THE DAILY LE MONDE (PARIS), OCTOBER 2, 1971
PAKISTAN: PRESIDENT YAHYA KIIAN IS TRYING TO
REGAIN BENGALIS’ CONFIDENCE
By Viratelle
The Government of Pakistan has accused India for creating conditions of famine in East Pakistan, by sabotaging the supply boats. According to an official communiqué issued on 30th September, frog-men, trained in India, were intercepted while they were putting mines near the port of Chittagong. On the other hand, Mr. Bhutto denounced on Wednesday the Soviet interference in Pakistan’s internal affairs. He assured President Yahya Khan of the support of his party in restoring democracy in the country. If this democracy is not restored before the end of the year, he added, then, it will be too late to save the country. Six months after the Bengal crisis, the government of General Yahya Khan is trying to regain the confidence of the East Pakistan population and to encourage political life in the country. During the last few weeks, it has granted general amnesty which, however does not apply to those Bengalis who are charged of criminal acts, especially the Awami League leaders. But on the other hand thousands of members of paramilitary forces who rebelled towards the end of March, after having killed their Punjabi officers, are benefitted by this amnesty. This decision constitutes a very important gesture of appeasement, but to say the truth, it has not brought any result.
A civilian government has replaced General Tikka who led the repression against Bengalis. However, people have no illusion about the representative character of the moderate and right wing personalities who are placed under the army’s umbrella. Certain politicians in the western wing have on the other hand, deplored that transfer of power has taken place in Bengal whereas law and order have not been restored so far. Nevertheless by elections will take place in two months to fill the seats vacated by majority of the Awami League elected representatives who have tied to foreign countries. Although eighty of the elected Awami League representatives have retained their mandate only twenty of them have rallied the government program. One wonders in what conditions these elections will take place. The autonomist party, which had won an overwhelming majority in the last elections will not participate in these new elections.
Lastly, the Islamabad authorities have adjourned the trial of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman which was to take place in camera in the middle of August. It is generally thought here that the Bengali leader will not be executed, even if he is condemned to death by the Court. In any case his counsel will appeal for amnesty. Anyway there is no doubt that these various initiatives of the government come in response to the pressures brought by certain foreign powers notably the U.S.A and the Soviet Union for a political solution.
The members of the “Washington Club” in which France is represented have equally preconditioned their economic and financial assistance to the restoration of a civil administration in Dacca. The foreign aid plays a major part in Pakistan’s development and its balance of payments. The United States have not suspended its aid and have, since the beginning of the year, supplied $240 millions, for aid to the victims of the cyclone and of the repression in Bengal. It is probable that they will soon ask other members of the consortium for fresh credits to the regime of Islamabad. The Islamabad government wants to create a better impression at a time when the question of Bengal is raised at the United Nations.
The purpose of the time limit for the by-elections is mostly aimed at gaining time. But its objectives after the by-elections are not very clear. It is officially asserted that government will always be prepared to grant wide autonomy to the province, provided this status does not disintegrate the largest Muslim country of the world. But, in the present circumstances, they are not thinking to negotiate with the government of Bangladesh which Islamabad terms as “India stooges” ; official circles declare “they should come and clear themselves before the Court. If they do not come, then, we will do without them. If India was not helping the infiltrators, then, we could control the situation in a week.” In spite of all this, the general impression in Islamabad is that the authorities are concerned by the increasing number of acts of terrorism in East Pakistan, where a minister of the local government, Maulana Mohammed Ishaq was murdered. The brutal intervention of the army in East Bengal also has its repercussions in the western wing. Mr. Bhutto, who had approved the army’s action because it was taken to preserve the unity of the country is now frequently criticizing the policy of the regime, without wanting however, to break up its contacts.