| Landmine Campaigner from Bangladesh Released But Not Yet Cleared Bangladesh Frees Landmine Activist on Bail (COX'S BAZAR, Bangladesh) Bangladesh has freed on bail the country's leading campaigner against landmines, who was arrested by authorities last month, prison officials said on Tuesday. Rafique Al Islam, Bangladesh's representative of the International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL), was arrested on August 21 by a special police squad at his home in the southern coastal town of Cox's Bazar, 400 km (250 miles) south of Dhaka. "Yes, I am out on bail, but still I will have to appear before the court to face a fictitious charge," Islam told Reuters on Tuesday. He said he was blindfolded while being questioned by a joint interrogation cell in Dhaka in early September. But he declined to give further details of his experience in captivity. Police said Islam had been arrested for suspected possession of explosives, but added no explosive material had been found at his home though they have recovered some "documents". "He was released on bail on Sunday, but he will have to attend the court to face a charge for suspected movement," a prison official at Cox's Bazar said without giving details. Human Rights Watch in a letter to Bangladesh Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia demanded his release following his arrest. Human Rights Watch is a co-founder of the ICBL, which received the 1997 Nobel Peace Prize for its campaign to ban landmines that kill hundreds of people, many of them civilians, every year across the world. Islam, along with others in the ICBL, has worked for many years with Bangladeshi diplomats and military officials on the landmine issue, a ICBL statement said following his arrest. As one of the 143 states parties to the 1997 Mine Ban Treaty, Bangladesh currently serves as co-rapporteur of the treaty's Standing Committee on Stockpile Destruction. Bangladesh ratified the Mine Ban Treaty on September 6, 2000 The following open letter to all campaigners was written by Rafique on 22 September: What happened to me was my destiny. I am glad that I am safe physically. Arrest and detention was a new experience for me. But I learnt that I am not alone in this world. In jail, I received letters from friends, and my wife kept giving me information about all your activities and campaigns for me. So I never felt that I was alone. I understand that if I do good things, if I work for the betterment of mankind, I have to suffer for a while but it will always bring an excellent result, and I will never be alone. I am very grateful that you all wrote letters to my family and gave them hope and encouragement. My mental power has doubled now to know that I am not alone in the campaign for peace, human rights and disarmament. My regards, love and “Salam” to all. I will start everything again with new dreams and new hopes. I will not stop my humanitarian activities until the last day of my life. September 24, 2004 Update from the Organization Nonviolence International The charge of 'possession of ammunition' against Rafique remains. His office is in a devastated state. Many papers were lost or destroyed over the previous month, and there are no working machines in his office. He remains outside of direct e-mail contact at this time. We have no idea how long legal harassment of Rafique will continue. Police or intelligence officers continue to make unannounced and regular visits to his home. Our office and his residence receive, undisguised, surveillance throughout the day. Rafique has been suffering from an increase in his blood pressure, which is under control through medication, but side-effects of the medication lead to general lethargy and difficulty in focusing on mental tasks. For unknown reasons, his liver has enlarged, and he is having a health checkup at the local hospital. Despite all this, Rafique's spirits are good, and he has relaxed somewhat over the past few days out of detention. As long as he is under charge, we cannot expect to see Rafique in Nairobi. His ability to return to work on the Universalization of the Mine Ban Treaty in the near future remains. Nonviolence International asks for the immediate dropping of charges against Rafique as there is no evidence, nor any connecting circumstances, between him and the other accused persons in the case to which his name was added. Our legal team is also requesting the dropping of charges in the court on the same grounds.questionable and dependent on circumstances. Also- Nonviolence International, Bangladesh and Southeast Asia offices, will no longer participate as an advisor, observer, or in any other way, in the stockpile destruction activities of the Banladeshi state, should they proceed, UNTIL AN INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATION into the reason for his harassment has taken place. Nonviolence International Southeast Asia is VERY GRATEFUL to the generous support we have received from campaigners for Rafique's legal defense, particularly attendees of the recent meeting organized by MAC in Ottawa, to the Brazilian and Columbian Campaigns who have given separate donations, to the Swiss Campaign and H.I. Belgium. Letters of support should be sent by postal mail to his address in the last update. Please continue to let the entities with whom you have been working to mobilize support for Rafique know on a somewhat regular basis that you continue to be concerned about Rafique. |
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