victoria Massimino and Dr. Tawheed R. Noor discussed in detail their efforts of research and collaboration to come out with the recognition of the 1971 genocide on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Independence of Bangladesh. Ms. Massimo is Co-Founder and Co-President of Lemkin Institute for Genocide Prevention and a PhD Candidate, Robert H. McKinney School of Law, University of Indiana. She is an expert in international criminal law, the law of genocide, and universal jurisdiction. Dr. Noor is a visiting scholar at the State University of New York at Binghamton and Founder General Secretary of Projonmo '71 (A platform of the
children of Martyrs of Bangladesh's War of Liberation in 1971) and son of renowned martyred journalist Serajuddin Hossain.

All the panelists unanimously reiterated the need for recognition of the 1971 Genocide by the international community as extremely important to portray the true history to the world. Events such as the one held today, could contribute to the dissemination of the message of genocide that took place in Bangladesh in 1971 and importance of recognition of the same.

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