Jamaat to take on war crime trial: Plans to say sorry for 1971 political stance, not war crime

Not from any conviction but to save its skin from the move to try war criminals, Jamaat-e-Islami plans to make a strategic apology not for its war crimes during the Liberation War but for its political stance in 1971.

Besides, the Islamist party is discussing some other measures like getting rid of a few “controversial” party leaders.

Majlish-e-Sura, the highest policymaking body of the religion-based political party, began a two-day meet yesterday to decide the party’s next course of action in the current situation.

“We are thinking of seeking formal apology for Jamaat’s anti-Liberation War role to save the party from the present crisis,” a top Jamaat leader said.

But this apology, if it ever comes, will be worded in such a way so that the party never acknowledges any war crime committed by Jamaat leaders during the war, sources said.

This Jamaat stance is reflected in the party’s cobbling together a panel of lawyers to tackle the war crime charges that the party now stares at, Jamaat insiders said.

Jamaat leaders say they would accept the verdict of any trial conducted and supervised by the United Nations and would eliminate those who would be found guilty in the trial.

Party high-ups admitted they are in a grave crisis at present and also fearing severe troubles in the coming days centring the issue of trial of Jamaat leaders who were involved in war crimes in 1971.

“We will eliminate the leaders from the party if they are found guilty of committing crimes in the trial,” a senior Jamaat leader told The Daily Star.

The issue of the trial of war criminals has surfaced and gained mass support after the landslide victory of the Awami League-led grand alliance in the December 29 parliamentary elections.

Jamaat-e-Islami directly opposed Bangladesh’s War of Independence and many of its leaders were allegedly involved in committing war crimes.

Anticipating sure defeat, the Pakistani occupation forces and their collaborators–Razakars and members of Al-Badr and Al-Shams who were mostly leaders of Jamaat-e-Islami and its student front Islami Chhatra Shangha–picked up leading Bangalee intellectuals and professionals on December 14 and killed them en masse with a view to crippling the nation intellectually.

War records show Jamaat formed the Razakars and Al-Badr forces to counter the freedom fighters. The then secretary general of Jamaat Moulana Abul Kalam Mohammad Yousuf established the Razakars and Al-Badr with Islami Chhatra Shangha members.

Thousands of people still bear the brunt of the war crimes committed by Jamaat and its student front now known as Islami Chhatra Shibir, and a few other groups such as Muslim League and Nizam-e Islami.

“A severe crisis is waiting for us in the coming days centring the issue of trying the war criminals,” Jamaat Assistant Secretary General Muhammad Kamaruzzaman told The Daily Star on Wednesday. “We are discussing how to tackle the situation and a panel of our lawyers is already working on it.”

Party insiders said discussion is going on within the party to eliminate a few party high-ups who are widely criticised for their role during the Liberation War. “We are thinking of seeking formal public apology for the actions of many of our leaders during 1971,” said a Jamaat leader.

He, however, did not make clear if Jamaat will seek apology for committing those war crimes or for its political decision to oppose the Liberation War.

Jamaat has never since the birth of Bangladesh sought an apology for its anti-Liberation War role and Jamaat Secretary General Ali Ahsan Muhammad Mujahid recently claimed that there are no war criminals within his party.

On November 5 last year, the Sector Commanders Forum made public its preliminary list of 50 war criminals including Jamaat Ameer Motiur Rahman Nizami and Secretary General Mujahid.

Earlier on April 3, research organisation War Crimes Facts Finding Committee unveiled a list of 1,597 war criminals responsible for mass killings, rapes and other atrocities during the Liberation War. Nizami, Mujahid and Kamaruzzaman are among the top Jamaat leaders on that list.

The Awami League government has already started working on the issue of trying war criminals and sought international assistance.

When UNDP Resident Representative and UN Coordinator in Bangladesh Renata Lok Dessallien called on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at the Prime Minister’s Office on Tuesday the PM sought the United Nations’ help in holding trial of the war criminals, saying prosecuting them has become a national demand.

Source: The Daily Star