POPE ON TROUBLED PAKISTAN
Vatican, City, June 2 (AP). Pope Paul said Wednesday he prayed for a return of peace in troubled East Pakistan, to prevent Asia from new and perilous conflicts. The pope spoke of Pakistan during his weekly general audience in St. Peter’s Basilica.
“Among the sorrows which afflict us at this time is the sad condition of the population of East Pakistan,” he said. “The causes are known. It is not for us to judge their political merits.”
The Pontiff recalled that he had stopped at Dacca last November on his way to the Philippines “to show the authorities and the people our special interest.”
The Pope said East Pakistan then had been devastated by terrible floods of the Ganges, and added :
“After only a few months another and even more serious trouble has upset the Eastern region of the country, causing a civil conflict of serious proportions.”
The pope said “Two sorrowful phenomena call for care.” he said “One is the flight of a great part of the population-one speaks of two to three million of poor peoplewho now find themselves in pitiful conditions. The other is of the population which remained at home in a grave and difficult situation.” The Pope said wide efforts were underway to provide these people with aid.
Reference : The Indonesian Observer, 04.06.1971