Diplomacy

Joint statement on Hero Alom: It’s a ‘violation’ of diplomatic norms

Shahriar tells heads of 13 foreign missions

The government yesterday said the joint statement by 13 foreign missions condemning the attack on Hero Alom was a "violation" of diplomatic norms, and urged the missions to refrain from "non-diplomatic" behaviour in the future.

After a meeting with the heads of the 13 missions, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shahriar Alam told reporters that he reminded the envoys about the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and that  "behaviour ignoring objectivity, impartiality and non-biasness will only create a crisis of mutual trust".

"We called the ambassadors who issued a joint statement to the media in violation of diplomatic norms. We have expressed our displeasure about their behaviour beyond diplomatic etiquette," he told a press briefing at the Foreign Service Academy.

He held the press meet after a briefing with the ambassadors and high commissioners or their repressiveness of the 13 foreign missions at the State Guest House Padma in Dhaka in the afternoon.

Shahriar said they did not summon the missions; rather, they invited them to discuss the matter.

He, however, said the ministry had indeed summoned UN Resident Coordinator Sheldon Yett in connection with a Twitter post expressing concerns over the attack on Hero Alom, whose original name is Ashraful Alom.

The 13 missions that were invited are the US, the UK, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the European Union.

In the joint statement on July 19, they called upon the government to conduct a full investigation and take legal steps against the perpetrators of the attack on Alom.

"Violence has no place in the democratic process. We call for a full investigation and accountability for the perpetrators. Everyone involved in the upcoming elections should ensure that they are free, fair, and peaceful," the statement read.

Shahriar termed the attack on Hero Alom, an independent candidate in Dhaka-17 by-polls, an "isolated" incident.

Alom observed the election at different centres freely. He also did not face any untoward incident, or lodged any complaint, until the end of voting. Other candidates also did not make any complaint about any violence or other irregularities, he said.

"So the way a handful of diplomats have presented a last-minute isolated incident of one centre, never reflects the peaceful nature of the election. While giving a quick response, they did not give importance on the objectivity of their assessment," he added.

The missions issued the statement on July 19, and two people were arrested in connection with the attack before that. The Election Commission and the government took instant steps, he said.

The joint statement did not mention the arrest, which is a shortcoming, he said.

"Even then, in the statement these diplomats have called for legal actions, which is unwarranted and unnecessary," the state minister added.

Once Shahriar read out his briefing before the diplomats, four to five of them tried to explain their intent.

"They [diplomats] said they did it to assist the election process of Bangladesh as part of their continuous engagement with us," Shahriar said.

He said that Bangladesh officials made a counter argument that it is clearly written in the Vienna Convention that the ministry of foreign affairs is their first point of contact regarding any issue.

"We have no objections if they talk to the media regarding any issue, but they should inform the matter first to the foreign ministry," he added.

He said that article 41 (1) of United Nations Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations 1961 states that without prejudice to their privileges and immunities, it is the duty of all persons enjoying such privileges and immunities to respect the laws and regulations of the receiving State. They also have a duty not to interfere in the internal affairs of that State.

Article 41 (2) says that all official business with the receiving State entrusted to the mission by the sending State shall be conducted with or through the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of the receiving State or such other ministry as may be agreed.

"We will inform the respective capitals about our displeasure. We will urge them to ensure that no one from their missions gets involved in such activities in the future," he added.

Asked about whether such move of Bangladesh will affect relations, Shahriar said, "Not at all."

He added, "Friendship and effective relations go ahead even after these types of events. We have cordial relations, trade, and people to people contact with all these countries."

According to him, some ill attempts by some quarters are underway centring the election, and sometimes they are a result of overenthusiasm.

In the past, one ambassador made comments that were not in agreement with the position of his capital, he said, adding, "We summoned the ambassador and after that highest-level visits were exchanged."

Asked about whether Bangladesh's reaction was a delayed one as many diplomats have been making comments about election and human rights issues for many years, Shahriar said they took steps whenever such incidents happened.

It is a continuous process and the briefing to the 13 missions was not an "abrupt incident," he said.

Khorshed Alam, foreign secretary of the Maritime Affairs unit of the foreign ministry, was present at the meeting with the envoys.

Mohammad A Arafat, the winner of the Dhaka-17 by-polls, attended the meeting briefly to share his election-day experience with the diplomats.

Meanwhile, US embassy spokesperson Bryan Schiller yesterday said, "As we have said many times, we support Bangladesh's goal of holding free, fair, and peaceful elections.  To that end, we joined with other foreign missions to condemn the violence against Hero Alam and to call for a full investigation and bringing the perpetrators to account.  We note that a number of arrests have been made in the case.  Such violence has no place in the democratic process."

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Joint statement on Hero Alom: It’s a ‘violation’ of diplomatic norms

Shahriar tells heads of 13 foreign missions

The government yesterday said the joint statement by 13 foreign missions condemning the attack on Hero Alom was a "violation" of diplomatic norms, and urged the missions to refrain from "non-diplomatic" behaviour in the future.

After a meeting with the heads of the 13 missions, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shahriar Alam told reporters that he reminded the envoys about the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and that  "behaviour ignoring objectivity, impartiality and non-biasness will only create a crisis of mutual trust".

"We called the ambassadors who issued a joint statement to the media in violation of diplomatic norms. We have expressed our displeasure about their behaviour beyond diplomatic etiquette," he told a press briefing at the Foreign Service Academy.

He held the press meet after a briefing with the ambassadors and high commissioners or their repressiveness of the 13 foreign missions at the State Guest House Padma in Dhaka in the afternoon.

Shahriar said they did not summon the missions; rather, they invited them to discuss the matter.

He, however, said the ministry had indeed summoned UN Resident Coordinator Sheldon Yett in connection with a Twitter post expressing concerns over the attack on Hero Alom, whose original name is Ashraful Alom.

The 13 missions that were invited are the US, the UK, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the European Union.

In the joint statement on July 19, they called upon the government to conduct a full investigation and take legal steps against the perpetrators of the attack on Alom.

"Violence has no place in the democratic process. We call for a full investigation and accountability for the perpetrators. Everyone involved in the upcoming elections should ensure that they are free, fair, and peaceful," the statement read.

Shahriar termed the attack on Hero Alom, an independent candidate in Dhaka-17 by-polls, an "isolated" incident.

Alom observed the election at different centres freely. He also did not face any untoward incident, or lodged any complaint, until the end of voting. Other candidates also did not make any complaint about any violence or other irregularities, he said.

"So the way a handful of diplomats have presented a last-minute isolated incident of one centre, never reflects the peaceful nature of the election. While giving a quick response, they did not give importance on the objectivity of their assessment," he added.

The missions issued the statement on July 19, and two people were arrested in connection with the attack before that. The Election Commission and the government took instant steps, he said.

The joint statement did not mention the arrest, which is a shortcoming, he said.

"Even then, in the statement these diplomats have called for legal actions, which is unwarranted and unnecessary," the state minister added.

Once Shahriar read out his briefing before the diplomats, four to five of them tried to explain their intent.

"They [diplomats] said they did it to assist the election process of Bangladesh as part of their continuous engagement with us," Shahriar said.

He said that Bangladesh officials made a counter argument that it is clearly written in the Vienna Convention that the ministry of foreign affairs is their first point of contact regarding any issue.

"We have no objections if they talk to the media regarding any issue, but they should inform the matter first to the foreign ministry," he added.

He said that article 41 (1) of United Nations Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations 1961 states that without prejudice to their privileges and immunities, it is the duty of all persons enjoying such privileges and immunities to respect the laws and regulations of the receiving State. They also have a duty not to interfere in the internal affairs of that State.

Article 41 (2) says that all official business with the receiving State entrusted to the mission by the sending State shall be conducted with or through the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of the receiving State or such other ministry as may be agreed.

"We will inform the respective capitals about our displeasure. We will urge them to ensure that no one from their missions gets involved in such activities in the future," he added.

Asked about whether such move of Bangladesh will affect relations, Shahriar said, "Not at all."

He added, "Friendship and effective relations go ahead even after these types of events. We have cordial relations, trade, and people to people contact with all these countries."

According to him, some ill attempts by some quarters are underway centring the election, and sometimes they are a result of overenthusiasm.

In the past, one ambassador made comments that were not in agreement with the position of his capital, he said, adding, "We summoned the ambassador and after that highest-level visits were exchanged."

Asked about whether Bangladesh's reaction was a delayed one as many diplomats have been making comments about election and human rights issues for many years, Shahriar said they took steps whenever such incidents happened.

It is a continuous process and the briefing to the 13 missions was not an "abrupt incident," he said.

Khorshed Alam, foreign secretary of the Maritime Affairs unit of the foreign ministry, was present at the meeting with the envoys.

Mohammad A Arafat, the winner of the Dhaka-17 by-polls, attended the meeting briefly to share his election-day experience with the diplomats.

Meanwhile, US embassy spokesperson Bryan Schiller yesterday said, "As we have said many times, we support Bangladesh's goal of holding free, fair, and peaceful elections.  To that end, we joined with other foreign missions to condemn the violence against Hero Alam and to call for a full investigation and bringing the perpetrators to account.  We note that a number of arrests have been made in the case.  Such violence has no place in the democratic process."

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