Visit To Refugee Camps A Moving Experience: Keating
From Our Staff Correspondent, DUM DUM, July 17. – Standing against the background of tents set up for the evacuees at Salt Lake in 24-Parganas, the U. S. Ambassador Mr. Kennett, B Keating said today that whenever he had gone, he had been told by evacuees that they fled their country for fear of their lives as their houses were burned down and other property damaged.
The Ambassador visited during the day, a hospital set up for evacuees and different camps at Shahara and Salt Lake in 24-Par ganas. He was accompanied by the State Government’s Director-General of Evacuees, Mr. B. B. Mondal.
Asked whether he believed the statements of the evacuees regarding the atrocities committed by the West Pakistani troops and supporters of the Muslim League Mr. Keating said: “I have no way of judging their Statements”
Giving his impressions Mr. Keating said that his visit to the refugee camps particularly to a hospital at Barasat was a moving experience. “It is heart-rending,” he said. The children in the hospital looked emaciated. “Some are pretty sick,” he added.
The Ambassador praised the Indian and West Bengal Government for doing a “wonderful job under the most trying circumstances.”
Mr. Keating said that everything was being done for the refugees. It was remarkable that the adult population among the refugees appeared to have overcome the initial shock. They looked well and their spirits were good. He felt that the evacuees “seem to be holding up well under very difficult circumstances.”
| At Sahara camp a refugees told the Ambassador that the another villagers had to leave their homes because of the repressior by supporters of the Muslim League At Salt Lake another refugee said that his house was set on fire by Pakistani troops and Muslim Leaguers. Many villagers were assaulted. Replying to a question he told the Ambassador that most of the refugees would go back home if Bangladesh was free and Sheikh Mujibur Rahman gave them a call to return. Asked if he would have allowed his son to join the Mukti Fauj and fight for the liberation of Bangladesh the refugee said: “Yes, certainly”.
Mr. Keating said, according to a USIS Press release he wished other Americans could see “this were possible”, he said, he did not think any American could see “this grave human tragedy”. If this were possible, he said he did not think any American tax-payer would think of criticizing the substantial American contribution to help alleviate “this stark human tragedy”.
The U.S. Government has till now allocated Rs. 52.88 crores for refugees relief in India.
The main purpose of the Ambassador’s visit is to see how best the USA can make even more effective its contribution to the massive task of caring for the refugees.
Mr. Keating has meetings with the Union Education Minister, Mr. Siddhartha Ray and the State Government’s Chief Secretary in Calcutta lasting for one hour and 45 minutes respectively.
He also held discussions with Union and the State Government officials and the representatives of the American voluntary agencies which are engaged in refugee relief efforts.
Reference: Hindustan Standard, 18.07.1971