Law
event
International
Criminal Court
Last
hope for humanity
Saiful
Abedin
International
Criminal Court recognised as the last hope for humanity
which is a permanent independent judicial body created
by the international community of states, through the
Rome Statute to prosecute the gravest crimes under international
law including genocide, other crimes against humanity,
war crimes and the crime of aggression. To aware the students
and civil societies Odhikar organised an advocacy workshop
jointly with Premier University, Chittagong, with the
assistance of Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development
(Forum-Asia).
At
the conference room of Premier University, on May14, 2005
a day-long workshop was arranged and active participation
of the law students and faculties from University of Chittagong
and Primer University, members of the civil societies
and media was made the workshop successful. The objective
of the workshop was to dissimulate the ICC mechanism and
mounting ICC campaign.
The
opening session was presided over A. F. Hassan Ariff,
former Attorney General for Bangladesh and Member, Executive
Committee, Odhikar. In the opening speech he said Odhikar
was working in favour in ratification of the international
criminal court. And the campaign for ratification was
running nation-wide and it was organising a movement on
Rome statute an international criminal court treaty for
its implementation and legislation. Chief Guest, Professor
Anwarul Azim, Vice- Chancellor, Premier University, Chittagong
emphasised on the importance of ICC and hoped that Government
should consider its value and gave a wise thought for
ratification. In the first working session Dr. Asif Nazrul
simplified the ICC mechanism and Rome Statute. He also
informed about the misguided fierce of ICC and the role
of US and BIA. He narrated the Security Council's relation
and procedure of referring situation to ICC. In the questions
answer session students participated actively and it was
a successful discussion.
Second
working session was conducted by, Dr.Sha Alam, Professor,
Chittagong University. In this session he explained how
important the ratification was for Bangladesh and the
process of ratification of International instruments as
per the constitution. In this session, Lecturer, Md Shaheen
Chowdhury was presented as discussant.
Third
working session was briefed the status of victims and
witnesses under Rome Statute. Sultana Razia from Law Desk,
The Daily Star, read out a paper on the protection of
victims and witness. Lecturer Rakiba Nabi and Munirul
Azam were present as discussant. In the discussion Raiba
Nabi traced out the real condition and status of victims
and witnesses in our criminal justice system.
In
the closing session, Guest of Honor, Abul Momen, Residential
Editor, The Prothom Alo, said as a journalist he felt
that in this world the powerful states were getting more
power day by day. To uphold humanity ICC could be a strong
platform. Zakir Hossain, Chairman, Department of Law,
University of Chittagong, was also present as guest of
honour. In his speech he said that there was no legal
limitation to ratify Rome Statute. Awareness could be
the most powerful tool for ratification campaign. A. F.
Hassan Ariff, summed up the workshop. In his closing speech
he thanked all for being present and for the active participation
of all in this workshop.
The
author is a L L M. student of University of Chittagong.
