Question: Now you have spoken of the first steps which are necessary to do something about this inundation of refugees and you have said that first of all continuing exodus must be stopped, but what first steps can be taken to stop that?
The Prime Minister: Well, surely that the massacre there stops, the rape stops, the burning of villages stops.
Question: You have spoken of first steps needed to improve the situation, the first step being to stop the exodus of refugees. Now can it not be fairly put to you that you are contributing in a way to be exodus of the refugees by you support for the Pakistan guerillas who are operating in East Pakistan-Pakistan army takes reprisals against them, against villages which harbor the guerilla fighters and that causes the exodus, or is at least in part responsible for it. Now must not you, in effect, face the question of having to reduce your support for the guerilla armies operating in Last Pakistan?
The Prime Minister: Does that mean we allow a massacre to continue? What happened first? How many people were killed according to your correspondents of British newspapers, of American newspapers, of French newspaper. Canadian Newspapers, Arabian Newspapers? The massacre began long before there was a single guerilla.
Question: But as a contribution to quietening the situation as I say..
The Prime Minister: Now, what does quietening mean? Does it mean that we allow... We support the genocide, and do you think it can be stopped? Do you think people are going to sit aside and watch their women raped in front of them? And say that ‘No, we are going to quieten the situation’. That is not quietness. That is the worst possible type of war, it is the worst possible type of violence.
Question: But how then, without something done to control the guerilla activity in return for greater discipline by the Pakistan army can you secure these first steps?
The Prime Minister: When Hitler was on the rampage, why didn't you say ‘Let’s keep quiet and let‘s have peace in Germany and let the Jews die, or let Belgium die, let France die. Would you say that was quiet?
Question: But how do you propose to bring about these first steps to control the exodus...?
The Prime Minister: It is not for us to this would never have happened if the world community had woken up to the fact when we first drew their attention to it. They knew this was happening the newspaper people were sending reports. We got most of our news from the British, the American and other foreign papers.
Question: So what do you believe are the broad outlines for a settlement?
The Prime Minister: We cannot decide on a settlement for the people of Bangladesh. That is a decision which only they themselves can take. But I, can only say that to have a re-election of all seats which are already occupied to which people have been elected in a democratic and free election, is farcical to say the least.
