Mass Killings in Terror
Campaign by Pakistan Army
Killing on a mass scale are reported to be continuing in East Pakistan, indicating that the Army has shown no let-up in the terror campaign begun after President Yahya Khan gave it his “full authority” to restore central Government control.
An East Pakistan policeman who crossed into India near Agartala said yesterday that at least 2,600, including 500 police and 100 West Pakistani soldiers, were killed in clashes at Comilla.
He described the situation in Comilla as “critical”, Most of the 70,000 population had fled into the countryside.
Another report, reaching Shillong in Assam, said that West Pakistan commandos machine-gunned about 100 unarmed students, killing about 50, near Sylhet.
The report Said the soldiers were becoming desperate for food, as all rail and road communications in the area were cut.
The East Pakistan Liberation Army was said to have taken control of several border posts in the northern part of the province.
They were also reported to have captured Sylhet and a number of other towns, including Dinajpur, Rangpur, Bogura, Kushtia and Mymensingh.
Stiff Resistance
While there is mounting evidence that the West Pakistan Army is meeting stiff resistance in the countryside, such reports must still be treated with great reserve.
The same sources say the bitter fighting is still going on in Dacca, which neutral witnesses unanimously report to be quiet and fully under Army control.
Hundreds of refugees are now coming across into India, particularly into Assam where there is already a large Moslem population.
Many are Khasi Hills tribesmen. About 400 have crossed into the Indian subState of Meghalaya, in South Assam.
The refugees spoke of repeated air attacks by Pakistan jet bombers, and of rocket, mortar and rifle fire in continuous running battles.
Indian Hysteria
Radio Bangladesh (Free Bengal) was again silent yesterday and has now not been heard since Tuesday, It is now being recognized, even in India, where a near hysterical atmosphere has prevailed and even the wildest reports about supposed Bangladesh victories accepted readily, that the West Pakistan Army is in large part probably consolidating its hold.
One aspect of the atmosphere in India has been anger with foreign press reports indicating that the West Pakistan Army might be winning.
While foreign reports of the killing of civilians by West Pakistan soldiers are quoted at length and with unconcealed approval, any report which recounts a defeat or even rebuff for the Bangladesh forces is regarded as hostile “imperialist propaganda”.
Britons Leave
More British subjects were evacuated from Dacca yesterday by RAF special forces. aircraft. to Singapore. Australia also made evacuation arrangements.
The Indian Red Cross Society has told the International Red Cross that it wants to send relief supplies, including medicines, to East Pakistan. No reply has been received from Geneva,
Mr. OM Mehta, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs, denied in the Rajya Sabha (Upper House) yesterday that India was supplying arms to the resistance movement in East Pakistan.
David Loshak, New Delhi Army Fear at Passive Resistance.
Passive resistance in East Pakistan by members of the outlawed Awami League, whose leader, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, awaits trial for treason, is alarming martial law authorities.
No one can put their hands on the organizers of the resistance. If they exist, the East Pakistan police are making little or no effort to do so according to reports reaching London.
Although the 13,000 police are not taking part in the passive resistance, they are extremely apathetic. Although they did appear to show some sympathy with students, members of the East Pakistan Rifles and other supporters of the Awami League which declared the eastern province independent on March 26, the police are reported to feel that whatever happens they will be blamed.
By Diplomatic Staff Soviet ‘Warning’ To Chinese
In an apparent warning to the Chinese, Marshal Andrei Grechko, Soviet Defense Minister, said at the 24th Congress of the Soviet Communist Party yesterday that his country was always ready to punish the aggressor, if necessary on the aggressor’s own territory.
Soviet forces were built up for defense purposes and not for attacking anyone but, if necessary they could use weapons that would reach any part of the world, he said in an apparent warning to the Chinese.
Reference: The Daily Telegraph, April 3, 1971