Non-aligned plea for world action on Bangladesh
September 30, 1971
NON-ALIGNED JOINT COMMUNIQUE
Foreign ministers of about 50 non-aligned nations today approved a communique that included a plea for international action on the Bangladesh refugee problem.
The communique said, "A humanitarian problem of unprecedented dimensions has arisen as a result of the pouring of people across international frontiers into India. This massive influx of refugees, which is still continuing, imposes a tremendous burden on India and calls for early and effective action including action at the international level to stem the flow of these refugees, to alleviate their suffering and to promote all the conditions necessary which create confidence and ensure the inalienable rights of the refugees and their return to their homeland safely and speedily."
PAKISTAN ASKS INDIA TO SEND BACK REFUGEES
Pakistan said today it had not asked India to help the country solve its internal problems, but to send back East Pakistan refugees to their homeland. Mahmoud Ali, leader of the Pakistan delegation to the UN General Assembly, told the assembly, "My government has given proof of its desire to find settlement with India not of Pakistan's internal problems but the refugee problem."
Mahmoud Ali's remarks were part of a series of exchanges that began on September 27, 1971 in the general debate between the India and the Pakistan delegations.
Referring to the call for political solution in East Pakistan, Mahmoud Ali said, "The president of Pakistan is moving toward a political solution and is attaining it." He alleged that India was helping East Pakistan insurgents.
ROGERS AND GROMYKO DISCUSS BANGLADESH
The US Secretary of State William Rogers and the Soviet Foreign Minister Gromyko in their annual round of talks held today in Washington agreed on the need to prevent the escalation of tension created by the massive flow of refugees from East Pakistan to India. They felt the need to counsel India and Pakistan to have discussion to see if some solutions to the Bangladesh problem could be worked out.
BANGLADESH DAY OBSERVED
The chancellor of the University of Saskatchewan declared September 30 as Bangladesh Day. Bangladesh Association of Saskatchewan organised an elaborate daylong programme for the observance of the day. The campus community demonstrated its support for the Bangladesh cause by participating in all the programmes.
On the same day, Bangladesh Crisis Committee organised a public meeting to educate the people about the situation in Bangladesh. The committee was formed at the University of Minnesota, and it was sponsored by the faculty members of the university.
ON THE WAR FRONT
Mukti Bahini today engaged Pakistani troops who were indulging in looting Jafflong market of Sylhet district, and killed eight enemy soldiers.
Four Pakistani soldiers were killed in Jambari area of Cumilla district.
Shamsuddoza Sajen is a journalist and researcher. He can be contacted at [email protected]
Comments