Published :
Updated :
For all latest news, follow The Financial Express Google News channel.
International Criminal Court Prosecutor Karim AA Khan KC has travelled to Cox's Bazar to hear from the Rohingya refugees about the allegation of genocide by the Myanmar military.
The Hague-based lawyer from the Netherlands met Mohammed Mizanur Rahman, Bangladesh's refugee relief and repatriation commissioner, after arriving in Cox's Bazar from Dhaka on Wednesday.
On Thursday, Khan will visit camps 1 and 12 in Ukhiya. There, he will interview Rohingya men and women chosen by the ICC, who are expected to provide testimonies for the Rohingya genocide case.
In the meeting with the refugee commissioner, Khan discussed the condition of the Rohingya camps, law and order, and cooperation for the case, according to several officials who were present.
The ICC prosecutor expressed concern that the reduction in food aid could worsen law and order in the camps and adversely affect women and children.
Before travelling to Cox's Bazar, Khan paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
The ICC tweeted that Khan expressed gratitude to Bangladesh and Hasina for their “global leadership in international justice”.
“Concrete + common vision to deepen partnership for accountability.”
Bangladesh has been applauded internationally for providing shelter to more than 700,000 Rohingya people following the August 2017 Myanmar military crackdown in the Rakhine State that the UN termed “ethnic cleansing”. Around 400,000 other Rohingya also took refuge in Bangladesh, escaping decades of persecution.
The US has declared that Myanmar's army committed genocide and crimes against humanity in its violence against the Rohingya minority.
After the 2017 operation by the Myanmar military, the ICC started the process of holding the perpetrators accountable. However, Myanmar challenged the court's jurisdiction because it is not a member of the ICC, unlike Bangladesh.
The ICC has assured that prosecuting the atrocities against the Rohingya people will not be impeded, despite Myanmar's non-membership status.
After a lengthy hearing, the ICC's prosecution department is investigating the extent of torture conducted by the Myanmar army as directed by the court.
The ICC prosecutor is on a four-day visit to Bangladesh from Jul 4 concerning the Rohingya case.
Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen and ICC Prosecutor Karim A A Khan KC during a meeting at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Dhaka on Tuesday.
After a meeting with Khan in Dhaka on Tuesday, Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen said the ICC prosecutor sought logistical support from Bangladesh.
Momen said Khan asked for information on the Rohingya atrocities, and assured their willingness to share it.
The foreign minister said the prosecutor's main focus is addressing “genocide and ethnic cleansing”, particularly through prosecution. The minister said Bangladesh supports accountability and regards the prosecutor's visit as a positive step in achieving that goal.