Mitro Bahini closing in on Dhaka
December 10, 1971
KISSINGER'S MESSAGE TO FARLAND
In a backchannel message, Henry Kissinger, the US president's Assistant for national security affairs, informed US Ambassador to Pakistan Joseph Farland, "We are making strongest démarche to Soviets today which proposes that they join with us in supporting provisos : (a) India and Pakistan should agree to an immediate ceasefire with the separate armed forces "standing fast"; and that the United Nations or other international organization provide observers to see that the ceasefire is effective; (b) that India and Pakistan "at any effective level" immediately open negotiations aimed at a settlement of the war and troop withdrawal; and coincident therewith negotiations be started looking towards the political satisfaction of Bengali aspirations; i.e., a political settlement."
Kissinger asked Farland to discuss the provisos with Pakistan President Yahya Khan and added, "You should emphasize that the president [Nixon] has made the strongest démarche to the Soviets and included warning to them that we have obligations towards Pakistan which will not permit aggression against West Pakistan. The president added that should Indian offensive be launched in the West, with Soviet acquiescence, a US/Soviet confrontation would ensue."
Later, on the same day, after having a discussion with Yahya, Farland informed Kissinger that the Pakistan president "bought" the original proposal as delivered. He, however, added that Yahya initially indicated strong objections because "Russia is giving India everything she wants."
ON THE WAR FRONT
Mitro Bahini was poised for a final drive on Dhaka today, according to Indian military officials.
A spokesman for the Indian Army's Eastern Command said at a briefing in Kolkata tonight that the Indian forces were consolidating near Bhairab Bazar, on the Meghna's western bank, and had not yet begun the drive. The spokesman added, however, that "from here, Dhaka is directly threatened without any major obstruction."
Mitro Bahini had bypassed or encircled major border towns, including Cumilla, Rangpur, Dinajpur and Sylhet, in the drive towards Dhaka. At least one Pakistani brigade was cut off in the Chattogram area. A brigade at Jessore reportedly retreated to the Kushtia area in the north.
On the western front, Pakistanis launched a large attack in the Chhamb area of southwestern Kashmir.
OUR GOAL FREEING BANGLADESH: GANDHI
Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi said today that India would keep fighting until Pakistani troops were driven out of Bangladesh. She was addressing a student rally in New Delhi.
The Indian prime minister said that her government was considering the United Nations ceasefire resolution but that "nothing can deter us from driving the occupation forces out of the region and helping the Bangladesh people live in peace and prosperity."
Indira Gandhi, apparently aiming at the US, told the students that "certain countries giving us aid are angry with us because we could not possibly act on their advice, which we thought was not in our country's interests."
Later, in a broadcast to the armed forces, the Indian prime minister said, "Fight well, my countrymen. Victory will be ours."
"NOTHING SHORT OF INDEPENDENCE": JUSTICE CHOWDHURY
In an interview at the UN Headquarters in New York, leader of Bangladesh delegation Justice Abu Sayeed Chowdhury said today, "The government of Bangladesh alone can speak for our people; no other government can do so, not even India, because our people will accept nothing short of independence."
Even though most of the UN member countries, 104 of 131 United Nations members, voted in the General Assembly for a resolution that was supported by Pakistan and opposed by India, Justice Chowdhury expressed the hope that majority of the world's governments would decide to recognise Bangladesh.
He added, "The most basic principles of the United Nations Charter is self-determination, and this is what is involved in the creation of Bangladesh."
"We are a separate people, a different ethnic group with different language and customs, and we have been ruled by people a thousand miles away. This is the classic definition of a colony."
Indian delegate to UN, Samar Sen, today said that India would not negotiate a ceasefire unless a representative of Bangladesh was present.
He pointed out that the assembly merely called for a ceasefire, withdrawal of Indian and Pakistani armed forces and restoration of order. It had not pronounced itself for or against Bangladesh, he emphasised.
Shamsuddoza Sajen is a journalist and researcher. He can be contacted at [email protected]
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