Bengali seamen ask for asylum
By Campbell Page
Fifteen officers and men from a Pakistani ship at Cardiff Docks were last night awaiting a Home Office decision on their application for Political asylum.
The men all jumped ship- the MV karnafuli – early yesterday and traveled to London to contact the Home office, which has allowed them to stay while their applications are being considered.
They complained last night of constant harpassorent, threats, insults and incidents of physical violence during their voyage from Karachi and said they were afraid throughout of being killed or thrown overboard.
Mr. A.K.M. Nurul Huda, an engineer officer, said: “We know we will be tortured or killed if we go back to Pakistan.” He claimed that on the voyage rank was disregarded, Bengali officers received no respect, and a pantryman was made to scrub the decks for 12 hours a day, he said.
Crew members described an alleged incident on board the Pakistan ship MV Swait in the port of Chittagong in March.
The ship, which was carrying Chinese arms and ammunition, was awaiting clearance, but the dockers had already decided not to unload it. West Pakistani troup boarded the vessel to get the arms off but the Karnafuli men said. In the process all Bengal members of the crew were shot and thrown into the river.
Three Bengalis remain on board the Karnafuli – a Person named Harunor and two others, Zainul Abedin and Nur Ahmed. Another Bengali, a storekeeper named Shekander mia, is in Cardiff in hospital.
The Bengalis asking for asylum said yesterday that they had not been allowed ashore in the ordinary way while the ship was in cardiff.
The Pakistan High Commission said last night that there could be no validity in allegations of harassment. East Pakistanis were holding Positions of responsibiity along side West Pakistanis in the armed service and the merchant marine, and there was no discrimination against them.
Reference: The Guardian, 30.06.71