বাংলাদেশের স্বাধীনতা যুদ্ধ দলিলপত্র (ত্রয়োদশ খণ্ড)/৭৪
| শিরোনাম | সূত্র | তারিখ |
| মার্কিন সামরিক সাহায্য কর্মসূচির পুন: আলোচনা দাবীঃ সিনেটর মণ্ডেল-এর বিবৃতি ও চিঠি | প্রেস বিজ্ঞপ্তি | ৮ই এপ্রিল, ১৯৭১ |
WASHINGTON, D. C., April 8-Senator Walter F. Mondale (D-Minn.) commenting on the civil strife in East Pakistan, called today for a re-examination of the United States' “entire military aid program."
"We may well discover that most of our military aid is not only a waste of the taxpayer's money, but does more harm than good,” Mondale said in a statement released from his office, “The events in East Pakistan are one more compelling reason why the Congress must reexamine our entire military aid program."
In a related action, Mondale and Senators Muskie, Brooke and Hatfield sent a letter to Secretary of state William P. Rogers expressing their concern, over the recent bloodshed in East Pakistan and asking him to detail “the extent, magnitude and timing" of all U. S. aid to Pakistan.
Here is the text of Mondale's statement, followed by the letter to Rogers:
"Like so many civil wars, the conflict in East Pakistan is a complex tragedy."
If we are not to repeat; costly mistakes of the past, the United States must refrain from any judgments or intervention with regard to the two sides in this strife. For that reason, I strongly support the stated policy of the Administration that the United States will not interfere in the political or military aspects of the quarrel
But non-interference must be more than diplomatic rhetoric. There is something very wrong when guns, tanks, and planes supplied by the United States are used against the very people they are supposed to protect. There is something very wrong with a military aid policy which lends itself to this travesty in so many countries around the world.
It is one thing for the state Department to declare our neutrality. But if you are a Bengali, a Greek or a Brazilian being fire at by an American weapon or strafed by an American jet, the united states has already very much intervened in your life. We should ask why this happened in Pakistan. But frankly, there is little our Government can do now to prevent American weapons from being used as they now are being used in that country,
We can take steps, however, to prevent the future use of American supplied weapons in such situations.
We should look again at the whole range of our military aid programs. We should ask whether they are really serving the interests of U. S. security are they instead merely being used by one faction or another in internal disputes which do not, affect our security. We may well discover that most of our military aid is not only a waste of the taxpayer's money, but does more harm than good. The events in East Pakistan are one more compelling reason why the congress must re-examine our entire military aid program.
Finally, it is inexcusable that the United States has been so long in expressing its concern to the Government of Pakistan over the hideous loss of civilian life in the East.
A nation founded on the basis of decent humanitarian principles should express such concern as a matter of course. But when weapons supplied by that nation are being used to kill and main-by either side in an internal conflict-then that nation has an inescapable responsibility to speak out.
When bureaucratic inertia or political equivocation silence basic humanitarian concern, we lose what could be best and most honest about America's foreign policy."
Dear Mr. Secretary,
We are deeply disturbed over the recent bloodshed in East Pakistan. Journalists and other eyewitnesses report much indiscriminate Killing of unarmed civilians.
In the interest of genuine non-interference by the United States in these political and military developments, it seems to us very important that any American involvement or responsibility in the civil strife in Pakistan-even the most indirect-be clarified and detailed as thoroughly as possible. We would therefore appreciate your response to the following questions:
1.What is the extent, magnitude and timing of our military aid commitments to Pakistan in the current and upcoming fiscal years, including grants and sales, both lethal and nonlethal spares, and regular military shipments? Have American arms been used against unarmed civilians in the current Pakistani civil strife? What would be our response if the Government of Pakistan asked us for additional military assistance?
2. What is the extent, magnitude and timing of our bilateral economic aid to Pakistan (exclusive of shipments under PL. 480 and cyclone reconstruction aid) in the current and upcoming fiscal years? What is the magnitude of our aid to Pakistan through multilateral organizations? Has this aid, directly or indirectly, been used in support of military actions by either side in the Pakistani civil strife? Could it be so used?
3. What is the extent, magnitude and timing of our economic aid to Pakistan under each title of PL. 480 in the current and upcoming fiscal years? Again, do we have any evidence that this aid is being used, or could be used, directly or indirectly in support of military actions in the Pakistani civil strife?
4. With regard to our commitment of relief for cyclone victims in East Pakistan, can we expect that this relief will continue to reach those- in need under the current circumstances? Is it practical to make this cyclone aid available directly to the victims through a recognized international agency, such as the Red Cross or Care?
These questions, of course, reflect our concern for the most scrupulous observance of our state policy of non-interference in this conflict. We have no intention of prejudging the issues between East and West Pakistan.
We look forward to your reply.
/SI