Bangladesh Newsletter
No. 10
October 10, 1971
Editorial
YAHYA’S HOUSE OF WAX
If was figures could run nations, colonialism would have been a thriving business. Veteran colonial powers possessed no less skill and finesse in manutacturing native ‘leaders’ in their backyards than does General Yahya. Hitory is replete with examples how these homemade ‘leaders’ along with their elaborate regal paraphernalia crumbled into bits and pieces in less trying situation than that exists today in Bangladesh. But, probably colonial minds work in a way that History cannot cure.
Yahya’s backyard factory is working overtime to put up a grand wax museum of our time. A ‘governor’, a handy set of ‘cabinet members’, even a full line of assemblymen! Parody is the name of the game. A very ambitious parody at that. The General does not plan to stop until he has put in a pre-fabricated ‘constituion’ as the center-piece of the show.
Nations around the world are watching the Pakistani military junta at their endeevour and are perhaps a little amused at their desperation. But the people of Bangladesh have very little to feel amused about. As the grand show of ‘change’ unfurles on the show-window for the world amusement, skulls and bones pile up at yet faster rate behind the velvet screen. Life is becoming more and more insecure in occupied Bangladesh. Elsewhere on these pages we have reports describing the continuation and intensification of savagery of the Pakistani occupation army while military chieftains are sweet-talking to the world to keep the U.S. senators calm and the United Nations General Assembly hopeful.
Since History cannot cure the peculiar workings of the colonial minds, it has developed its own way of dealing with them. It crushes them under its wheels. People of Bangladesh are determined to turn these wheels of history faster.
ooooooooooo
IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT
Saxbe-Church Amendment to the Foreign Assistance Bill is expected to be reported out of the Committee on Foreign Relations very soon. It will be ready for floor action by the third week of October.
Generate as many letters and telegrams to your senators as you can. Persuade your friends to write to their senators immediately. Better still, if you can, come to Washington D.C. to personally lobby in the senate. We are requesting each of our readers to organize to send at least five letters. Try to avoid writing form letters. For more information about lobbying, contact Bangladesh Information Center, 418 Seward Sq. SE, Apt 4, Washington D.C. 20003 (Ph. (202) 547-3194).
oooooooooooo
DEATH AND TERROR REIN IN OCCUPIED BANGLADESH
A highly placed citizen of Bangladesh who has just fled the country attended the Bangladesh Defense Leauge meeting in Chicago on September 25. He gave a report on the current situation. For fear of army reprisal on the members of his family he left behind, he wishes not to be identified by name. Dacca is a city of death and terror, he reports, and so is the rest of occupied Bangladesh. Nobody ventures to go out of their houses after sunset. If you go out. chances are that you may not return. Even for people who do not indulge in such risk enterprizes—life is not quite guaranteed Some of them, for no reason, disappear. You never hear from them again.
Offices and schools in Dacca are open, but ‘functioning’ hardly is a word to describe them. Bengali officers, high or low, are not trusted. They are relegated to positions of clerks while the army personnel keep the decision-making to themselves.
Attendance in Dacca University is below 5 per cent. When the university opened for the first time only 32 students attended out of six thousand. Attendance has now increased to the present level after a continuous campaign of reprisal against the parents. In Rajshahi University attendance is still below 3 per cent of total. Majority of the students attending classes are non-Bengalis.
Out of 94,000 students who were scheduled to appear in the high school graduation examination about 3500 appeared. Again the bulk of them are non-Bengalis.
Bengali youths are prime suspect. Harrassment and physical torture of the youth is a common place experience. Cities are gradually becoming the prison of the middle-aged.
Atrocity stories proliferate, each competing with every other in terms of savagery. An eye-witness described how a Bengali Wing-Commander of Pakistan Air Force was kept in his detention cell with legs tied to the ceiling.After 66 days of ceaseless torture he succumbed to death.
About 300 women prisoners in Dacca Military Cantonment are not allowed to wear clothes because some of them have committed suicide by converting their saries into hanging ropes.
Rightist organizations like Muslim League and Jamat-e-Islami have been activated to recruit Razakars (vigilante group). Razakars are regularly sent out to loot and burn villages at night. Later govt. press releases condemn these activities by throwing the responsibility to the Mukti Bahini.
In the cities poor rickshaw drivers are forced into joining the Razakars. They are denied their driver’s permit unless they have served with the Razakars for a period.
Relatives of Mukti Bahini fighters are singled out regularly for wholesale reprisal. Guerrilla prisoners are sometimes released and sent back to their camps to collect information while Pakistan army holds their families as hostages.
MUKTI BAHINI NEWS SUMMARY
Mujibnagar, Mukti Bahini GHQ, Sept 7 : During the last week Mukti Bahini Killed more than 500 Pakistani soldiers including a number of officers. Mukti Bahini have cleared the enemy entrenchments in Baidyer Bazar, Kaikarder, Sonargaon and Anandabazar of Dacca district. Mukti Bahini also fought the enemy out of Shaldanadi and Shekher Bazar areas of Comilla. Bangladesh Flags have been raised in those areas.
In another message from Comilla received here it is reported that Mukti Bahini has killed during the last week 175 enemy troops in Ghatimora, Jagadishpur, Luximpur, Anapara and Sonagazi areas.
A train carrying Pakistani troops and Razakars has been blown up by the Bangladesh guerrillas. More than 100 troops and Razakars were killed. In Nakhalkot near Laksam a Pakistani army supply depot has been destroyed by the Mukti Bahini. A bridge along the Feni road has also been destroyed. Mukti Bahini succeeded in completely cutting off the Feni-Comilla railway communiation.
Mukti Bahini have liberated the Sripur Thana of Jessore district.
NEWS IN BRIEF
England
British Labour Party will hold their party conference in Brighton beginning on Oct 4. A resolution calling the British Government to press for the release of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and to raise the Bangladesh issue in the United Nations has already been cleared for the discussion the conference. Mr. Justice Abu Sayeed Chowdhury, Bangladesh High Commissioner in England will attend the conference.
An all-day ‘Pop Concert’ participated by the ‘Faces’ and ‘The Hue’ groups was held in the oval cricket field. England on September 18 to raise funds for the Bangladesh relief. An historic 60,000 strong audience attended the concert. Net proceeds of $50,000 has been donated to the relief fund.
Two Land Rover jeeps carrying medical equipment and supplies left London en route to Bangladesh in the third week of September. The project has been sponsored by Bangladesh Green Cross Society of England. The jeeps will be used in the liberated areas of Bangladesh to organize relief operations.
Saskatchewan, Canada
Chancellor of the University of Saskatchewan declared September 30 as the Bangladesh Day. Bangladesh Association of Saskatchewan organized elaborate day—long program for the observance of the day. The campus community demonstrated its support for the Bangladesh cause by participating in all the programs.
Carbondale, Illinois
Annual conference of the Carbondale Peace Committee will be held on October 22-23. Estimated 500 students will participate in the conference. The discussion of the situation in Bangladesh will be major items on the conference agenda. Bangladesh Defense League representative will attend the conference and conduct a teach-in.
Athens, Geogia
Bangladesh Defense League has been formed here. The League has launched a campaign to encourage U.S. citizens to write to their representatives. Already 10,000 leaflets have been distributed.
Minneapolis, Minn
Bangladesh Crisis Committee has been formed in the University of Minnesota. The Committee has been sponsored by the faculty members of the university. On September 30 the Committee organized a public meeting to educate the people about the situation in Bangladesh. On October 2, a rummage sale was conducted by the members of the Committee to raise funds for Bangladesh relief.
Madison, Wis
Young World for Developement, an organization of high school students, with chapters all over the U.S., organizes marches throughout the country to collect funds for various causes. A marcher collects a dime form a sponsor for each mile he/she walks. This year Madison chapter oif YMD will collect money for Bangladesh by marching on October 17. Bangladesh Defense League representative will speak to various Madison area schools for two weeks to acquaint the participants with the Bangladesh situation.
ooooo
Unless you help
MILLIONS WILL DIE OF STARVATION
Send your contribution to Bangladesh Emergency Welfare Appeal
30 W. Konroe Street (5th floor)
Chicago, Il 60603
BANGLADESH NEWS DIGEST
September 15 :
T Globe & Mail (New Delhi)
After visiting East Bengal refugee camps in India a team of doctors has reported that 100,000 infants and pre-school children may die if emergency steps are not taken in the next few months. According to the team, 50% of the children below 5 “show moderately severe and advanced stages of protein caloric malnutrition.
September 16 :
N.Y. Times (Karachi)
Yahya Khan returned to Pakistan today from Iran, where he was said to have held secret talks. The Shah of Iran is said to have offered his help and facilities for all groups involved in Pakistan’s various crises. The Soviet and American embassies are believed to be encouraging peace-making efforts in Teheran. Circles close to the Government report that the secret trial of Sheikh Mujib is nearly over. Yahya is expected to discuss his political plans in detail in the next free days.
(New Delhi)
A world Bank report has concluded that India’s economic development could be seriouly stunted by the cost of supporting the milloins of Bengali refugee who have fled into India from East Bengal. The influx is reported to be continuing at 30,000 to 40,000 daily. The report estimated that of ther present 8.5 million refugees, 6 million were living in camps. After accounting for the $200 million pledged by international relief aid, India’s burden for fiscal 1971-72 is expected to be $500 million. The Bank’s report is based on an expected figure of 9 million refugees in camps by December. Therereport emphasises that since the refugee problem was thrust on India the world commuity should not expect India be bear the bulk of the costs.
London Times (Calcutta)
An estimated 25000 refugees are still crossing the frontier every day with allegations that Pakistan soldiers, Muslim Zealots and the para-military Razakar troops are still persecuting isolated villagers.
In many cases the refugees of the past seven days claim that their villages were destroyed by Pakistan troops and the locally recruited Razakars when the authorities discovered that Bengali guerrillas had been operating in a particualar village or area. In other cases the villagers say that they were forced to flee under persecution and their possessions looted by Muslim zealots and the Razakars. The majority of the refugees today, as in the past, were Hindus.
Some recent arrivals interviewed assert that the Razakars and the zealots in the Muslim League are now more often responsible for acts of terror than the troops. It is abundantly clear that a reign of terror contiues to force a substantial number of Bengalis into India whatever other reasons might drive them here.
Teheran
Iran affirmed its support for Pakistan for the first time since the events in East Bengal in March. In April the Iranian Govt. described the events as Pakistan’s internal affairs and called on other nations not to interfere. The two states have consistently pledged mutual support. Official sources said that discussions were necessary between Yahya and the Shah before the General Assembly met, which suggests that Pakistan will have Iranian backing at the U.N. It is possible also that Iran may help Pakistan with military spare parts, although the scale is not likely to be large.
Rawalpindi
M.M. Ahmed, economic adviser to Yahya Khan, was stabbed on September 15. The police name the alleged assailant as Muhammed Aslam Quereshi, from Sialkot. Officials said that Mr. Quereshi, an air-conditioning supervisor, had recently been dismissed from govt. service.
C.S. Monitor
Sen. Charles Percy recently returned from a personal fact finding trip to India and Pakistan. Extracts from his statement : “I saw children die of malnutrition and disease in make-shift hospitals. While talking with refugees in mile-long food lines I heard stories of entries families of East Pakistani who had been executed without provocation. I saw the effects of inadiquate sanitation, of food shortages, of disorientation and rootlesness…no one knows for certain the number of East Pakistanis who have died since the civil war began last March 25 ; estimates range from 200,000 to one million. Moreover, it may not even be possible to calculate the loss of life accurately. During my visit Gen. Tikka Khan, then the governor, put the figure at between two and three million. By impression is that the Indian figures (of 8.1 million) are much closer to the facts…The Pakistan govt. claims that more East Pakistanis are returning to its ‘receiving camps’ than are leaving for India. Yet I personally inspected a large and woefully underutilized ‘receiving camps’ on the border, which was processing returnees at the rate of only 30 per day, and was inbabited by only 64 persons at the time of my visit…Almost every East Pakistani with whom Isspoke wants to return home eventually. Their committment to an independent East Pakistan is very deeply felt.
The problems in East Pakistan are immense. A breakdown in public services, in transportation, communication, distribution, and production…Repressive measures by army units sent from West Pakistan futher inflame the people who are scared and helpless…“of major imortance is the secret trial of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, leader of the nowoutlawed Awami League and the symbol of resistance to West Pakistan hegemony over East Pakistan. I told Pakistan leaders that their nation would suffer the condemnation of world opinion if Mujib is sentenced to death or to a long term in prison, as has been threatened.
…I strongly feel that we should end the shipment of military supplies and of economic assistance to Pakistan. It is difficult to see how Pakistan can even again be united in peace…If ever there was a role for the U.N. to play, it is in this bitter area of conflict and human suffering”.
September 17 :
N.Y. Times (Karachi)
Political informants say that Yahya went to Iran mainly to explore the possibilities of reducing tensions between Pakistan and India, and to renew a Pakistani initiative toward a summit meeting between himself
and Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. Pakistan Govt. sources made it known through local newspapers that current Pakistan initiatives toward peace are in the nature of an eleventh hour effort. The Karachi Evening Star quoted a Govt. source as saying that the situation on the border between East and West Bengal has become “almost unbearable” and that if Indian shelling in that region does not stop, “something drastic will have to be done about it soon”.
(New Delhi)
The Indian Govt. Radio said that Pakistan agents had blown up an Indian passenger train in Assam State on September 126, killing one person and injuring 17 others.
London Times (London)
John Pardoe, Liberal MP for Cornwall, moved a resolution demanding the withdrawal of the Pakistan army from East Bengal and the release of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. If this action was not forth coming within 60 days, the resolution asks the British Govt. to call a Commonwealth Conference to urge the recognition of Bangladesh as a free and sovereign state. Mr. Pardoe said a whole nation was being destroyed because it dared to take the principles of liberal democracy seriously. Countries that supplied aid and arms to Pakistan had a duty to use their influence to enforce the democratic hoice and rights of East Bengal
(Calcutta)
Flood waters have begun to recede in West Bengal. But Indian officials say that many refugee camps are still uner water, particularly in the district of Nalda, and many of the main road links have been breached by water. As a result the Govt. is still confronted with the problem of transporting stocks of food to the camps. Govt. officials revealed that only $12 million of the $154 million promised by the international community had been received and distributed to the refugees so far. The BD mission announced that Mr. Mushtaque Ahmed, Foreign Minister of the provinsional govt., will lead a delegation next week to New York in an attempt to put their case before the U.N.
The Karachi Evening Star cited reliable sources as saying the Pakistan has proposed that the USSR and Iran mediate in its differnces with India. According to the Star Yahya proposed a 4-party summit conference during talks with ths Shah of Iran.
Wash Post (Karachi)
Pakistan military regime has jailed an American, Charles Philip Gerhardt, on charges of insulting President Yahya Khan. The imprisonment is for three months of hard labour. The offense is alleged to have taken place about two weeks ago at the Karachi Intercontinental Hetel. Mr. Gerhardt has served as an associate dierctor of the Peace Corps in India.
September 18 :
London Times (Calcutta)
Indian govt. has imposed restrictions on the movements of foreign corresposdents attempting to visit refugee camps and border areas. The retrictions apply to diplomats as well. The Omega relief team have team released from Pakistan prison.
Wash Post (Paris)
Andre Malraux offered his serviecs to the cause of Bangladesh. M. Malraux, 69, was Minister of Culture under De Gaulle. He witnessed the Canton uprising, was a hero in the Spanish Civil war and a resistance colonel during the Nazi occupation of France.
M Guardian (West Bengal)
A U.N. official is quoted as saying “children are starving to death every day”. The general view at the refugee camps is that the means of heading off a major disaster are available, and that if it goes wrong it will be because the special food stuff cannot be got to the camps. As some U.N. official said : “If this does turn into a disaster, it will be because of logistics. If this flood water does not go down, we may need
something as big as the Berlin airlift”.
Le Monde
M. Jean Daridan, former French Ambassdor to India, writes : “In this year of grace 1971 it is apparently ‘normal’ for any State to be allowed to torture of death those of its citizens whom it objects to without provoking any outside reaction other than commission…The refugee camps are full of old men, some so exhausted by the hundreds of miles they have had to walk that they no longer have the strength to speak…There are very few young men in the camps adn even fewer girls. The hospitals, however, are full of women and young girls who have been raped, many of them dump with terror after their expericnces, and children, thousands of them, suffering from malnutrition and dysentry. But very few babies or infants under three : they are almost all dead. This is the picture today. Tomorrow it will be even worse”.
September 19 :
NY Times (Karachi)
Pakistan Govt. newspaper, Morning News, says that the secret military trial of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman has ended, and the tribunal’s report will soon be submitted to Yahya. There is no official confirmation.
(Karachi)
Yahya Khan said he would retain absolute veto power in framing the new constitution. Elected officials would have only an advisory role.
(New Delhi)
Officials refuted reports from Karachi that “secret” contact had been arranged between India and Pakistan in Teheran.
(Dacca)
Despite President Yahya’s announced amnesty, Dacca remains a city of missing men. Bengali sources say at least 5000 people have been imprisoned. The army does not confirm this figure. The fate of many has not been divulged officially.
Wash Post (New Delhi)
An International conference on BD opened today with a call for the immediate and unconditional release of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. The 3 day conference is attended by more than 100 delegates from some 20 countries.
September 20 :
N.Y. Times (Wash)
U.S. has agreed to furnish the U.N. with 2 helicopters, 200 trucks, and an additional 210,000 tons of grain and food blends for East Bengal relief. This brings the total of U.S. aid to $137 million. AID officials denied a Pro-Pakistan stance but confirmed and belief that most effective policy lay in helping restore the war-shattered economy, U.S. has also chartered 26 shallow-draught river boats with capacities of 600 to 3000 tons.
September 21 :
N.Y. Times (Karachi)
The Karachi Star, quoting authoritaitive sources said that the USSR and the U.S. would probably be asked to take a hand in peace-making efforts between India and Pakistan. According to the Star, the U.S. and USSR were already assisting them in efforts at mediation. Border clashes between Indian and Pakistan infantry artillery units along the East Bengal border have become increasingly serious. “The Pakistan govt. is now issuing what amounts to a war communique in which a dozen or more enemy dead are claimed nearly every day”.
It was announced last week that major U.S. relief aid to East Pakistan was to be resumed. Diplomatically, Washington seems to be doing all it can to cultivate the friendship of the Yahya regime. The Soviet Ambassador, A.A. Rodionov, spent the past week reassuring high Pakistan officials of his country’s friendship.
September 22 :
Chr Sc Monitor (New Delhi)
“East Pak resistance to West Pakistan occupation of the State has built up into a surge of terrorism and all-out gerrilla warfare…Only last week bodies of 10 Pakistan officers were brought into Dacca from the north. Islamabad planning a second counter offensive is October, after the monsoon, the situation is expected to deteriorate even further…Despite the departure of General Tikka Khan and the appointment of A. M. Malik as his civilian replacement, effective power remains with the army. Political suspects ard still “lifted”, although care is taken to make their arrests unobtrusive. Army reprisals continue to be savage…Minor officials have fled, or are immobilized by fear. All levels, resentful of the Pubjabi ‘conquerors’ from West Pakistan work perfunctorily”.
N.Y. Times (Karachi)
A senior spokeman of the Pakistan Govt. said that there was “no indication” as to when the secret trial of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman might be concluded.
Pakistan Affairs (Wash)
According to the State Bank of Pakistan, the Pakistan Rupee will be delinked from pound starling and aligned with the U.S. dollar starting September 17.
T Globe & Mail (Ottawa)
At a press conference, M.R. Siddiqui said that a million refugees a month are moving into India. He contended that the aid being sent to the refugees helps but is not the solution : “The root cause must be removed. The Bangladesh govt. must be recognised”. Mr Siddiqui arrived in Ottawa yesterday and hopes to meet Canadina External Affairs Minister Mitchell Sharp.
September 23 :
N.Y. Times (Kutibari)
The latest refugees from East Bengal report that the Pakistan Army and its civilian collaborators are continuing to kill, loot and burn. Correspondent Sydney Schanberg interviewed dozens of refugees who had all fled last week. Most of these were from Faridpur. The refugees said that the military regime still made the Hindu minority its particular target. The refugess said that despite massive reprisals against civilians, local people were continuing to provide food, shelter, and information to the guerrillas.
(Karachi)
Z.A. Bhutto, speaking to newsman, said : “It is vitally important that by-elections be held and a national assembly be convened by the end of this year…If we have not restored democracy in Pakistan by the end of this year, I feel that chances will be very slim that it can ever be done. In that case…the choice will be either to give up or to adopt a non-parliamentary course…Governments could be changed in parliamentary ways or by revolution or coup d’etat”. Bhutto acknowledged that he is not well informed about the situation in East Bengal ; “If the govt. is not well informed about it. how much less can we be?”
Police in Karachi said that Bengali guerrillas were apparently operating in West Pakistan also. 7 Bengalis have been arrested over the weekend on charges of starting a fire on a slip. The police are reported to be
looking for Bengalis in Karachi on charges of “spreading rumors” and subversive activaity.
(Rome)
The international relief organ of the Roman Catholic Church appealed to the U.N. to save the people of East Bengal from “what threatens”.
T Globe & Mail (Calcutta)
A cholera epidemic raging through the refugee camp of Mailam in Meghalaya is killing hundreds of people every day. Indian air force planes have started an emergency airdrop of food supplies to the 200,000 refugees in this camp. Officials put the death toll from cholera at 1000 in the past month.
September 24 :
L Times (Indo-Pak. Border)
Mr. M. Ahmed, Foreign Minister of the Provincial Govt., announced that the BD Govt. has agreed to support any relief proposal under which both the Bengali guerrillas and the Pakistan Army would assist and give safegurds for the security of foreign volunteers if a big international relief operation is launched in Bangladesh.
N.Y. Times (Washington)
State Dept. is planning to ask Congress for additional $250 million for refugees in India and for rehabiltion prog. in East Bengal. Sen. Kennedy introduced legislation to provide $400 million for refugee relief in India. Estimates prepared by AID are said to predict a total of 12 million refugees in coming months.
September 25 :
London Times (Calcutta)
Mukti Bahini Frogmen have severly damaged a 1600 ton British cargo ship, “Teviotbank” in Chalna port. As a result, another British ship, “Chakdina” wighed anchor suddenly and attempted to flee from Chalna port. Sailors of ships leaving East Bengal ports report that several vessels including 2 ocean-going steamers, a Pakistan coastal tanker and several barges are lying damaged at Chalna. Two Pakistan cargo ships were sunk at Chittagong. The 10,000 ton “Ohramazo” sank after limpet mines holed her on August 14. About three weeks ago mines were removed from a Greek ship.
(Rome)
The Pope has summoned international Roman Catholic relief agencies to meet in Rome tomorrow to discus ways of increasing aid to East Bengal.
Phila. Inquirer (Phila)
John Cardinal Krol, Archbishop of Phila., in a press conf. pointed out 8 to 10 million refugees in West Bengal living in temporary camps and are dying too rapidly for the survivors to dispose of the bodies. Yet “arms are still being sold”, be said “…and there is a sense of business as usual” in the world.
T Globe & Mail
In the past two months, Pakistan has received from China at least 50 MIG-19C jet fighters and 110t 55-j main battle tanks. There are reports that submarines, patrol boats and minesweepers will also be furnished. The new MIG-19C’s will allow the equipment of an additional three squadrons of that type (Pakistan already has five). The tanks will go into the armored battalions of the two new infantry divisions that are being raised.
M Guardian (Calcutta)
“The Bangladesh Govt.-in-exile and liberation forces at this moment are best compared to the French resistance movement in the Second World War. There is the same lack of ideological homogeneity and the same military approach, one based on raiding and sabotage…The course of the war during the coming winter months may have significant political consequences, for it seems likely that the Pakistan army will embark on major search and destroy operations as soon as the ground is dry.”
September 27 :
Chicago Tribune
Senator Percy yesterday said that the U.S. was “backing a military aristocracy at war with its own people…by permitting aid and arms shipment to Pakistan”.
N.Y. Times (Karachi)
Maulana Muhamed Ishaque, Minister for local goverment in Pakistan Government A.M. Malik’s cabinet for East Bengal, was injured Saturday by an explosion in his car in Dacca.
September 28 :
Wash Post (Calcutta)
Mukti Bahini has opened its first camp to train girl recruits to staff mobile hospitals. The first batch of 200 girls will leave in 7 to 10 days.
N.Y. Times (Karachi)
Pakistan newspaper seculated today that Sheikh Mujib would be released on parole soon to visit his ailing parents. Most legal and political observers think the result of the military trial a foregone conclusion : a death sentence. Newspapers also predict that the future constitution that is being drafted by Presidential commission will include elections on the basis of religion (separate electorate). Fighting in East Bengal between Bengali guerrillas and the Pakistan army appears to be growing more intense. Association attempts against officias, often successful, have increassed sharply.
(Hyderabad)
Leader of Sind autonomy movement G.H. Syed is under house arrest. Sind remains a problem for Islamabad govt. Like Bengalis, many Sindhis feel they are economically and politically exploited by the Punjabis. Some of Bhutto’s aside say privately that he is facing a crisis in his conversations with President Yahya that could lead to imprisonment. “If something like that happens”, one politician said, “the army had better be ready to occupy Sind as well. And they may find that expensive and dangerous”.
ooooooo
Photocopy of the original complete report of the items published here will be supplied at request. Write to :
Editor
Bangladesh Newsletter
500 Paragon Hills #B-7
Nashville, TN 37211
oooooo
September 29 :
N.Y. Times (Karachi)
Pakistan Govt. warned against public speculation on the trial of Sheikh Mujib. It said that the trial is continuing and prosecution had examined 20 witnessess. Nothing was said about defense cross-examination.
Wash Post (Moscow)
Premier Kosygin called on Yahya Khan to resolve the conflict in East Bengal. He said : “It is impossible to justify the actions of Pakistani authories which compelled over 8 million people to leave their country, land and property”.
September 30 :
N.Y. Times (Moscow)
A joint Soviet-Indian statement affirmed the Kremlin’s endorsement of India’s stand on East Bengal. The endorsement was given orally yesterday in a luncheon speech by Premier Kosygin.
(U.N.)
Pakistan suggested dierct negotiations with India on refugee problem. Flow of refugees continues unabated. The exodus may soon increase. Dangers of a Indo-Pakistan war were invoked by the British Forign secretary in his address to the General Assmebly.” The world watches the frontiers of India and Pakistan with increasing anxiety…There could be no greater tragedy for the world, even than the Middle East, if India and Pakistan find themselves unwillingly at war, Sir Alce observed.
(Karachi)
Z.A. Bhutto denounced the military rule in the harshest terms to date. “The long night of terror must end. The rule of generals mus end. People of Pakistan must take their destiny in their own hands”. He continued, “Elections took place 10 months ago. On one pretaext or another, with one contradiction after another, the abominable status quo is being maintaines”. He described the appointment of A. M. Malik as a “subterfuge:.
(Calcutta)
Large numbers of refugee chidren are dying everyday from malnutrition and diseases that accompany it. Tens of thousands are seriously malnourished and facing death. In the critical age group, 1 to 8 years, deaths are in hundreds every day. Some foreign relief officials believe the toll is higher. The misery in the camps may deepen when winter arrives. At least 3 million blankets are needed, and only a few have arrived.
oooooo
PLEASE NOTE
1. For bulk supplies of printed materials for campus distribution (list of items will be supplied on request) contact :
Friends of East Bengal
Box 42, Sta B
Vandexbilt Univ
Nasheville TN 37203
2. For campus speakers on Bangladesh contact :
Dr. J.K. Bhattacharjee,
Dept of Microbiology, Miami Univ, Oxford, Ohio 45056 Phone : (513) 529-4727
INTERVIEW WITH YAHAY : Pierre Bois
(Following is an unabridged translation of an interview published in French magazine Le Figaro, September 8, 1971)
Q : They say that soon you are going to East Pakistan. Your last trip ended rather badly. With what purpose in mind are you returning?
A : I shall go, but not now. I’m too busy and East Pakistan is only one of my five provinces.
Q : But why did you go to Dacca before?
A : What? Who can prevent me from going where I wish in my country?
Q : That’s not what I meant to say. But what is it, precisely, that could call you there now?
A : There are lots of problems over there. To begin with, famine. We can’t get supplies through. We only have 3 months reserves and the railroad line from Chittagong is cut off by Indian mortar fire. We could go by water ; we have some very good rivers but not enough barges. Foreign countries have promised us some, but only the Chinese have kept their promise.
Q : Do you still believe, then, that after the policy of genocide of your army that a union is possible between East and West Pakistan?
A : That you use the word genocide shows that you don’t know Pakistan. And then, I can tell you something about Pakistan’s history. The first to have asked for the formation of the State were just these same East Pakistanis. As a result I am very confident with regards to the future : Bengal will remain Pakistani.
Q : However, one of the reasons for the crisis in Bengal was that you failed. Before, you said that you had no other political ambitions than to give the Pakistanis a Parliament and a constitution. But hardly had the people chosen a leader when you had the army intervene…
A : That’s the fault of Mujibur Rahman. Just between the two of us, you know, he was perhaps a good speaker, but he didn’t have the stuff of a leader. He was brilliant and very sure of himself in public, but facing me he was no more than…How would you say it? Than a “little cat”, no bigger than that. General Yahya then leaned from his armchair and took a teaspoon. He says in a confidential tone : “I’m going to tell you a stroy : during the negotiations in Dacca, when the fate of the country was at stake, I tried hard to be patient. Mujibur attempted to look relaxed, playing with his pipe. But I had only to raise my voice for you to be able to hear his teeth chattering. Then do you know what he did”?
General Yahya laughed heartily and bit the teaspoon with all his might.
“That was the extent of his courage. He must have broken a lot of pipes during his conferences…”
The laughter stops and the Pakistani president becomes more serious again : To lead a country, you must have good sense. As for myself, I’m a soldier, I was never raised to govern. I rely on my good sense. Mujibur Rahman was a little fascist who didn’t have a sense of moderation. The people elected him on a program for autonomy. Intoxicated, he immediately started talking about independence. At the beginning, the autonomy which he proposed was in six points, the classic kind of autonomy in a federation, that is to
say leaving to the central government the ministries of foreign affairs, finance, and defence. I was in agreement with that. Then, scarcely elected, I perceived that he was already making revisions :
1. For instance, he demanded complete freedom of commerce for East Pakistan. That means, in other words, beginning trade with India again.
2. Defence. There, he wanted to create a paramilitary force.
3. Finance. He wanted two currencies, East and West Pakistani, and two bank reserves. Finally, a separate flag. What does that mean in the final analysis? That means secession.
Q : Before having the army interene, you had ten days of negotaitions in Dacca with Mujibur Rahman. How did that happen?
A : On one side, Mujibur Rahman had the majority of the votes in East Paksintan ; on the other, Bhutto was victorious in West Pakistan. It was the first election with universal sufferage. I wanted the leaders of those two important parties to create a constitution in order to substitute civilian power for military power. But with Mujibur Rahman said, “End martial law”. I replied, “it will be up to the National Assembly to do that when there’s a constitution”. He said, “Transfer power before the meeting of the National Assembly”. I answered, “To whom? You are a single party and there are three others in the West”. He said, “Remove the 20,000 men in your army”. I answered, “Where shall I put them? They are here in Pakistan”.
Q : Mujibur Rahman was the one elected by the people. If you believe in democracy, why didn’t you let him alone until the end?
A : Firstly, I repeat to you that he was not elected on a platform of indenpendence. The people voted for autonomy. On the other hand, Bengal is only one out of five provinces in Pakistan. What becomes of a nation if each one starts talking about independence?
Q : How did it happen that Mujibur Rahman, from the idea of autonomy, arrived at the nation of independence?
A : He didn’t change his mind completely by himself. The Indians, you know. A long history beforehand. They never accepted partition and have never failed to take advantage of any opportunity to weaken our position.
Q : The CIA has also been spoken of?
A : It is true that the CIA and the English have been mentioned. The Chinese have even openly accused all the Western countries. There, I have no proof. In retrospect, it is certain that the Indians furnished money and arms to the Awami League. With regard to the others, certainly I have suspicions, but he who governs can’t linger over suspicions.
Q : What happened during your last interview with Mujibur Rahman?
A : Mujibur said to me, “If you don’t sign an agreement with me, tomorrow there will be a revolt in East Pakistan”. I looked at him and replied, “very well! Go ahead and revolt”.
President Yahya Khan sights. He says, “I was genuinely saddened…for him”.
Q : But you speak of him in the past tense. What has become of him?
A : He’s in prison.
Q : Where?
A : I don’t know anything about it. Does your President in France know where all the criminals are? If he is capable of that, it must be because you don’t have very many!
Q : But all the same he’s your chief enemy….
A : He’s not my personal enemy. He’s the enemy of the Pakistani people. You needn’t worry, everybody in Pakistan know where he is. But it’s useless to ask them, they won’t tell you.
Q : And international opinion?
A : I have enough to feel justified. I’ve said that he was alive, you have only to take my word for it.
Q : They speak of atrocities committed by the army the tragic night of March 25?
A : They have forgotten to mention atrocities by the Awami League. Already on March 2, the Awami League seized non-Bengalis, Biharis, Punjabis, and others in Chittagong, and bled them to death. A butchery! That’s only one of the things that happened : read the White Paper which my government issued on the subject.
Q : But your army?
A : My army is a professional, well-trained army. I myself trained in the army of the Indes. When my soldiers kill, they kill as they should.
Q : You’ve denied that there were 250,000 dead?
A : That’s greatly exaggerated, but of course, there were deaths. What happened at Dacca wasn’t a football game. When one fights, one doesn’t throw flowers.
Q : You expelled journalists. Why?
A : I wanted to protect them. When you undertake a military action of this importance, you don’t know what the outcome will be. I acted as a military man and not as a complacent politician. Now I regret it. If several reporters had been killed by the Awami League, that would have been very useful to me : then people would have spoken of atrocities by the Awami League.
Q : What is the situation now in East Pakistan?
A : Regarding law and order, everything is currently under the control of my army, with the exception of several frontier zones. And I can tell you that I am still definitely planning to turn over the reins of the government to the people. I banned the Awami League, but I have not taken away the seats of the elected representatives of the province. I drove out the traitors and I selected 89 deputies who will be able to sit on the National Assembly. For the rest, I will call an election. And even border problems won’t prevent me from going the greatest lengths in the democratic process. The only condition is that they let me alone.
Q : What is the current situation on the frontiers?
A : Go there and see. It’s not at all peaceful. Because India continues to infiltrate troops and encourage the revolt. That’s why the refugees aren’t able to come back. One can accept that for a while, but the situation can’t last like this. Even in normal times what is happening along the border means war. Try to send 251h. shells across the border of another country! That’s what we’ve been getting. I am making that observation with great patience, but I am taking advantage of it to warn the world that if the Indians think that they can take the smallest bit of my territory without provoking a war, they are making a grave mistake. Let me warn you and the world, that would mean war, total war, which I hate. But I would not hesitate for the defense of my country.
Q : And the refugee problem?
A : Let us speak of the refugee problem. India is using the refugees as political capital and that is all. That way she gets money from the U.N. There are lots of ways to help the refugees. India asks only for money. She is stopping them from returning. She says that they won’t return until an argeement in signed. But with whom? The refugee problem is not India’s, it’s ours.
Besides, how many are there of these refugess. According to India seven million, according to us two million. And I’m going to tell you how they get from two to seven. Around and within Calcutta there are thousands of Hindus who were settled there during partition. You know that there human beings crouch like animals. They’ve mixed real and fake refugees together in the camps. But don’t worry about it : when the refugees return we will keep record and we know well enough how to separate the good from the bad…”
Q : Have you also made a record of your foreign friends and enemies in this affair?
A : I’ve thought about it. And moreover, at this time I’ve certainly seen the English reveal themselves at the head of those opposing us. That, it’s true, was not a surprise. As for France, I am taking advantage of your presence to thank her. Your President, M. Pompidou, wrote me a letter in which he showed, certainly, his concern for the refugees, but on the other hand he explained to me that he didn’t want to interfere with an internal matter. With respect to the Chinese, their friendly position towards us is known.
Q : Do your intend to enter into negotiations with India to control the border conflicts?
A : On several occasions I’ve stated that I was ready to talk to India but I’ve never gotten any response.
President Yahya gets up. The interview is over. He accompaies me to the entrance. He is smiling. I ask him, “But if you meet Mrs. Indira Gandhi, what would you say to her?” She doesn’t like my self-confidence. But that doesn’t bother me. Because she’s neither a woman nor a head of state trying to be both at the same time. She lacks her father’s qualities.” “But what would you say to her?” More laughter. Then general Yahya says. “I would say to her ‘Shut up, woman! Leave me in peace and let my refugees come back’.”
SOME IMPORTANT ADDRESSES
Bangladesh Emergency Welfare Appeal
30 W. Monroe Street (5th Floor)
Chicago, IL 60503
OXFAM-American, Inc.
Suite 509
1028 Conn. Ave. NW
Washington D.C. 20036
and
120 East 32nd Street
NY, NY 10016
Phone : 212 684-4302
Catholic Relief Services-USCC
350 Fifth Ave
NY NY 10001
Church World Serviecs
475 Riverside Drive
NY, NY 10025
Bangladesh Mission
1223 Connecticut Ave NW
Fourth Floor, Washington DC 20036
Bangladesh Information Center
418 Seward Sq. SE, Apt. $
Washington D.C. 20003
Phone : 202 547-3194
East Bengal Emaergency Relief Fund, Inc
South Point Plaza
Lansing, Michigan 48910
Phone : 517-393-0255
and
33 Perry Street
New York Cith, N.Y. 10014
Phone : 212-924-8458
Issued by
BANGLADESH DEFENSE LEAGUE
5245 South Kenwood Avenue,
Chicago, Illinois. 60615
Editorial Office : 500 Paragon Mills #B-7, Nashville, TN 37211 (615)833-2064