Int’l community must protect citizens if states fail: FM

747

DHAKA, Jan 28, 2020 (BSS) – Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen today said
the international community must accept their collective responsibility to
act if states fail to protect citizens from genocide, ethnic cleansing, war
crimes or crimes against humanity.

“It may be time to create strong public awareness across the nations to
stop creating environment of violence, wars and terror, applying weapons of
mass destruction,” he said.

The foreign minister was addressing the inaugural session of a workshop on
‘Implementation of the third Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of Bangladesh’
at a city hotel.

Foreign ministry, the United Nations Resident Coordinators Office (UNRCO)
and office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) jointly
organised the workshop.

Momen said Bangladesh constitution, which was adopted after the Liberation
War, enumerated all human rights as fundamental rights and principles of the
state policy.

“Sadly, countries that don’t practice these rights for decades are also
enjoying preferential treatments including GSP facility,” he said.

Referring to recent verdict of genocide case against Rohingyas of
International Court of Justice (ICJ, Momen said it’s a victory for humanity
and also the victory for Gambia, the OIC and millions of Rohingyas who were
saved by the ‘mother of humanity’ Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina after fleeing
atrocities in Rakhine.

“Such verdict hopefully will help to stop recurrence of ethnic cleansing
and genocidal acts anywhere in the world,” he said

As a responsible member of international community, the Foreign Minister
said Bangladesh also maintained a strong relationship of cooperation and
collaboration with the international partners including the United Nations
and its human rights mechanism.

Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Anisul Haque, Chairman of
National Human Rights Commission, Bangladesh Nasima Begum, Foreign Secretary
Masud Bin Momen, European Union Ambassador to Bangladesh Rensje Teerink and
UN Resident Coordinator in Dhaka Mia Seppo were also present.