Omega men called Indian spies
From N. C. Menon
Hindustan Times Correspondent
CALCUTTA, Aug. 19.-The group of Omega peace volunteers who were pushed out of Bangladesh by the Pakistan Army authorities, said here today what they saw across the border and the behaviour they encountered reminded them of Nazi Germany.
Recounting their experiences, the eight Britons and Americans told newsmen that Benapole town was practioally non-existent with everything either burnt or razed to the ground. The road to Jessore, where they were taken for questioning, was almost deserted except for lots of troop-filled jeeps and gun emplacements.
The Brigadier and a colonel who had interrogated them appeared at first to be very sophisticated. But they proved to be very inconsistent and irritable at unexpected moments. It was the impression of the Omega volunteers that the petulance that the officers displayed could only be the result of the strain and uncertainty under which they had to live.
It was clear that the minds of the officers were conditioned to unwavering enmity towards India and the Hindus. They kept repeating that theirs was the “superior culture” one proof of which was that “we sit on chairs and eat at a table and do not squat on the floor like the Hindus do.”
On one occasion, exasperated with the determination of the Omega group, one of the officers shouted: “India is our enemy and you are here to spy for India.”
C A major who escorted them was polite and smiling. “But surely, seven million refugees did not cross the border because of smiling majors.”
Before they were sent back across the border, the Omega volunteers made it clear to the officials that they will return. The date and place of their next attempt will be decided after consultation with their London headquarters.
Asked why they had not preferred to enter some liberated part of Bangladesh, the Omega group mentioned three reasons:—The greater need “was where the Pakistanis are distribution of relief material with the assistance of the Mukti Bahini might have brought reprisals on the villagers and they wanted to prove that starvation, one of the weapons of mass tyranny, could be countered by nonviolent means.”
Pak officers had admitted that there was need for food, but they would not permit the distribution of relief material the Omega group had brought. The officers suggested that they leave the material to be distributed by them, but the volunteers preferred to bring the material back.
Reference: Hindustan Standard 20.8.1971