The issue of justice for the genocide committed against the Rohingyas due to ethnic violence in Myanmar's Rakhine state is a long and complex process involving many aspects, said the Chief Prosecutor of International Criminal Court (ICC) Karim A. A. Khan.
He said that the ICC is tirelessly working on the matter, and progress has been made in the case.
Karim A. A. Khan came up with the assertion while visiting the Rohingya refugee camp in Ukhiya upazila of Cox’s Bazar on Tuesday.
Mohammad Mizanur Rahman, Commissioner of the Office of the Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner in Cox’s Bazar, shared this information on Tuesday evening, on behalf of the ICC Chief Prosecutor.
On Wednesday, Mizanur Rahman informed that, the ICC Chief Prosecutor is scheduled to meet with the government’s top advisers and senior officials in Dhaka to discuss the progress and proceedings of the Rohingya genocide trial.
He further said, "The Rohingyas informed the ICC Chief Prosecutor that they want to see justice served against those responsible for the genocide. If justice is ensured, it will ease their return to their homeland."
The Rohingyas also expressed their gratitude to the Government of Bangladesh for providing shelter, which reportedly moved Karim A. A. Khan emotionally.
The ICC Chief Prosecutor arrived at Kutupalong Rohingya camp no. 1 in Ukhiya upazila on Tuesday morning at around 9:30am. There, he engaged with the Rohingyas about the 2017 genocide and other related issues. He also visited camp no. 4 and several other camps, accompanied by a 16-member delegation from the ICC.
At 5:00pm, he held a meeting with relevant stakeholders at the Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner's office in Cox’s Bazar. Following the meeting, which concluded at 6:00pm, he left for his hotel for an overnight stay. He declined to speak with journalists who approached him for comments.
Earlier, on Monday morning, Karim A. A. Khan arrived in Dhaka. Later that day, he traveled to Cox's Bazar on a special flight to visit the Rohingya camps.
Additional Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner Shamsud Douza said that the ICC is investigating whether crimes against humanity were committed in Rakhine. The ICC Chief Prosecutor’s visit to Bangladesh is part of this investigation.
