Picketing at Baltimore against arrival of Padma
BALTIMORE (MARYLAND), July, 12.—More than 100 persons began picketing at a city dock early today hours before the expected arrival of the “Padma”, the ship reported to be carrying American arms to Pakistan, says AP.
The Pakistani ship, met by protesters in New York and Montreal, is scheduled to pick up an unknown type and quantity of cargo from here before Thursday.
“We are trying to organise a flotilla of boats to surround the pier and close the channel,” said Mr. Jack Patterson of the American Friends Service Committee.
“And if the boat does slip in, we’ll try to block it in”.
The Maryland Port Authority said last night it was uncertain of the Padma’s whereabouts, but that it was expected to arrive soon.
In addition to their friends, more than 100 East Bengalis are currently here to prevent the ship from taking on cargo.
“Many of them are sailors who have simply jumped ship along the east coast and come to help,” said Mr. Patterson.
“They’ve been coming in by two and threes. But they’re still coming.”
The organisation yants to know what type of cargo will be loaded aboard at the East-West Shipping company’s piers.
“This is very difficult to know because the bills of lading have been misrepresented both in New York and Montreal,” Mr. Patterson added.
At a press conference yesterday, a spokesman for the group claimed the “Padma” was loaded with eight Sabre jets, aircraft parts and accessories, spare parts of military vehicles, and 2,000 rounds of ammunition.
“We want to see that the material which is to be loaded is inspected to determine its nature,” Mr. Patterson said later.
“And we want to see that the USA live up to its pronouncements that it is participating in the arms embargo by taking any arms aboard off”.
Reference: Hindustan Standard 13.07.1971