1971 Bangladesh Genocide
Lemkin Institute and Bangladeshi diaspora call for formal recognition of 1971 Bangladesh genocide and urge condemnation of Pakistan Army
California: As Bangladesh remembers the victims of 'Operation Searchlight' on its 52nd Independence Day, Human Rights Congress for Bangladesh Minorities (HRCBM) organized a virtual Press Conference to urge the US and the international community to recognize the 1971 genocide of Bangladeshis by Pakistan.
The HRCBM has also asked the international community to take immediate steps to bring to trial the 195 current and former members of the Pakistan Army, who were recorded as being responsible for this.
Press conference was hosted by noted Journalist Adelle Nazarian and included a statement by Lemkin Institute's Elisa von Joeden-Forgey and Irene Massimino.
Speakers, which included HRCBM's Priya Saha and Dhiman Deb Chowdhury, emphasized that war crimes, if left unrecognized and unpunished, only lead to more aggression and suffering.
There is no better time to reiterate that than today, as we see millions of people- women and children face death and destitution.
On March 25, 1971, the Pakistan Army and allied radical Islamists started 'Operation Searchlight' that eventually led to the genocide of 3 million people, raped around 400,000 girls and women and displaces 10 million to India in East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) over a period of 10 months.
Among those killed were Hindus and Muslims who refused to follow the diktats of the Pakistan Army.
Not only have these crimes not been recognized, but many of the war-criminals went on to become powerful generals and administrators in Pakistan, influencing decision-making even today.
Hence there is an urgent need for US Congress to formally recognize the 1971 Bangladesh genocide and bring its perpetrators to justice.
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