Sohagpur 34 widows want execution of Wat Criminal Kamaruzzaman-Sumi Khan

On 9 May 2013 the International Crimes Tribunal sentenced him to death after it found Kamaruzzaman guilty of crimes against humanity including genocide, killing, rape, looting, arson, and deportation of people during the Bangladesh Liberation War. Bangladesh's Supreme Court has upheld the death penalty handed down for a Jamaat-e-Islami leader for atrocities committed more than four decades ago, the latest in a spate of rulings against the Islamist party's officials.
Mohammad Kamaruzzaman, 62, assistant secretary-general of the party, was found guilty on Monday of genocide and torture of unarmed civilians during the 1971 war to breakaway from Pakistan, by a special war crimes tribunal in May last year.
Under Bangladesh jail code, the execution of an accused could be carried out within 21 days and before 28 days of the Supreme Court's latest upholding of a death sentence on 3rd November,2014. .
"The jail authorities will start the process of his execution after getting the certified copy of the verdict," our correspondent said, adding that Kamaruzzaman can only file a review petition to "buy a little more time, or hope for presidential clemency, which is unlikely to be granted under the present government".   Assistant Secretary General Kamaruzzaman was sent to the gallows on seven counts of crimes against humanity including murder, genocide, torture and forced deportation.is the senior assistant secretary general of the militant political party Bangladesh Jamayat-e-Islami convicted of war crimes during the 1971 Liberation war of Bangladesh.He is also the editor of the Militant organization Jamayat e Islam owned Weekly Sonar Bangla.  In 1971, eight members of Jaritan’s family, including her husband and son, were gunned down. “They dragged my husband out of our house to the yard and shot him six times. When he wanted water, they shot him again and he breathed his last. They brought my treasure trove, my son Hashem, threw him on his father’s dead body and killed him as well. Then they stabbed my brother-in-law with a bayonet and eventually killed him shooting inside his mouth,” Jaritan thus described her dreadful experience 43 years back.

Jabeda Bewa, widow of another martyr Fazar Ali, said,“Kamaruzzaman, the leader of those who killed our men, has been sentenced to death. That is the least solace that we could have expected for our heavy hearts.”

Bewa is a title given to widows in some areas of Bangladesh.

Nure Maan Bewa, wife of martyr Jasimuddin, said: “The Pakistani soldiers did not know the area. Razakars and al-Badr members showed them the way. They are the ones who did the massacre, made us widows and killed our relatives. They told the Pakistan soldiers that there were freedom fighters in our village. Kamaruzzaman was their leader. The death sentence will give us blood for blood. We are happy.”

That infamous mass killing turned the Sohagpur village in Nalitabari of Sherpur “manless.” After that, just like uncountable other villages across the country, Sohagpur also came to be known as a “village of widows.”

These widows have all testified against Kamaruzzaman in the war crimes case.

Jalaluddin, son of 1971 martyr Safir Uddin said,  they were happy with the verdict and scared too. “Kamaruzzaman’s followers have been threatening us. They said they would teach us a good lesson when there is a change in power.”A total of 34 widows of Liberation War martyrs live in the village today. For most of them, the only sources of income are the meagre allowances from the government and a few private banks which by no stretch of imagination are reasonable.

On July 25, 1971, Pakistani soldiers ran a massacre in Sohagpur village on the Indian border – some 36km from Sherpur district town. On that day, they, along with their Razakar and al-Badr collaborators, killed at least 187 men in just six hours. They broke into people’s houses and brutally killed innocent peasants and labourers. Jamaat leader Kamaruzzaman, then a leader of Jamaat-e-Islami’s student front Islami Chhatra Sangha, was at the forefront.

Many people from greater Sherpur area testified as prosecution witness against Kamaruzzaman before the International Crimes Tribunal, which handed down death sentence to the war criminal in May last year. The Supreme Court yesterday upheld that verdict after hearing Kamaruzzaman’s appeal petition.

One of them was Manwar Hossain Khan alias Mohan Munshie. “I wanted to be a freedom fighter. But Kamaruzzaman forced said." me to become the security guard of a torture cell that he had set up in the house of Suren Babu.”  Another witness Mojibur Rahman Panu said: “In 1971, Kamaruzzaman and his men picked me up from my house and took me to the Ahmadnagar camp. There they lined up many people and opened fire on them. I survived miraculously.” Sohagpur widows  want execution of the verdict immediately!

Heart-wrenching scenes: Wagah blast victims death toll rose to 62 on Monday

Soldiers carry coffin of Capt Shumaila Nadeem, who along with her husband & 2 daughters, was killed in Wagah border.

LAHORE: Amid heart-wrenching scenes in Lahore's hospitals, where bodies of Wagah blast victims were handed over to their families after postmortem, Pakistani authorities announced the arrest of at least 20 people, including a suspected suicide bomber, for Sunday's attack. The death toll rose to 62 on Monday.

Authorities said they recovered 8kg explosive and a suicide vest from area flanking the blast site, even as entire Pakistan was on red alert on Muharram eve to deter any possible attack on Shias who've been targeted by the Taliban and its offshoots in the past. Cops in Lahore told news agencies that residential areas in Wagah were being searched and 20 people were arrested, including a 17-year-old suspected suicide-bomber, Abdul Rehman, a resident of Multan district, 350km away. Rehman had gone missing from a seminary in the old city of Lahore a month ago.

"Police along with an intelligence agency raided a house in Multan and arrested Rehman," a cop said, adding Rehman is now at an unknown place being questioned.
Cops in Lahore told news agencies that residential areas in Wagah were being searched and 20 people were arrested, including a 17-year-old suspected suicide-bomber, Abdul Rehman, a resident of Multan district, 350km away. Rehman had gone missing from a seminary in the old city of Lahore a month ago.

"Police along with an intelligence agency raided a house in Multan and arrested Rehman," a cop said, adding Rehman is now at an unknown place being questioned.

Women Madrasa :Breeding ground of Militancy

The women nabbed at the Burdwan blast site on 2nd October have admitted to having received training in a Khariji madrassa in Mangalkot. Women schooled in khariji madrassas have played a key role in the entire plot. Two Bangladeshi bomb makers — Shamim Shakil Ahmed and Sovan Mondal — died in the explosion.

Ahmed’s widow Gulshana (Rumi) Bibi and Sovan's widow Amina Bibi, residents of the bomb-assembling unit, were arrested soon after the blast. the state CID (criminal investigating department) has recovered a SIM card registered in the name of a third woman, Rajira Bibi. The SIM was used to make several calls to terrorist Shakil Ahmed (Shakil was blown to pieces in the blast).

police arrested Abdul Hakim, who is recovering in Burdwan Medical College. He received arms training at Lalgola's Mokumnagar Madrassa.Rumi Bibi (Ahmed’s widow)stated that The terror group Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB, a terror outfit linked to the banned Jamaat-e-Islami) was planning to make rocket launchers with lathe machines. Rumi Bibi had told security agencies that they sent four consignments of bombs in the last three months through Kausar and another man called Rasiq. security teams are using call data records of the dead terrorists and the injured to track their accomplices in India. Police said they found documents linked to al Qaeda and Chechen rebels, as many as 55 Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), 40 explosives (25 were grenades), large amount of chemicals used in making bomb(like acetone, ammonium nitrate, magnesium etc.), several detonators, a number of wristwatch dials, mobile devices and more. They clearly suggest that the Trinamool Congress leader’s house and the regional party office was being used as a terrorist safehouse and a cottage bomb manufacturing unit.

NIA official said "By the time our officers reached the spot there was a teething hurry on part of the local police to destroy the evidence. The police wanted it to seem like a cylinder blast and hence all the explosives and similar other evidence was taken away to the banks of Damodar and detonated.
(The bomb disposal ‎unit was very present and could have contained any explosion if that is what the local police was worried about, the NIA says.)

On questioning some of the suspects the NIA also learnt that the accused at the spot were being aided in destroying the evidence. On interrogation of the two women they learnt that communication details between the local leaders and the ploy to target the Bangladesh government is what was being protected. The police wanted it to seem like a cylinder blast and hence all the explosives were taken away and detonated.

Standard operating procedure mandates that evidence is preserved. Intelligence bureau officers and the NIA term this an attempt on part of the local police and government to cover up the operation. The police tried to :
i) make it seem as a cylinder blast
ii) burn down all documents linking local leaders to the Jamaat-e-Islami which was planning on using West Bengal as breeding ground to target the Awami League.
iii) Coaching the accused woman to reveal nothing and feign ignorance.
iv) Non-Cooperation ‎with central agencies like NIA, IB and R&AW.
v) reject an NIA probe despite national and international ramifications, as Mamta Banerjee insists on keeping them away.
vi) Ignore the IB alert after Jamaat link has been proven in case of multi billion rupees Saradha Scam.

Two more houses used by the Burdwan blast suspect have been found at a walking distance from the Khagragarh house where the explosion took place. There was a huge hue nd cry against the local SP Mr. S M H Mirza . Demand for his resignation was made by opposition parties like BJP as well as some local groups. They alleged he was abetting the crimes for a long time now and the government is doing nothing despite having full knowledge of these activities. What makes the situation more embarrassing is the fact that the site of bomb making was withing a kilometer of the CID office.

Recently, The head of the little-known Ansar al-Tawhid fi’Bilad al-Hind urged Muslims to kill foreigners and other infidels in India. Fugitive jihadist Sultan Abdul Kadir Armar, a former resident of southern India who attended a Madrassa before going to Pakistan, said in a statement :  "Kill the idol worshippers wherever you find them ... shoot them if you can, stab them, throw stones at their heads, poison them, run them over, burn their fields - and if you are unable ... spit in their faces," referring to Hindus.

flags of the insurgent group have appeared at rallies in Indian Kashmir. Also the IB has warned the neighboring states against the terrorists taking a temporary refuge following the exposure they face due to the Burdwan blast. Members who have been operating under the banner of Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen, Bangladesh JuM(B) will make attempts to flee West Bengal. The warning is specific to the states of Bihar, Assam and Jharkhand.

Afghan women's daily battle against abuse - Features - Al Jazeera English

Afghan women's daily battle against abuse - Features - Al Jazeera English

Heartbreaking last message of hanged Iranian woman Reyhaneh Jabbari

NEW DELHI: Reyhaneh Jabbari, the Iranian woman who was hanged by Iran on Saturday, had released her will in a voice message.

She was executed in Iran's Evin Prison, northwest of the capital Tehran for the 2009 murder of an intelligence officer with a penknife, who she claims tried to rape her.

In a heartbreaking message to her mother Sholeh, Reyhaneh, 26, tells how she faced death for the crime of defending herself against a man who tried to rape her. She also tells Sholeh to donate her organs after her death.


This photo taken on December 15, 2008, shows Iranian Reyhaneh Jabbari speaking to defend herself during the first hearing of her trial for the murder of a former intelligence official at a court in Tehran. (AFP file photo)

In the voice message, which has been translated by National Council of Resistance of Iran, she says the following in an apparently calm voice:

"Dear Sholeh, today I learned that it is now my turn to face Qisas (the Iranian regime's law of retribution). I am hurt as to why you did not let me know yourself that I have reached the last page of the book of my life. Don't you think that I should know? You know how ashamed I am that you are sad. Why did you not take the chance for me to kiss your hand and that of dad? The world allowed me to live for 19 years. That ominous night it was I that should have been killed. My body would have been thrown in some corner of the city, and after a few days, the police would have taken you to the coroner's office to identify my body and there you would also learn that I had been raped as well. The murderer would have never been found since we don't have their wealth and their power. Then you would have continued your life suffering and ashamed, and a few years later you would have died of this suffering and that would have been that.

However, with that cursed blow the story changed. My body was not thrown aside, but into the grave of Evin Prison and its solitary wards, and now the grave-like prison of Shahr-e Ray. But give in to the fate and don't complain. You know better that death is not the end of life.

You taught me that one comes to this world to gain an experience and learn a lesson and with each birth a responsibility is put on one's shoulder. I learned that sometimes one has to fight. I do remember when you told me that the carriage man protested the man who was flogging me, but the flogger hit the lash on his head and face that ultimately led to his death. You told me that for creating a value one should persevere even if one dies.

You taught us that as we go to school one should be a lady in face of the quarrels and complaints. Do you remember how much you underlined the way we behave? Your experience was incorrect. When this incident happened, my teachings did not help me. Being presented in court made me appear as a cold-blooded murderer and a ruthless criminal. I shed no tears. I did not beg. I did not cry my head off since I trusted the law.

But I was charged with being indifferent in face of a crime. You see, I didn't even kill the mosquitoes and I threw away the cockroaches by taking them by their antennas. Now I have become a premeditated murderer. My treatment of the animals was interpreted as being inclined to be a boy and the judge didn't even trouble himself to look at the fact that at the time of the incident I had long and polished nails.


Reyhaneh Jabbari's mother Sholeh. (Photo courtesy Twitter)

How optimistic was he who expected justice from the judges! He never questioned the fact that my hands are not coarse like those of a sportswoman, especially a boxer. And this country that you planted its love in me never wanted me and no one supported me when under the blows of the interrogator I was crying out and I was hearing the most vulgar terms. When I shed the last sign of beauty from myself by shaving my hair I was rewarded: 11 days in solitary.

Dear Sholeh, don't cry for what you are hearing. On the first day that in the police office an old unmarried agent hurt me for my nails I understood that beauty is not looked for in this era. The beauty of looks, beauty of thoughts and wishes, a beautiful handwriting, beauty of the eyes and vision, and even beauty of a nice voice. My dear mother, my ideology has changed and you are not responsible for it. My words are unending and I gave it all to someone so that when I am executed without your presence and knowledge, it would be given to you. I left you much handwritten material as my heritage.

However, before my death I want something from you, that you have to provide for me with all your might and in any way that you can. In fact this is the only thing I want from this world, this country and you. I know you need time for this. Therefore, I am telling you part of my will sooner. Please don't cry and listen. I want you to go to the court and tell them my request. I cannot write such a letter from inside the prison that would be approved by the head of prison; so once again you have to suffer because of me. It is the only thing that if even you beg for it I would not become upset although I have told you many times not to beg to save me from being executed.

My kind mother, dear Sholeh, the one more dear to me than my life, I don't want to rot under the soil. I don't want my eye or my young heart to turn into dust. Beg so that it is arranged that as soon as I am hanged my heart, kidney, eye, bones and anything that can be transplanted be taken away from my body and given to someone who needs them as a gift. I don't want the recipient know my name, buy me a bouquet, or even pray for me. I am telling you from the bottom of my heart that I don't want to have a grave for you to come and mourn there and suffer. I don't want you to wear black clothing for me. Do your best to forget my difficult days. Give me to the wind to take away.


Reyhaneh Jabbari. (Photo courtesy Twitter)

The world did not love us. It did not want my fate. And now I am giving in to it and embrace the death. Because in the court of God I will charge the inspectors, I will charge inspector Shamlou, I will charge judge, and the judges of country's Supreme Court that beat me up when I was awake and did not refrain from harassing me. In the court of the creator I will charge Dr. Farvandi, I will charge Qassem Shabani and all those that out of ignorance or with their lies wronged me and trampled on my rights and didn't pay heed to the fact that sometimes what appears as reality is different from it.

Dear soft-hearted Sholeh, in the other world it is you and me who are the accusers and others who are the accused. Let's see what God wants. I wanted to embrace you until I die. I love you.

Reyhaneh, April 1, 2014"

At 3, She Testified About Her Rape. Now, She Needs A School

(Swathi Sukumar is a practicing lawyer before the Delhi High Court and is the Country Director of iProbono, an organization that handled Amal's case before the High Court.)
In the life of a lawyer, few moments are more satisfying than when justice is done: a hard-fought, challenging court battle that ends well, changing the law of the land.
On Monday (October 13), the Delhi High Court delivered a landmark judgment in a case involving the sexual assault of a 3-year-old child we call Amal. The daughter of construction workers, she was raped by a neighbor and the assault left her with wounds that would require at least three reconstructive surgeries. 

In February, a Delhi trial court dismissed Amal's clear testimony on the basis that she was an incompetent witness, and disregarded her repeated identification of her rapist. 
On appeal, the Delhi High Court reversed the trial court's decision and held that there were no circumstances to disregard the child's evidence. The Court laid down detailed guidelines on how a child ought to be interviewed. The decision will undoubtedly lead to more sensitive treatment of children within the criminal justice system and will encourage fair trials. In every way, the verdict is a grand victory.
This is a story of the triumph of good over evil. This is a story of what competent lawyers can do for a cause. But it is also a story of the extraordinary resilience and strength of one woman: Amal's mother, Munira (not her real name).
Since 2012, when Amal was assaulted, Munira, 24, and by any measure severely under-weight at just 40 kgs, has been the sole care-giver for her three children. Her neighbours turned against her early into the police investigation which included violent interrogation.

Amal's father suffers from a mild mental disability and Munira's in-laws wanted to have nothing to do with Amal, by then a 4-year-old who was forced, as a result of her sexual assault, to carry around a colostomy bag that hung outside her body to manage her digestive functions.

Munira worked 10-hours a day at construction sites, on as many days as she could find someone willing to employ her, to support her three children, the oldest of whom was Amal. Munira has personally visited the police station, the Magistrate's court and sat through an entire criminal trial with no family support and no money. 

In the course of her cross-examination, Amal was asked to show how she was raped and Munira's heart broke, but she remained dignified and resolute in her endeavor to get justice for her daughter. Amal was asked in court "Gudiya tum jhoot bol rahi ho (child, you are lying, right?) True or not?" When Munira asked the court to see the evidence, she was told, "Don't interrupt."
It was Munira's exceptional strength that brought her to the doors of lawyers in August to file an appeal on her child's behalf. Above all, it was her faith in the law that drove her to continue fighting when the future looked bleak. We must celebrate the fact that this outstanding woman has been successful in navigating our complex and intimidating legal system.
Munira's family has been relocated to a safer area, so Amal can access prompt medical help. But Munira is out of work and her daughter is still not in school because of her medical condition. Munira's illiteracy compounds her inability to seek a better quality of life for her family, which has already undergone severe hardships that have damaged the fabric of their lives.
Munira is looking for employment that will allow her to support her family, once Amal is declared medically fit to attend school. iProbono is trying to secure admission for Amal and her younger brothers in a school that will give them the attention that they deserve. If you're interested in helping Amal's family by offering Munira employment, or school admission for the children, or donating to Amal's family please send in your pledge at HopeForAmal@i-probono.com. Once we receive your pledge, we will contact you with further information on how the contribution will be accepted. Story First Published: October 17, 2014 19:30 IST

Osteoporosis risk higher than heart attack among women

LAHORE: Medical and health experts say 30pc to 50pc of women and 15pc to 30pc of men are likely to suffer a fracture related to osteoporosis in their lifetime.

They were referring to the statistics of the International Osteoporosis Foundation during a seminar organised by a pharmaceutical company in connection with the World Osteoporosis Day at a local hotel here on Friday. The World Osteoporosis Day is observed on Oct 20 every year.

The health experts said worldwide fracture incidences were two to threefold higher than heart attack, stroke and breast cancer among women.

Punjab Health Director General Dr Zahid Pervaiz said of all the complications experienced by the females after their menopause, none was more devastating than osteoporosis. He said the major consequence of the disease was a fracture which was very distressing, leading to high cost, long bed period and dependency on others.

“The risk factors for fracture include low bone mass density, advancing age, history of fracture over age of 50, family history of hip fracture, long-term use of steroids, rheumatoid arthritis and smoking,” Dr Pervaiz said.

Advisor to Chief Minister on Health Khwaja Salman Rafique said the problem had significant economic consequences and high burden of fracture fixation and hospitalisation cost.

“In Pakistan, we have seen rising number of fractures reported, which can be controlled with early diagnosis and prevention of osteoporosis which majority of time is the root of a fracture,” he said.

The medical experts stressed prevention and awareness drives which, according to them, were the only better way to prevent osteoporosis.

Prof Aftab Ahmad, Prof Nader M Akhter, Prof Abu Bakar, Prof Shafique Ahmed Shafaq, Dr Omer Adil and Dr Mazhar Iqbal Chaudhry were also present.

MoU on research: The University of Health Sciences (UHS), Lahore, and the Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences (LUMHS), Jamshoro, Sindh, have entered into an agreement to collaborate in research and academics.

A memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed here on Friday by UHS Vice Chancellor retired Maj Gen Prof Muhammad Aslam and LUMHS vice-chancellor Prof Dr Noshad Ahmed Shaikh.

The MoU envisages strengthening of bonds between the two institutions to promote cultural and scholarly interaction, exchange students, teachers, scholars and administrations for study and research, develop curricula and to start programmes for capacity building.

Under the agreement, both institutions will develop research quality in the field of epidemiology and public health besides exploring the opportunity to launch special short term academic programmes and projects for students. Exchange of examination questions is also a part of the agreement.

The UHS vice-chancellor said they would try to transform the MoU into a memorandum of action.

The LUMHS vice-chancellor called it a historical step which would go a long way in improving standard of medical education and research in the county. He said collective efforts are always better than individual efforts and invited UHS faculty to start joint research project using the facilities available at LUMHS.

Later, the delegation visited various departments of the university.

Published in Dawn, October 18th, 2014