THE GUARDIAN, LONDON. MARCH 31. 1971
Editorial
A MASSACRE IN PAKISTAN
“Only now are we getting Pakistani facts to abet fears. President Yahya Khan has written lo suppress these facts, filling his air waves and press with evasive propaganda, deporting every journalist he could find. But a few independent reporters escaped this net and their stories-just emerging reek with horror: crows indiscriminately machine gunned, student hostels razed by shells, shanty towns burned and bombed, civilians shot dead in their beds. We do not yet know the fate of those arrested in East or the true level of resistance through the province. But we do know first-hand and reliably that many unarmed and unready Bangalis have died.
From this point the whole complexion of the crisis changes. Before troops moved, many leaders shared responsibility, and blame Sheikh Mujib and his wilder benchment among them. But Yahya Khan’s licensed mayhem has swept all this toward irrelevancy. While he negotiated with Mujib, his generals planned carnage. His vaunted bluff sincerity (and sincerity of Pakistan’s brief return, to democracy) lies tattered. Henceforth, the country must be regarded as particularly brutal and insensitive military dictatorship, its elected political leadership in prison majority party obliterated by decree. Guardian with many others has long believed that balance of advantage lay with united Pakistan. But unity can never come through murder and is not worth the price of innocent lives. East Pakistan survives today only as occupied and exploited territory, a living proof of every Bengali suspicion of years. Bhutto, who purports to be national leader, “thanks God” for this miserable carnage. Yahya Khan hears none of Pakistan’s friends who counsel mercy and morality even at this late stage.
But he must be made to hear. In contrast with Biafra, rights and wrongs of East Pakistan arc easily determined. Those-like America-who stock the Pakistan army, must realize lo what use their weaponry is put, Those-like China and Ceylon-who permit forces to ferry from West must realize that acts and purposes those forces pursue. Those- like Britain-who retain some prestige of influence in the area, should spend it openly and forcefully. The fate of Dacca is a crime against humanity and human aspirations; no one should stand mealy-mouthed by.”