tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6772259882748892857.post502927048531120566..comments2023-07-07T18:34:09.628+06:00Comments on Bangladesh War Crimes Tribunal: Daily Star's attack on Al JazeeraDavid Bergmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02674636000068693356noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6772259882748892857.post-73194641131158960852013-02-22T01:02:06.445+06:002013-02-22T01:02:06.445+06:00Thanks David for the well-written post. As a liber...Thanks David for the well-written post. As a liberal Bangladeshi I find it offensive that any time we criticize the partisan nature of the War Crimes Tribunal, or question some of their and the government's handling of the trials, we are branded as pro-Jamaat and Razakars. Is this the democracy we want to live in where any opposing or challenging viewpoint is threatened and censored by the government and all the major news outlets are acting as mouthpieces of the government?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6772259882748892857.post-75899456620684017052013-02-14T17:03:54.756+06:002013-02-14T17:03:54.756+06:00There is no freedom for oppositions at the moment ...There is no freedom for oppositions at the moment in Bangladesh. So people cannot express themselves openly fear of arrest. I thank Al Jazeerah for this courageous new, because Bangladeshi news paper cannot show this news. One hand government and leftist are organising huge demonstration, where they police protection and also providing food etc. SO organisers can stay longer. Also there are report government student militia asking business money for shahbag demonstration if they don't give, there name will be as jamat shibir business. <br />On the other hand, Jamat and other religios part do not have any right express themselves. If they go out government police fire live bullet and harshly bit them. Government minister encouraging public and police force bit Jamat and other Islamic people.<br />Regarding War crime tribunal, yes every one support who committed crime they would be punished, But Jamat leaders were in Bandglesh since 1971. if they committed any crimes would have been punished that time, there were fresh evidence and witnesses. They were not punished, that means they did not commit any crimes. Hasinas dad punished those criminal who committed crimes during the war. Since then lot of anti-islamic writers wrote lots of books against islamic people/ islamic parties. They are jealous to see how people are returning to islam. Jamatand shibil is one of organised and educated party where 100 percent of literate and well behaved people. Day by day they increaseing.<br /><br />I have no problem with the trial, and I don’t think we need a trial. if Jamat leaders commits crime, we can punish them in normal court. Why do we need tribunal, Because government cannot bring any proofs and witnesses against them. The witnesses government brought against them are bad character and hearsay witnesses where did not see anything. Sometimes their statements contradict what they have already said. Most of witnesses were organised by government and paid lump sum. Some of them got freedom fighters certificate because they agreed to be witness against Jamat leader.<br />One of prominent anti jamat person is Shahria Kabir. There was no proof he was freedom fighters, also allegedly he used to supply chicken to Pakistani armies during the freedom fight.<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6772259882748892857.post-49087175738026855842012-02-22T21:55:49.970+06:002012-02-22T21:55:49.970+06:00This is excellent analysis!!! no body is against t...This is excellent analysis!!! no body is against the trial but question is transparency of the trial, whether it is fair or not because it is started as politically biased way of means.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6772259882748892857.post-60252290911953911692012-02-22T18:04:39.965+06:002012-02-22T18:04:39.965+06:00I applaud Mr. Bergman for writing such an objectiv...I applaud Mr. Bergman for writing such an objective and critical analysis of not only the controversial war crimes trial in Bangladesh but also the biased article published in the Daily Star. Given the fact that Mr. Bergman was one of the most active supporter of setting up a war crimes trial in Bangladesh to bring to justice those responsible for attrocities in 1971, his current views about and criticism of the trial process is a telling indictment that the trials have merely become, what promiment British Barrister and War Crimes expert Toby Cadman called, 'a political show trial'. <br /><br />Mr. Bergman rightly states that ''The hope, that many of us had, of a tribunal that would be perceived favorably around the world, appears to be long gone''. This is because the way the trials are now being conducted, it has become nothing less than a political witch hunt against the leading political opposition to the governing party.<br /><br />Mr. Bergan is also right in pointing out the demands made by pro trial lobbyists, either inside or outside the govt, about subscribing to a scripted comments about the trials. Anyone who does not comply, even though not critical of the trial process, are being criticised for not sticking to the script. <br /><br />The worrying scenario is that Al Jazeera, an internationally renowned network, has been criticised by the Head of Bangladesh's Human Rights Commission as being ''audacious and a kind of provocation'', simply for broadcasting an objective report that did not conform to their line. As Mr. Bergman mentioned, ''The local distributor of Al Jazeera in Bangladesh has been contacted by an intelligence agency and two government departments and is being pressured to stop the cable/satellite distribution of the Qatar based station!'' This is a classic example of a dictatorial police state who finds it difficult to accept any report that does not praise them for their unjustified actions. <br /><br />Finally, I urge Mr. Bergman to continue to write such objective articles to unearth the mission of political vandetta and bias that is now in full swing in Bangladesh, perpetrated by the govt and a large section of the media who has become nothing more than a govt poodle. Well done to Mr. Bergman for having the courage of his conviction and to be brave enough to be openly vocal about it.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6772259882748892857.post-67208091416201916072012-02-22T09:05:19.233+06:002012-02-22T09:05:19.233+06:00Glad David took the time to piece the various stra...Glad David took the time to piece the various strands together, and what he has put up is 101 in journalism, particularly the investigative type. I suppose when it comes to 1971 we get emotionally carried away, and understandably. But we also need to be careful, particularly a newspaper of DS' repute, to go the extra length to be as objective and accurate as possible in representing the facts first, and then express opinion based on those facts.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6772259882748892857.post-1482826367507191412012-02-21T05:08:47.211+06:002012-02-21T05:08:47.211+06:00An excellent analysis. I had wondered why the al-J...An excellent analysis. I had wondered why the al-Jazeera piece had been taken down, but it was evident that pressure would have been put on the news channel internally in Bangladesh to suppress anything that might give a neutral view of the tribunal. I hope al-Jazeera with rise to the challenge it now faces in Bangladesh and continue to report independently, fairly and critically. The war crimes trials are already looking terribly unjust; without freedom of speech and freedom of the press, the process will truly be without hope.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com