Diplomatic Correspondent
March 06, 2019
Atrocities on Rohingya
A team of International Criminal Court (ICC) arrives today for a week-long visit for “preliminary investigation” into forced deportations of hundreds of thousands of Rohingya Muslims from Myanmar into Bangladesh.
Chief ICC Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda is leading the seven-member team, which will visit Rohingya camps in Cox's Bazar and speak with refugees.
The delegation will also call on Law Minister Anisul Huq, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam and Foreign Secretary Md Shahidul Haque.
Diplomatic sources said the team's main focus is to establish crimes committed against Rohingyas in Myanmar and their deportation to Bangladesh as well as potentially other crimes under article 7 of the Rome Statute.
The Hague-based ICC has already brought the Rohingya issue under its jurisdiction and set up a court for trial of the perpetrators. The visit is taking place to have the preliminary examination aimed at establishing the case.
The ICC team will also meet government high-ups and authorities concerned, while the government has assured of giving all possible support during its visit.
On September 18 last year, Bensouda said she had begun an inquiry to establish whether there was enough evidence to merit a full investigation.
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