To Chattola 5 Mar 2009, Brussels
Citizens groups are active now to make their ideas heard. They acknowledge that the govt has done a good job to prevent further bloodshed. They note that there was massive intelligence failure. They would like the parties to act in the national interest and not confuse the situation. They note there rumours are ripe in the country and that the govt is being judged even before the results of its actions are verified.
Good statements have been made. I would only have added a note of caution against rumours. And pointed out that only a full investigation will prove how effective the govt actions were. People should not judge prematurely as we are wont to do. Looking on from here in Brussels, it appears logical that people from the vicinity of the conflict should be asked to leave the area for their safety. But these people could have been screened as they were leaving. But no one knew the scale of the conflict or the numbers of people involved at that time. WE must also remember that it all happened very fast.
It seems that some politicians are trying to derail the real issue, which is to find out who, why and how of the mutiny. A post mortem of how it all was handled and could it have been better done should come later, after the facts are unearthed. It is unhelpful to go down this path now, when we must be united in this objective. I am suspicious of the motives of those who are making provocative comments now aimed to sow discontent and disunity in the country.
I fear that the real culprits behind the attack are those who were against the liberation of BD, its secular proponents and now against the trial of people for crimes against humanity. As they are jihadi in mentality they do not care about the loss of lives, women and children's lives, innocent lives. They stand to gain by weakened state ad a divided armed force.
In this context, an independent committee can include people from the govt as it is not a party to the conflict , but has the role of arbitration. But preferably, it should not have people from the armed forces and BDR, as there is a conflict of interest. But without strong cooperation from loyal members of these forces, a thorough investigation would be difficult.
But as the committee is already constituted, now for the second time, it should be allowed to work. The background of the committee members is key, their integrity is important.
I think that there could be another committee set up by the govt, a 3 member committee headed by a judge, assisted by an academic and an official working separately and independently of the former committee - a kind of backup.
I do not think that a mixed party parliamentary committee to head an investigation of this sort would be wise. Only a small group with the highest of integrity may be permitted to be in the inquiry committee.
The international supporting FBI team should start immediately before evidence is washed away. The focus should be on obtaining information about the causes of the mutiny, the role of ringleaders, their ideological orientation, hidden motives, their paymasters, if any, their blue print. And the arrested should be held in custody separate from one another so that they do not have the opportunity to continue to collaborate.
But I am just an academic. I am sure there are others who know much more how a case of this sort should be handled. Except that distance allows people like me to see things in a way which one can't when living in the heat of the spot.
Tazeen Murshid
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