Bangla Desh Refugees
By S. Atmadjaja
The civil war in Bengal (East Pakistan), be it an internal or international affair, is a subject to be debated upon conclusively in the world capitals by policy makers, diplomats and leaders. The civil war has produced at least one clear international problem. It is the refugee problem. Reportedly, the number of refugees crossed over to India has reached nearly 4 million. More coming daily.
The refugees are all human beings. Their suffering is the concern of entire human population. It is the Human obligation to help their destitute fellow being. Human being irrespective of race, colour and religion is the best of creation. The service to humanity is a service to human Creator.
It is not possible for India to shoulder the burden alone. All human being of the world should contribute towards its solution. A country may like to maintain a nonintervention policy in the civil war. But its coming forward for the cause of suffering humanity would not be an intervention in any way. Efforts of U.N, agencies and individual philanthrophists may alleviate the suffering to some extent. Needs of refugees are numerous. Even the smallest amount of U.S. dollar one from any individual would be gratefully welcomed. It is hoped the response would be encouraging.
Again, there is another kind of refugees. Those are still inside the troubled area. The army, being harassed, chased the guerillas from village to village. In chasing, the army burnt the civilian houses and shot hundreds of unarmed people at sight. The process is continuing. This barbarism drove a bulk of population from their villages, homes and lands to remote places. They have lost their belongings; they are deprived of the peaceful conditions to work on their lands. Tit-bits of information coming out from inside indicates famine has seriously threatened and even alredy took many lives.
The Islamabad government earlier propagated the food position there as better. Its policy was presumably to bring the people to submission by creating hardships, miseries and devastation. This is fulfilled at least outwardly. The people reportedly are though working under duress but show their loyalty by hanging a Pakistan flag at their chest and on houses. The flags are seen fluttering on ruins and devastations.
Being pressed from certain influential quarters, the government changed its earlier stand and admitted the serious shortage of food, medicines and other necessary supplies. But it still insists that the relief supplies from any source would be distributed by local administration. This is again a naked trick to conceal army barbarism. Relief giving agencies should be careful, otherwise the supplies would not reach to the deserving people.
Pakistan never admitted the exodus of refugees to india. It always said only the Indian infiltrators were pushed out. Much to the surprise of the world, President Yahya Khan announced in his Karachi press conference that genuine refugees might return to their homes. One may question the distinction between ‘genuine’ refugees and other kinds. From reports of British M. Ps. U.N. Refugee Commission representative and other sources, it is clear that all these refugees came from troubled. Bangla Desh. They all have a right to go back to their homes when the situation there is normal.
Refugees are so big in numbers, it is not possible for any world organisation to feed and shelter them for a longer time. And the refugees are also not willing to live on alms or be nomades in other countries. The major powers, especially the aid giving countries to Pakistan must persuade the Islamabad government to create a peaceful condition in Bengal and allow all refugees to return home.
Pakistan is predominently a Muslim country. There are other Muslim countries in the world. Some of them are close partners with Pakistan in some mutual benefit associations. Islam professes peace. Strangely, when peace is disturbed resulting so much killing, fleeing, destitution and devastation in a greatly Muslim majority area, no muslim country came forward with a peace proposal. In respect of population. Bengal would stand probaly second in the muslim world. The indifferent attitude of the Muslim countries to the distress of their fellow brethren has terribly shaken confidence of unity among Muslim countries and Islam is a weak tie for any unification move.
Pakistan committeed two most condemnable actions- killing of unarmed civillan and glaring murder of democracy. Democracy in Pakistan was slow-poisoned long before and its death has occured now. Humanitarian people all around the world are shocked at the mass killing and democracy loving nations are disdainful at the murder of democracy, Any aid- economic, military, technical, political or moral to Pakistan will only encourage perpetuation of henious actions. An appeal is therefore made to all nations to discourage this. The appeal is for the sake of humanity.
Reference : The Djakarta Times, 10.06.1971