HINDUSTAN STANDARD, JUNE 8. 1971
BANGLA ISSUE MAY COME UP BEFORE IPI ASSEMBLY
From Tarapadu Basil
Helsinki, June 7. – Though it appears that the Singapore Press affair will dominate the 20th International Press Institute’s General Assembly, which started this morning, there is no doubt that Indo-Pakistani relations over the present situation in East Bengal will also come up as they have already been talked about informally by delegates and others after the long dispatches with distressing pictures published in the Sunday Times yesterday and the arrival here of Indian and Pakistani delegations.
The opening ceremony denoted the significance of this annual gathering of publishers and others, which provides exchange of views and takes notes on the present situation of mass media outside the Communist countries. The Prime Minister, Mr. Alui Karjalaninen of Finland, who is also the acting President of the country gave the opening speech.
Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew of Singapore is due to speak on June 9 on “the mass media as seen by the world policy makers” and animated discussions arc expected as a large section of delegates is already critical of his action.
Mr. Asoke Kumar Sarkar and other Indian delegates have been repeatedly asked in informal talks of the present state of affairs of Indo-Pakistani relations and Bangladesh.
IPI circles generally seem convinced on two points; (1) that a reign of terror exists in East Bengal forcing refugees to take shelters in India, and (2) they will not return to East Bengal so long she remains in control of the Pakistani armed forces.
It is gathered that some Pakistani delegates are planning to charge the Indian Press alleging that they have been largely responsible for the present situation in East Bengal. Such an attempt will not go unchallenged not only by the Indian Press delegates but also by others who like the reporters of the Sunday Times have no doubt that the Yahya Khan military regime is solely responsible for what has happened.
Reports on Foreign Ministers, Mr. Swaran Singh’s arrival yesterday in Moscow and his proposed visits to Bonn, Paris, Ottawa, Washington and London have been published here and mentioned on television programme in Helsinki and other Scandinavian capitals. The seriousness of the situation in East Bengal is gradually realized abroad. So the likely attempt by some Pakistani Press representatives at the IPI General Assembly is obviously intended to mislead the world Press and divert their attention from Fast Bengal. Some delegates have already been poisoned by Pakistani propaganda Some members of the Pakistani Press have also privately admitted that their attempt here may prove abortive. If the private talks do not convince the Pakistanis not to make such an attempt they will be responsible for the consequences at the General Assembly.