Former Indonesian Foreign Minister Mohammad Roem asked; Are we to concern ourselves only with the result- refugees - and not the cause?”
Dr. Roem, in direct opposition to his country’s stand, said the Bangladesh issue could not be considered an internal issue as it was a threat to world peace.
He also emphasized that the first issue was the release of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. He said. “One Sheikh Mujibur Rahman dead is more dangerous than a thousand Sheikhs alive.”
Professor Stanley Plastrick of New York said that as far as the Americans were concerned “one Vietnam was more than enough for a century. They do not want a second Vietnam.”
He regretted that despite protest and pressure from all sections of U.S opinion, the administration had placed the United states in a position where “apart from the military rulers of Pakistan, the U.S bears the responsibility of all that has happened in Bangladesh.
Polls will tell
Prof. Plastrick said in the next year’s Presidential election, the administration was sure to get a surprise at the hands of the shocked people of the United states.
British House of Commons Socialist member Fred Evans finished his pungent hard-hitting speech with “joy Bangla: Joy Freedom Fighter.”
MR. Gani Fawehinmi of the Nigerian Lawyers Association said, “We will not allow the millions of people of Bengal to be crushed.
He called upon the world community to ensure that bombs, guns and death did not succeed in crushing the aspirations of the people of Bangladesh who, he said, were the victims of continued exploitation and were now demanding what was just.
Vice President of the War Want Sir George Catlin of the United Kingdom said the conference should press the United Nations to take effective measures that the democratic wishes of the people of Bangladesh were fulfilled and an end put to their unparalleled misery.
Prof. Tsuyoshi Nara of Japan, who had come to the conference despite a protest by the Pakistani ambassador in Japan called for ways and measures for ensure that the Bangladesh problem did not erupt into a major Asian war decided by world powers.
Mr. Clovis Maksoud of Egypt also speaking for Libya and Sudan, said the problem of Bangladesh must not be made a part of the Indo Pakistan dispute.
In an impassioned speech he said the release of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was the concern of all humanity; Mr. Maksoud said denying justice to the people of East Bengal was perpetrating a racialist policy.
