DHAKA, July 18, 2019 (BSS) – International Criminal Court’s (ICC)
prosecution office today said their planned investigation into the atrocities
on Rohingyas would be completely “impartial” and “non-political” as their
officials were now on a visit to Bangladesh to engage with stakeholders
including the victims.
“We will work in strict conformity with the law, which in our case is the
legal framework of the treaty of the ICC,” visiting ICC deputy prosecutor
James Stewart told a press briefing at a city hotel here.
He said the ICCC prosecutor office’s “mandate is purely legal” and it “has
no political role” to play in investigating alleged violence against
Rohingyas while they were obligated to perform their job “independently,
impartially and objectively”.
“We do not . . . and cannot participate in national political debates or
considerations of relations between states. Our mandate is completely
separate,” Stewart added.
He, however, said the ICC prosecutors were yet to launch the investigation
as their chief prosecutor Fatou Bensouda’s recent request for launching the
investigation now awaited ICC judges’ approval in line with the ICC rules.
“We (ICC) are a court of last resort, however, can only act, where there
these crimes are not being investigated and prosecuted by the national
authorities,” Stewart said.
Stewart said he was visiting Bangladesh to engage with the Bangladesh
officials and other stakeholders including the atrocity victims ahead of the
expected opening of the investigation.
“If we are authorized to do an investigation, we will work in strict
conformity with the law, which in our case is the legal framework of the
treaty of the ICC,” Stewart said.
He said they proposed the Bangladesh government to sign a MoU in this
regards as a state party to the ICC. “This is a normal practice everywhere
and a matter of discussion. There is no negativity from the part of
Bangladesh”.
The ICC prosecutor said they also sought Myanmar’s cooperation in
investigation the matter but they did not get any response from them so far.
But, Stewart said, there was a reasonable basis to believe that at least
700,000 Rohingyas were deported from Myanmar to Bangladesh through a range of
coercive acts and “there is a reasonable basis to believe that the Rohingya
people have suffered persecution as result of these alleged crimes”.
On July 4 last Bensouda requested to the judges of the ICC to authorize
the opening of an investigation into alleged crimes against humanity
committed against Rohingya people from Myanmar.
The ICC was established to deal with war crimes, crimes against humanity
and genocide committeed after July 1, 2002 and the crime of aggression, July
17, 2018.
The ICC delegation members held meetings with ministers and senior
officials here and are scheduled to visit Rohingya camps and hold a meeting
with government authorities there on Saturday.