UN keen to help conduct war crimes trial

11 April 2010, 18:00 PM

Diplomatic Correspondent

The United Nations, if requested for, would provide all possible assistance to Bangladesh in conducting the war crimes trial. Outgoing UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative to Bangladesh Renata Lok-Dessallien said this during her farewell call on Foreign Minister Dipu Moni at her office yesterday. Dipu Moni appreciated enhanced engagement of UNDP in Bangladesh's development work during the last few years, which has increased from $25 million a year to $75 million. She, however, expressed concern at the gradual erosion in the core funding of UNDP at the global level and also regretted non-fulfillment of ODA commitment by most of the development partners. Referring to the recently held Bangladesh Development Forum (BDF) in Dhaka, Dipu Moni called upon the UNDP and other development partners to come forward with necessary investment to implement the agreed recommendations. She also expressed happiness at the change of format of BDF from a donor-driven process to now a forum of partnership between Bangladesh and its development partners. During the meeting, they also discussed issues related to strengthening of relevant institutions, which are critical for upholding the values of democracy and accountability. The foreign minister said that the people of Bangladesh have proved, time and again, that they would not accept anything less than democratic governance in Bangladesh. They agreed that certain institutions, including the judiciary, the Anti-Corruption Commission, the National Human Rights Commission, and the Police, should be further strengthened in order to ensure continuity in good governance and democratic culture in Bangladesh. Renata also provided a description of the UNDP activities in the Chittagong Hill Tracts area, and reaffirmed that the development projects in the CHT districts are taken in consultation with the appropriate government authorities. She also clarified that all development programmes in CHT are targeted for all marginalised peopletribal and Bangalees alike. Dipu Moni appreciated UNDP's work in all parts of Bangladesh, including in the CHT. She, however, reiterated Bangladesh government's position that Bangladesh did not have any indigenous population, as is meant in UN jargon. Bangladesh rather had several ethnic minorities and tribal population living in all parts of Bangladesh, in harmony with the Bangalee population, she added. She reaffirmed that Bangalees were not settlers in Bangladesh and that our situation could not be compared with those in some western countries. Renata agreed with the observations made by the foreign minister and said that they would certainly follow the government's position on this issue. The UNDP representative, while narrating her experience during the last four and a half years of her tour of duty in Bangladesh, expressed great admiration for the people and the culture of Bangladesh. She expressed her happiness at the high level of cooperation she received from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in discharging her duties. Dipu Moni wished Renata well in her new assignment in China, and said that her successor would receive the same level of cooperation in her mandated duties.