Mahmudur Rahman , Published at 12:03 am February 28th, 2019
President Donald Trump has put the cat among the pigeons by insisting that the captured IS members from Syria be sent back to their respective countries -- a move that is a great embarrassment to the states concerned. After all, how does one rehabilitate individual citizens that waged war on others, even if they can be prosecuted? It’s funny in a way.
Mercenaries and hitmen from the West and other nations are nothing new, employed in various states of the world who are hardly ever hunted down and prosecuted.
Nor has it been established whether US nationals of whatever persuasions are in the 800 captured.
Probably not, but the fear is that IS fighters are spreading out, many under cover of refugees, and who knows who is hiding where.
Colombia is supporting half a million Venezuelan refugees, Europe has lost count, and is facing nationalist ire, and another million and a half have fled Venezuela to only God knows where.
But for some unknown reason, no one seems bothered by the nearly one million Rohingya refugees parked in Bangladesh and who refuse to return home.
A UNHCR official recently met Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina parroting the now banal statement of putting international pressure on Myanmar to take back its citizens, a move that failed in the UN Security Council due to Chinese opposition. Geopolitics being at work, that’s not surprising. The resultant aid of $1 billion sought by the UNHCR for the refugees is a bad example of “buying off” a problem.
Sheikh Hasina was stern in her response about the trial of war crimes of 1971 and this prompted the suggestion that the matter be taken to the International Court of Justice.
One wonders why this hasn’t been raised before and indeed whether now, after the trial of the leading perpetrators, the appeal will be accepted.
Not that it should be given up at any cost. Too many lives were lost, too much was lost in homes, and too many women were molested -- none of which can be forgiven or forgotten.
Trump’s idea was one similar to that -- promised by Pakistan years ago -- close to 400 to be tried for war crimes. They weren’t, and India didn’t leverage the 93,000 troops that surrendered to it. Geopolitics at work again. But hope isn’t lost yet.
The Nuremberg trials did happen, the International Court of Justice is currently adjudicating the holding by Pakistan of an Indian national for spying, and Bangladesh has won the ocean dispute with India.
The only issue is that these refugees who don’t want to return belong to a third country, and war criminals are no longer Bangladesh nationals. If they are to be tried, the Pandora’s box opens up. Economics, then, comes in to play.
Mahmudur Rahman is a writer, columnist, broadcaster, and communications specialist.
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