U THANT PAYS FULL ATTENTION TO PAK REFUGEES
Concels African Trip
Secretary General U Thant said Wednesday that the “dimensons of the Pakistani refugee problem were without precedent in history”, according to report from U.N. New York.
He cancelled plans for his African trip next week in order to devote full attention to the relief operations.
He also issued a world wide appeal for contributions in cash and kind for “this challenging humanitarian effort”.
In paralel messages to Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia and Secretary-General Diallo Telli of the Organisation of African Unity, U Thant said he would be unable to attend the African summit meeting in Addis Ababa, opening next Monday.
It was his duty to remain in New York to give his personal attention to “this most tragic and urgent problem of the East Pakistani refugees, the Secretary-General told Emperor Haile Selassie.
U.N. spokesman said U Thant still hoped to be able to complete his scheduled programme of visits to Russia, the Ukraine, Byelo-Russia, Mongolia, Poland and Switzerland later this month.
He is due in Moscow on June 24 and expects to confer with Premier Alexei Kosygin then or on his way back through Moscow to Warsaw.
PRINCIPAL REASON
A principal reason for U Thant’s cancellation of the African visit, it was learned, is his wish to remain in constant communication with Prince Sadruddin Aga Khan, the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees, who is serving as the “focal point” for international relief in India.
Prince Sadruddin was in India Wednesday conferring with officials on the needs of an estimated six million people who have crossed the frontier from East Pakistan.
In his message to Emperor Haile Selassie U Thant referred to “the tragic problem of displace persons from East Pakistan to India.”
He said many concerned Governments had called on his good offices and on the servies of the U.N. and its were dear to him and independent Africa was a matter of much concern to the UN. His presence at the African meeting would have represented “an importnant symbol of close relationship between the United Nations and O.A.U.”
U.S. PLANES ARRIVE
Reuter correspondant Ian MacKenzie roported from Gauhati, Assam, that one of four American C-130 U.S. Air Force transport planes had arrived there to carry out an airlift of refugees from Tripura to Assam.
Two American Air Force C-141 Starlighter jet transports were also due in Gauhati with supplies and equipment to support the U.S. airlift.
CHOLERA AGAIN
Cholera has again erupted in the Indian state of West Bengal after showing signs of abating, West Bengal Health Minister Dr. Jainul Abedin said in Calcutta Wednesday.
Dr. Abedin said he had received reports that cholera was raging among refugees in Burdwan district, centred on the industrial Town of Burdwan about 90 kilometres (53 milles) northwest of Calcutta.
Burdwan district is due west of Nadia district, which borders East Pakistan and was the main area affected by the recent cholera epidemic among the 4,400,000 refugee in West Bengal.
Reference : The Djakarta Times, 18.06.1971