পাতা:বাংলাদেশের স্বাধীনতা যুদ্ধ দলিলপত্র (ত্রয়োদশ খণ্ড).pdf/৫৭

ংলাদেশের স্বাধীনতা যুদ্ধ দলিলপত্রঃ ত্রয়োদশ খন্ড more can be achieved than merely through the United Nations or by this country acting alone. There is no question that the present horrors in East Pakistan present a real problem which affects not merely the moral sense of the House but the whole question of stability in that part of the world. As the Hon, member for Kensington, North made clear, there are other forces trying to batten on the misery of people so as to disturb an area where absence of strife is essential for world peace. I regard this as a matter of real concern, not just because of the feeling we have for these people who are suffering-and many of us have friends in Pakistan-but because of the real danger that this could create to the stability of Asia. Therefore, just to rely on the United Nations to produce an improved situation is, alas, not enough. With our experience from the past, this effort would have to be on a larger and far more profound scale than has so far been envisaged by Her Majesty's Government. Here I immediately join forces with the Right Hon. Member for Fulham. I believe that the Commonwealth Secretariat would have a real part to play, and I think that, that should be invoked. But there are two other areas outside the United Nations where pressure could be brought and help could be made available to deal with the immediate problem of food distribution. I believe that under the CENTO pact-which, after all, is of great importance to Pakistan, and of which we and Turkey, among others are members-a proposal should be made that engineering troops should be made available to deal with those problems which are essentially of an engineering nature and which are clearly beyond the possibility of the Pakistan Army to deal with. I believe also, as has been suggested by the Right Hon. Member for Fulham, that it should be put to the Pakistan Government that observers should be allowed to see that the food which is available is getting in and is being delivered. Lastly, I believe that we have a position of responsibility and of importance, which has been touched on by my Right Hon. Friend, and that we should make it clear that it is impossible to extend aid until such time as the infrastructure is there for the reception of aid. I do not believe this is a threat. This is a matter of reality, and my Right Hon. Friend touched on it with a great sense of responsibility and of not pushing the point too far. Quite apart from any humanitarian matter-and that affects us all as individualsbut as a House of Commons bringing influence to bear on our Government. We suggest that this country and our Government should not be timid in what they attempt to do. As a leading member of the Commonwealth, as a leading economic power and as possibly the most important and dynamic member of the CENTO pact, we have the opportunity of seeing that this terrible situation is controlled and does not become, as it so easily could, a menace to the peace of the world. 11.59 a.m. Mr. Peter Shore (Stepney): I join Right Hon. and Hon. Members in congratulating my Hon. Friend the Member for Kensington, North (Mr. DouglasMann) on bringing his Motion before the House. I express thanks to him, also, and to other Right Hon. and Hon. Members who have been to East Pakistan so far as they were able to do so, and who have come back with first-hand accounts of what they found there. I pay that tribute for the