US concern at army drive
Operation Clean Heart should continue "only as long as absolutely necessary"
UNB, Dhaka

The United States has expressed concern about reports of "abuses" during the army operation in Bangladesh and urged the government to find ways other than troops to improve the law and order permanently.

State Department spokesman Richard Boucher, at a press briefing in Washington on Wednesday, said the Bush Administration hopes that Bangladesh troops will continue in anticrime drive "only as long as absolutely necessary".

The US suggested that the army needs to maintain human rights norms and "deployment should not be used to harass the government's political opponents."

"We hope that this operation, though it was ordered by a democratically elected government, will last only as long as absolutely necessary and that other measures will be taken to bring about permanent improvement in law and order," Boucher said.

When his attention was drawn to the US government concern, Foreign Secretary Shamsher Mobin Chowdhury told reporters yesterday that the report of US concern has been posted on the Internet and "this has not yet been conveyed to us formally".

He, however, said there is assurance that troops would not be kept even a day beyond necessity.

Asked whether US Ambassador Mary Ann Peters conveyed the US concern to Foreign Minister Morshed Khan on October 24, Chowdhury said it was a routine meeting when the deployment of army was one of the many issues that came up.

On a query about allegations of human rights violation during the army operation that reportedly left 15 people dead so far, the Foreign Secretary avoided reply saying it is the concern of the Home Ministry.

However, US spokesman Boucher said "we have seen credible reports of physical abuse and allegations of torture. Reportedly, at least 12 people detained by the army havedied in custody."

He said the army has arrested members of several political parties, including the ruling party. Several senior leaders of the opposition Awami League are also under arrest.

"We are concerned about these reports of abuses, and are monitoring the situation closely," Boucher said.

Ambassador Peters, he said, "conveyed our strong view" to the Foreign Minister on October 24.

"She said the army needed to act in accordance with human rights norms and the deployment should not be used to harass the government's political opponents."

Boucher referred to the government instructions to the military to respect the rights of those detained and the army's assurance that it would investigate the abuse allegations and prevent human rights violation as well as death in custody.

"So, we will continue to watch very, very closely whether that occurs," the US spokesman said.