At the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), India demanded justice for the genocide perpetrated by the Pakistani army during the Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971.
According to The Economic Times, India’s permanent envoy to the UN, TS Tirumurti, lambasted state actors for supporting terrorism during the first UNSC open debate of the year on “Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict: Wars in Cities Protection of Civilians in Urban Settings.”
“India has been seeking justice for 1971 genocide committed by the Pakistan Army in erstwhile East Pakistan that killed nearly three million people. Despite several attempts by Bangladesh, Pakistan Army officers have not yet been tried by the international court,” said Tirumurti.
He added that there are other countries that are still reeling from military actions carried out in the past, either without due regard for the civilian population’s safety or through deliberate targeting of civilians amounting to genocide, as was done in former East Pakistan, now Bangladesh, in 1971.
Tirumurti reminded the UNSC of the heinous terrorist attacks in Mumbai in 2008, which killed 166 citizens from over 15 different countries.
“Having suffered the scourge of cross-border terrorism for decades, India has always been at the forefront of global counter-terrorism efforts,” he said.
Tirumurti reaffirmed India’s commitment to non-interference in states’ internal affairs, saying that armed conflicts must be addressed via political and diplomatic efforts, in accordance with international law and the UN Charter’s principles.
