Campaign needed for UN recognition of genocide
Speakers yesterday underscored the need for carrying out continuous campaign to get United Nations' recognition for the genocide committed during the Liberation War in 1971.
"You have to bring the world to Bangladesh so that they can get a sense of what the genocide is all about," said Dr Imtiaz Ahmed, director of Centre for Genocide Studies (CGS).
They were addressing the concluding session of a three-day international conference titled "Genocide and Mass Violence: Theories, Traumas, Trials and Testimonies" organised by CGS at the Senate Bhaban of Dhaka University.
In her keynote speech, distinguished fellow of Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD), Professor Rounaq Jahan narrated the difficulties she faced while writing the history of genocide committed by the Pakistani army, adding that writers did not have to face queries in writing about genocide committed in other countries.
Where as, I had to adjust myself to those questions, she added.
Denial is one thing, but amnesty is something else. Amnesty can be given under pressure but it is not same as denying that this (genocide) did not happen, she added.
Jahan said Bangladesh had never received support from the international arena for holding trials of the war criminals from the beginning.
Pro-Vice Chancellor of DU Prof Dr Nasreen Ahmed said there had been conspiracies from both inside and outside to distort the history of Bangladesh after 1975, which has encouraged Pakistan to speak up in support of the war criminals.
The ongoing war crimes trials, international conference on genocide and critical research will resolve controversy and contradiction, she firmly believed.
While giving a vote of thanks, Imtiaz said they will organise the conference every year from now on.
International scholars will visit the genocide sites today.
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