Dacca peace hopes rise
From Martin Adeney: Dacca, March 19
Hopes rose today that settlement may be found to the Pakistani constitutional crisis. Talks between President Yahya Khan and Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, leader of the majority party in the National Assembly, entered a new and apparently decisive phase.
After meeting the President for 90 minutes this morning, a markedly more ebullient Shaikh Mujib said he would meet him again tomorrow taking with him six more leaders of the Awami League.
After the talks today, a twinking Sheikh Mujib refused to say more than that the political situation had been discussed. He would not comment when it was suggested that a formula had been put forward.
Asked if he was hopeful of a settlement, he replied characteristically that he always happened for the best but was prepared for the worst. When he was asked whether he would meet politicians from the west wing of the country, he said that people from West Pakistan were always welcome. Pressed specifically about Mr Bhutto, the leader of the people’s party Sheikh Mujib said he would welcome him, too.
Strong hand
Leaders of the Awami League have been worried whether the President and his army advisers would fully appreciate the grip which the league claims to have on this province. They are still concerned whether any formula put forward from the President’s side will take into account the strong hand they hold. Mr. Cornellus, the former Law Minister, is believed to be working on a formula.
The talks are being given a sense of urgency by the timetable of coming events. Tuesday is Pakistan Day, which the Militant Students League here has already renamed “Liberation Day.”
There will be rallies, and a speech in Dacca by Maulana Bashani, the still spellbinding left-wing voice of Bengali nationalism. Students have called for the raising of the flag of East Bengal over almost all buildings. This is a vain hope as there are simply not enough flags to go round. But if a settlement is not agreed by Tuesday, there may be disturbances which could jeopardize negotiations.
Thursday is the official date for the opening of the National Assembly to decide the Constitution. A leader of the Awami League told me on Thursday night. “The next 72 hours are going to be decisive.”
The big question appears to be — if martial law is lifted – what kind of interim constitution can be found until a new constitution is established? There is also the matter of the League demands for the taking of power, apart from defense and foreign affairs, from the central Government.
Meanwhile the East Pakistani economy staggers on. In spite of Sheikh Mujib’s claim that exports are moving I understand that Customs and Excise officials at Khulna which handles 60 per cent of the exports and unlike Dacca, has considerable. Maoist and Marxist factions are still refusing to work, and that exports are not moving. Extra money is being demanded even for unloading.
R. R. Gandhi writes from Karachi. Mr Bhutto has declined President Yahya Khan’s invitation to join the talks in Dacca. He feels that the constitutional formula now on the anvil would not meet his demands, so he does not wish to be in Dacca to talk about what he describes as the odium and onus of an agreement that would be contrary to West Pakistan’s interests.
He has already threatened to start a movement in West Pakistan if such a formula were imposed on the country. But it is hard to understand how action in West Pakistan will affect the position of Sheikh Mujib, who is not worried about what happens in the west wing of the country.
Reference: The Guardian: 20 March, 1971