পাতা:বাংলাদেশের স্বাধীনতা যুদ্ধ দলিলপত্র (ত্রয়োদশ খণ্ড).pdf/৪৬৭

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বাংলাদেশের স্বাধীনতা যুদ্ধ দলিলপত্রঃ ত্রয়োদশ খণ্ড
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 a new priority on China, arc we going to simultaneously relegate India-a nation with which we have had 25 years of productive relations-to a new low in our priority?

 The fact is that throughout the past 8 months of crisis, our Government has consistently sought to minimize the seriousness of the situation in South Asia. At the very beginning of the crisis-during the days immediately following the bloody night of March 25, and after our Government knew of the situation from secret cables sent from Dacca by our Consul General-the Department of State refused to be candid, publicly or otherwise, even in announcing the emergency evacuation of American personnel and dependents. Instead of calling it an evacuation-which would have implicitly confirmed the reports of violence and repression, which the Pakistan Government was explicitly denying at the time-the State Department reached into its bag of euphemisms and called the exodus of U.S. personnel a simple thinning out of Americans.

 My concern over these early signs of disaster in East Bengal, and over our Government's inaction, were first stated on the Senate floor last April 1.I reiterated these views on April 6 in a letter to Secretary of State Rogers. My letter said in part:

 Reports from East Pakistan continue to tell of human tragedy as a result of the current civil war. Indications last week of indiscriminate killing and the threat of famine prompted me to express my deep concern over this situation on the Senate floor. The latest evidence from the field services to confirm my worst fears.

 Frankly it distresses me that our Government should be so silent-both privately and publicly-on the disaster overtaking Pakistan.

 I fully appreciate the immense difficulties involved in the East Pakistan issue. However. I believe our Government should protest actions that involve the widespread and indiscriminate shootings of civilians, particularly when American arms are being used. More importantly, we should do what we can to encourage an end to the violence, directly or through others. We should actively support and contribute to a relief program to help meet the humanitarian needs produced by the conflict. It would be reassuring to me and to many Americans, if we could be informed of our Government's active concern in these matters.

 Subsequently, our Government down-played the threat of food shortages and famine in East Bengal, and understated the role of American arms in our relations with the Yahya regime. These facts, Mr. President, are well documented in the hearing of the Subcommittee on Refugees and arc outlined in my November 1 report to the subcommittee. I ask unanimous consent that these excerpts from my report be printed in the RECORD at the conclusion of my remarks.

 Mr. President, we find that after 8 months of calculated indifference to the escalating tragedy in East Bengal-after months of silence in the face of massive human tragedy-the highest officials of this administration now tell us that they were in a “race against time” to preserve peace. But it is apparent that this “race” began only a few weeks ago-and far too late to be effective or even relevant.