The statements appearing in the evidence of Lt. Col. Aziz Ahmed Khan (Witness no 276) who was Commanding Officer 8 Baluch and then CO 86 Mujahid Battalion are also directly relevant. "Brigadier Arbbab also told me to destroy all houses in Joydebpur. To a great extent I executed this order. General Niazi visited my unit at Thakargaon and Bogra. He asked us how many Hindus we had killed. In May, there was an order in writing to kill Hindus. This order was from Brigadier Abdullah Malik of 23 Brigade."
While the extracts of evidence given above reflect the general position in regard to the allegations we are considering, it appears to be necessary to deal specifically with certain matters brought to the notice of the Prime Minister of Pakistan by the Bangladesh authorities, or which have otherwise been particularly mentioned by certain witnesses appearing before the Commission during the present session.
The very much docile confession about the military excess done all over Bangladesh in 1971 initiated through their "Operation Search Light" and blaming junior officers, JCO and NCOs for that does not negate the most grievous offence done by them and erase the war crime of willful killing, torture, inhuman treatment, unlawful confinement, deportation and extermination of innocent people causing great sufferings of the nation and destruction's of the public and private property. No excuses can undermine such a grievous offence done by the Pakistan army.
In such conditions all responsibilities of offence lies with the commanders of companies, Battalions and Divisions, who took part in the operation in Dhaka and all over the country, during the period of occupancy.
Most of the senior officers and mid level as well as junior officers were involved in genocide by killing and causing bodily and mental harm to innocent people and by inflicting calculated Physical destruction.
They were involved not only in mass rape but also in forced pregnancy and in preplanned killing of many Hindu males to prevent birth of a race and nation. In general the Pakistani Army was involved in war crime of willful killing, torture, inhuman treatment and extermination denying fair trial throughout 9 months of war starting from the very beginning, 25th March 1971.
In periphery where war crime, crime against humanity, and different other atrocities were done by the junior officers and JCOs, must not be spared where there are definite allegations and evidence about their evil deeds are available.
The Pakistan army and Gen. Rao Farman Ali who gave shelter, remuneration, rewards, arms, and back-up services to their collaborators named as Rajakars, Albadars, Alshams and Biharis must take the responsibility of all killings and atrocities including killing of intellectuals done by them.
Rao Farman Ali himself and his fellow army colleagues who were dealing with political and civil matters including civil defenses are to take the responsibility of indiscriminate killings of Bengalees, murder, loot, arson, rape, illegal confinement and destruction of private and public properties and massacre in general. Gen. Rao Farman Ali who was directing the civil forces deployed in the cities and remote corners of the country for illegal arrest and confinement without charges.
Very firm evidences of deliberate killing of enlisted professors of different universities, doctors, engineers, civil servants students and intellectuals from all over the country has been proved. There are evidences of ethnic cleansing and wanton killing of civilians as well as mass rape on which request has been placed to the UN High Commission for Human Rights and other relevant international bodies to adjudge and declare:-
During the 1971 war of liberation for an independent Bangladesh, the occupation Pakistani troops and their collaborators, apart from organized pogrom, genocide and atrocities of three million unarmed Bangalee civilians have also systematically abused, molested and raped about 4,50,000 of women in the towns and villages of Bangladesh. Hundreds of innocent women were held as prisoners for sex and pleasure.
The savage oppression and unparalleled brutality on the innocent people, and unlawful confinement have caused irreparable physical and psychological damage and death to many. Deliberate looting, arson and setting public properties on blaze and intentional destruction of national infrastructure have caused irreparable loss to the nation.
Preplanned cold-blooded annihilation and indiscriminate killing of innocent civilians, daily workers, civil servants and the intellectuals by the Pakistan army and their collaborators has caused mass extermination of our nation in 1971. There are evidence of numerous ethnic cleansing, unlawful deportation and incidence of MISSING people in thousands.
Soon after the surrender of Pakistani troops on 16 December 1971, hundreds of women were freed from military camps and underground bunkers where they were held captive as sex-slaves or comfort girls. Many are believed to have died from rape-trauma.
Thousands of women had to give up their babies for adoption at home and abroad. Many may be hiding information of an illegitimate child. Hundred others have either committed suicide or became mentally deranged. It is a pity that the Muslim leaders and even the Islamic clerics failed to protest the crime against humanity perpetrated by Pakistan military machine upon the Bangla-speaking Muslims, Christians, Buddhist and Hindus in Bangladesh during 1971 war of independence.
The people of Bangladesh called upon the sane people of the civilized world to raise their voice for the trial of criminals of Pakistan for committing war crimes, crimes against humanity, and for the second biggest genocide conducted by them in the name of Islam and national integrity.
They are requested to condemn the deliberate genocide, wanton rape and abuse of women in Bangladesh perpetrated by the Pakistan military during the liberation war. They also demand trial of members of the Pakistan troops involved and responsible for the rapes and abuses of innocent women and subjecting women to sexual slavery.
The Pak army and their collaborators who have done offences by conducting genocide in different forms and crime against humanity of murder, extermination, enslavement, torture, rape, sexual slavery, sexual violence, enforced pregnancy, unlawful confinement and deportation and war crimes in different methods must be tried in the proper Court of justice/ tribunal to restore human rights and example of justice.
** The author is the Convener of the War Crimes Facts Finding Committee. He was also involved with the LWM during excavation of the killing fields assisting with all scientific investigative facility.