“Yahya’s words will never be trusted”
SOMEWHERE IN BANGLADESH. MAY 30- PresidentYahya Khan of Pakistan had resorted to genocide in Bangladesh after “accepting our demands during our parleys” and hence his words would never again be trusted, the Bangladesh Home Minister Mr. A. H. M. Kamaruzzaman, said today, reports UNI.
General Yahya Khan had even promised to announce over the radio his agreement with Bangabandhu Mujibur Rahman on March 25, but instead of doing so he ordered his troops to wipe out the Bengali race, he added.
Mr. Kamaruzzaman, was commenting on General Yahya’s reported statement in Karachi that he still intended to transfer power to civilian rule.
“To us in Bangladesh the name of General Yahya Khan does not connote a normal human being. It connotes a blood-thristy cold blooded murderer, the greatest betrayer in the world history, the disintegrator of Pakistan.”
As such, his words, however sweet or meanwhile they might sound, would never be accepted by the people of Bangladesh who would read to them correctly by continuing the fight.
“After what has been done- the killing of innocent childern and citizens, the raping of our women folk and challenging our nationality- it is impossible for the people of Bangladesh to live under a common roof with the Pakistanis. How can we do so when the design of General Yahya Khan and his henchmen is to wipe out the Bengali race.”
The basis of living together should not be merely brotherly feeling and mutual consent but also implicit and explicit respect for each other. But this no longer existed. he added.
Referring to General Yahya’s statement that some of the Awami League MNAS elected had disqualified themselves from membership by their policies and actions, Mr. Kamaruzzama said “Pakistani rulers have no right to question the authority of the Awami League members who have received the support of more than 93 percent of the population. Nobody has given them the powers to judge us.”
“They are power-drunk imposters, who have no respect for democratic values.”
It was not the Awami League that broke off the talks. The Awami League had not conceived of a war not to talk of preparing for it.
“Now that a war has been thrust upon us, we shall continue to fight till the Pakistanis are removed from our holy land.”
“Those nations which preach and practice democratic principles and values should try to protect the democratic values now facing annihilation at the hands of the occupation Army in Bangladesh. They are great who stand by the oppressed and the suffering.”
Reference: Hindustan Standard, 31.05.1971