For the third time, the Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), Mr. Karim Asad Ahmad Khan accompanied by some of his colleagues came to talk to members of the Rohingya community in the camps in Cox’s Bazar on Tuesday, 26 November 2024.
During his visit to the camps, the youth Radio journalists of YPSA’s Community Communication Skills Development Project took an interview of Mr. Karim A. A. Khan, who has been spearheading the legal battle for the justice of the forcibly displaced Myanmar nationals (FDMNs) residing in 33 camps in Cox’s Bazar and in BhasanChar of Bangladesh since 2017 and long before.
In the interview, he said that his mission was to collect evidence to file case against the personnel of the Myanmar government responsible for the Rohingya genocide in Myanmar and establish justice for the affected Rohingya community.
He added that we have to present truthful and reliable evidence for winning the legal battle. Notably, the ICC has been investigating alleged crimes committed in 2016 and 2017 waves of violence in Rakhine state of Myanmar.
During his visit, he exchanged his views with the program participants of YPSA. He listen to the the Rohingyas including women, children, adolescents and elderly people very attentively. Throughout the visit, Ms. Mafia Mukta, Project Officer and Trainer, DW Akademie, Bangladesh, Mr. Mohammed Shahidull Islam, Head of Rohingya Response and Deputy Director of YPSA, Mr. Jishu Barua, Assistant Director and Focal Person, and the YPSA CCSDSA team were present.
During his visit in the camps, the children of the Rohingya community intended to know about the legal battle he has been making for establishing justice for them. He highly appreciated that children of the Rohingya community are very intelligent. He advised them to have patience and justice will be made soon.
In camp 4, the ICC Chief Prosecutor Karim Asad Ahmad Khan visited YPSA’s Community Communication Skills Development project in Cox’s Bazar. The project has been supported by DW Akademie. Here he joined the Listener Club of Voice of Palong team. After the listener club event, Karim started to talk with the participants of the listener club.
Mr. Khan spent two hours with the group listening to concerns about the ICC’s investigations, as well as about the communities’ cooperative work. In reply to a question from one of the YPSA’s volunteer communicators of the listener club, he said, “Getting Justice is the Birthright of the Rohingya, not the charity”. While addressing the Rohingya community members, he said, “You can be very proud that you continue to support each other. In this way, both the Rohingya and the host communities will benefit.”, “he added. After talking with Rohingya people sixteen Rohingya and host community members who work as volunteer communicators for YPSA’s radio program were invited to join the ICC representative for a Question and Answer session.
In this session ICC Prosecutor Karim A. A. Khan said, “The Rohingyas must not be forgotten. Together, we can deliver on their legitimate expectations of justice.” This is the third visit of Karim Khan to the Rohingya Refugee Camp and the second time for the VoP team.
The ICC Chief Prosecutor, Mr. Karim highly appreciated YPSA and DW Akademie for their innovative work to create youth journalists through the project and help create positive news on social issues.
