Items-In-Peace-Keeping Operations - India/Pakistan - Press Clippings
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UN Secretariat Item Scan - Barcode - Record Title Page 31 Date 30/05/2006 Time 9:39:26 AM S-0863-0003-05-00001 Expanded Number S-0863-0003-05-00001 items-in-Peace-keeping operations - India/Pakistan - press clippings Date Created 17/03/1970 Record Type Archival Item Container s-0863-0003: Peace-Keeping Operations Files of the Secretary-General: U Thant: India/Pakistan Print Name of Person Submit Image Signature of Person Submit Sheikh Blujibur Eahman—new Minster. P""(35 TSETWEEN" the 1st March Assembly from all parts of meetings which had been fix- ••"•* when there was a sudden Pakistan to co-operate with ed several weeks in advarcs announcement of the post- us in this historic task. On would not enable UK to travel ponement sine die of sitting of the 27th February v)e went to Rawalpindi at that time. to the extent of affirming that Furthermore, we had pointed the National Assembly and if any member prevents be- out that constitutional issues Sbeikls Blmjiibur Kahman, i the 6th March, the people of fore the Assemby anything were best: resolved within Uie in Bases. • Bangla Desh have been sub- Just and .reasonable we would National Assembly and its jected to military confronta- accept it. "But even this was Committees rather than by tion. There has been wide- ignored, 'it would appear deli- secret negotiations, and thnt spread firing upon unarmed berately and with motive. r.nce a National Assembly h:id civilians (workers, peasants been brought into beinc, and students) who had stood On the 1st March, by a ra- there was no justification for up to protest against the sud- dio statemet there was sudden any RTC or secret parleys. den and unwarranted post- postponement of the National ponement of the National Ass- Assembly sitting- Sine Die. The I have recounted all these embly. Those who have lost reason given was that there facts in detail to repudiate their lives during ,the* . last • should be more time for "un- the charge that the Awami £»! week are1 martyrs wjiio 'died derstanding," and It was said League has in any way obs- that 'th^re was "political con- tructed the transfer of power. protecting the democratic • frontaiwn -between the leaders The majority party is certain- rights of., the people against of East Pakistan and those of ly not the party which would the arbitrary and ufiwatra'ar-v, the West," Did the people of stand to gain by such obstruc- ted action of postponement, Bangla Desh not have suffi- tion. It is only too clear to sine die of the National Ass- cient reason to feel that their the people of the country anrl embly. It is indeed .a travesty. democratic right had been indeed to the world that it.is of the trujjth tp term '''these • grossly -.interfered With at 'the a minority group of the weft- martyrs as "destructive ele- behest' of an undemocratic mi- em wing, which has obstruct- ments" when, in fact, the real nority? Were there out en- ed and Is continuing f-o destructive,elements are those dugh grounds for them to feel obstruct the transfer of who are responsible for un- Mat a minority group had power. It would appear thnt leashing a veritable reign of aligned itself with certain for- the President has boen r.r.rinj- terror against the people of ces to obstruct the constitu- dering it his "moral obliga- Bangla Desh. It what the tional process and to deprive tion" to submit to the rHH:i- President calls "minimum" the majority of the people of fion of his minority -?rotTo. «ac of fojfCe has resulted in their rights? Indeed these ap- The dfwoc'ratic way of life ;thousands f casualties, are prehensions were further forti- cannot be established nor cm O fied by the steady military power bft transferred to I1!? ,W6 ta- understand that what build up which became evi- .£. he "calls "adequate" force people if a minority •TTOUD .dent.- This showed that poli- conspires with the vept.cd would ajm at extermination? tical confrontation was soon interests to frustrate- fh^ The armed forces have "been to be 'followed by "military democratic . process. Tf th« armed at great'cost, to the confrontation" if the majority d^rnocratic way of life ^« fip nation in order to repel did not submit to the dictation ultimate casualty ar>d 'f the foreign aggressors and not. for ; of. tiie minority group. P^OpO-'Pcl f.TWlsfof Of noi'-c-i- 15 exercise or~TTuthority by li the purpose of mowing down abortpd, this mi'iovitv groin> elected representatives of: tl civilian population. Today in Conspiracy nnd those who .colluded ivi*,h people. Bangla Desh people require it shall not e.^can This brings ws to the que; protection against the excesses . we had warned In litv. tion of the sitting of th being committed by the uni- our statement of the 24th Feb- .'Al'" thn>rr> VPVV National Assembly announce lormed personnel from the ruary, that darji conspiratorial the "handful of ncnple" for the 2;ith March. Wt. I'" •isther " }H*< r& ^ * i t,tJ i-i a.^rprlec! the urgency in res. "'"liife"^'!!"' arffiy'-'of "bceupatsoii. people -were to take over power afjwFv of f.br1' uertpffi to petit of. an early sitting. But It is .said that the postpone- through the democratic pro- today a grai'C find abnofftial ment of the National Assem- cess. The microscopic mino- icr ? The ines'.io'i ^v-'h situation 'IKS been created- A bly has been' "misunder- rity, which represented the ves- every right 'tliir'rtni? "f^trn virtual feign of terror '-ha1? stood". I would like to.ask ted Interests of the western been created in pui'sunnCS" 'of the President whether or not wing, had by sabotaging de- fJie AtJn^d Forr-ps r"n "ic c—'-7. the policy of mllitaty con- this postponement was effec- mocracy deprived the seventy to, be r?5eoh.srp''*i'*'ffipT" fluff frontation of the civilian ted solely.in response to the five; million people of Bangla rvf . p.nfiurini? *he jnfoerifv, population of Bangla D-ssh.. machinations of ... a single Desh, • as • they did the oppres- a.ncf switritv of Ca.sualties in thousands liave party-constituting a minority sed masses of the Western been reported and the cry of of the total members against Wing:, of their basic rights. In "genocide must ,°top" has been the declared wishes'. of the -1S53 the Bengali Prime Minis- i^v pn raised on all sides, including ter was dismissed by a conspi- majority .party and,'also those 1 thfv npf in fart, aofi the common people 'of West of jiumarous members, from ; racy of the . Punjabi ruling force of Pakistan and right-thinking the Western, wing.?, We had clique, to 1954, the elected people all over the world. suggested the 15th February Government in East . Bengal The member,?; ' of the was dismissed and the Consti- . Today after the elections National Assembly cannot be as the date for the first sit- tuent Assembly was dismissed the only legitimate source of expected to discharge their ting, while the minority by the same, clique. When authority in the country are duties in an atmosphere of group in question had indica- , general elections were to be ithe elected representatives of terror. So long as this state of ted a preference for the first held in early '1959 the vested the people, ivb individual csn confrontations as also the in- week of March. It was the interests, of the Punjab once claim .'.authority superior to flow of army nersonnel and minority group's view which again struck and Usurped that, of the elected representa- arms from the Western Wing was accepted and the Assem- power. Today; the Punjabi orul- tives. ; • .- ' continues, so long as the ing ' coterie is- attempting to bly was summoned on the ; We, ag the representatives <rf atmosphere of repression is 3rd March. But then the repeat tliia disgraceful history.' '+he Loverwhelmin<? ,ma.1oH*v of maintained, so long as there same minority group saised But they :, should know that are daily report of military the awakened masses" of Ban- the ,'peoole of Ban^ln Des'h, objections to participations in . assert fhat we are ' the on'.v firing upon civilians in differ- gla Vesh as .also the oppressed ent parts of Bang'Ia Desh, the the National Assembly.. First, masses .of the-: Western . ' wing 'estimate so'irce of author? fv it took up the highly objec- for'-Saflfla pefh. Indeed by members, from Bangla Desh • shall resist their foul conspira- 1 could hardly be expected to tionable position that * • its cies by every'means, possible. virtue' of our majority pos' - members would be. in "jeo- tion we. are :thp : ]p*itim*te contemplate participating in pardy" if they came to Dacca To set the record straight, EOitfce of . ''authority' for ,tnp the National..Assembly at gun- and that they would be 1 should make"it'! clear' that *"h'ole; country, ..Tb** events of point. ; If the President sincerely "double hostages". There- I' h'ad:,,never ,rcoriveyed 'any the - last sevfn (Jays havp desires that the National after, this party took up .the impression -that an BTC-type show' n that all brnnche' ? of position that it would !only of; conference, should be,.Tield. Assembly^ as the sovereign attend the National Ass.enibly Tchad only conveyed to, the throughout BanpJq fctesh body of the elected represen- on the 'terms dictated by it. President that, he should come siccetrted te 'as the so\trc° of tative of the people, should jto Dacca in order to see the- lesitlnrate a'tithor'tv f>nfl .have function then the following It then, went .