Bangladesh Issue Not An Internal Problem
–Prof. Galbraith
By a Staff Reporter, AFTER visiting several evacuee camps in West Bengal. Prof. Galbraith the noted economist and a former U.S. Ambassador to India told reporters in Calcutta on Saturday that anything eight million refugees to India could not be on internal problem of Pakistan. He also felt that the political turmoil in East Bengal and the refugee issue could not be treated separately.
Prof. Galbraith told a Press Conference that during his talks on Saturday with some Bangladesh intelectuals he got the impresion that evacuees could go back only if they were assured that life would be secure in Bangladesh. Such a situation, he was told, could only be possible. If the Bangladesh people were allowed a self-government Replying to a question, he said: “I do not think the USA can try and solve the political problem in Bangladesh.”
He also said that West Pakistan’s efforts to keep East Bengal under subjugation would be disastrous for both. Hinting at the possible impact of the separation of the two units he said that West Pakistan had a viable economy: It had a high rate of development and the people of the country were also energetic.
Asked why the Nixon Administration’s response was so poor though there was much public sympathy for the Bangladesh evacuees in the USA. Prof. Galbraith said that the U.S. assistance, running to millions of dollars was substantial though small compared to the load being borne by the Indian Government. The assistance that had so far reached India was due to the efforts of the present U.S. Ambassador to India. Mr. Keating he added. He hoped that the volume of the assistance would increase gradually.
Prof. Galbraith said that during his visit to the evacuee camps, he was impressed with the enormous capacity of the Government of India ‘to contrive a lot with very little”. He lauded the efforts to strike a difference between survival and what made life tolerable for the refugees. He hoped foreign voluntary relief organizations would come up with more help.
Replying to another question, he said “Mujib has been put to trail only for winning an election.” If that became a part of democratic process. It would change the whole attitude towards democratic process he added.
Prof. Galbraith favoured the idea that if the refugees were unable to return to Bangladesh, other countries should come forward to rehabilitate some of them.
Asked whether he thought that the freedom movement in Bangladesh would turn into another Vietnam. Prof. Galbraith said: “I hope not, One Vietnam was enough for a generation.”
Regarding President Nixon’s proposed visit to Peking, he said that he thoroughly endorsed the move and thought it would have a favourable irnpact on the Vietnam war. He said that he had the existence of China. The President’s visit he felt, might also change the present hostility against Communist countries.
Referring to security pacts, Prof. Galbraith said that he never thought them useful. He had advocated to stop all U.S. arms aid to both India and Pakistan “I have all along been urging my Government to get out of the arms business”, he added.
Replying to a question on the dollar crisis. Prof. Galbraith said that the dollar had been in the process of devaluation for some time. The issue would be sorted out in the course of some months, he hoped.
Prof. Galbraith, who came on a private visit, met senior officials of the Government of India and West Bengal in Calcutta on Saturday and will leave for Delhi today (Sunday).
Reference: Hindustan Standard 10.09.1971