বাংলাদেশের স্বাধীনতা যুদ্ধ দলিলপত্রঃ ত্রয়োদশ খণ্ড
| শিরোনাম | সূত্র | তারিখ |
| পূর্ব পাকিস্তানে শোকাবহ ঘটনা ঘটছেঃ সিনেটর হ্যারিস-এর মন্তব্য ও পররাষ্ট্রসচিব উইলিয়াম, রজার্স-এর লিখিত চিঠি | সিনেটের কার্যবিবরণী | ১লা এপ্রিল, ১৯৭২ |
APPALLING TRAGEDY IN EAST PAKISTAN
Mr. HARRIS. Mr. President, an appalling tragedy is taking place in East Pakistan about which the world remains ignorant because West Pakistani authorities have cynically expelled foreign journalists. It would appear that only in this way may their soldiers kill in peace.
The New York Times, March 31, cites “unimpeachable independent sources" in New Delhi who claim that the Pakistani soldiers have been dragging political leaders in East Pakistan into the streets where they are summarily shot. There are reports, unconfirmed that execution squads led by informers are now systematically tracking down and killing East Pakistani intellectual leaders so that the people of that region will forever remain without a voice.
These outrages reportedly are being committed in the name “of God and a united Pakistan."
Some reports may be sensationalized accounts of isolated crimes. Because of the Pakistani Government's policy of excluding the press, we do not know. But the unwillingness of the Pakistani authorities to admit foreign newsmen must cause us to conclude that at least some of the reports are true.
The world must end its silence. At this point only the Indian Government has gone on record in condemnation of current events in Pakistan. But Indian protests can only be marginal in effectiveness and subject to misinterpretation in purpose because of the long hatred between the two countries. It is sad to report that because of the vast human destruction brought about by our involvement in Vietnam, the United States is also not in a position to take a moral lead.
We do not however, have to remain inactive. We should pointedly announce that we are halting all military and economic aid to Pakistan for the time being. Meanwhile, we can urge others, particularly countries in Asia, to take the moral lead in such forums as the United Nations.
I urge other Senators to join me in asking the administration to give the situation in Pakistan the highest priority. We cannot sit with our hands folded as a generation of leaders in East Pakistan may be on the way to final destruction...........
