পাতা:বাংলাদেশের স্বাধীনতা যুদ্ধ দলিলপত্র (ত্রয়োদশ খণ্ড).pdf/৮২০

792 ংলাদেশের স্বাধীনতা যুদ্ধ দলিলপত্রঃ ত্রয়োদশ খন্ড My delegation has also noted with deep interest the statement on the activities being undertaken by UNEPRO - United Nations East Pakistan Relief Operation. Suffering people are everywhere the same-refugees who seek shelter in a foreign land on the victims of the man-made disaster in their own country. But I should like to make, very briefly, one or two points regarding UNEPRO. First of all, certain circles in East Pakistan have expressed concern that the U.N. relief operations there might inadvertently assist the military regime. For example, let me refer to a report by Mr. Browne of The New York Times written from East Pakistan that appeared in its issue of November 17: "...once the supplies reach the final depots the responsibility of foreign relief organizations ends and distribution is handled by the army or its politically reliable 'peace committees', subject only to occasional spot checks by United Nations official. It is widely charged that the army is using the aid more as a political lever than for genuinely humanitarian purposes, with holding it from rebel areas..." Mr. Browne also noted: "The problem of helping feed the East Pakistanis was underscored by a foreign relief worker recently visiting the northern district of Rangpur, where pockets of near famine have been reported, due largely to lack of transportation. “We had to stop at a bridge to wait for a column of trucks to pass from the other direction', he related. These trucks were headed south, away from Rangpur, and they were loaded with Basmati Rice. “Although East Pakistan always has a rice deficit, the province grows this very high quality Basmati rice which enjoys a good market abroad, ordinarily, Pakistan exports this rice and sells it for hard currency, importing cheap rice from China and elsewhere for its own consumption. “But now it certainly does not look very good for donor nations to be struggling at great cost to bring rice into East Pakistan so that the Islamabad Government can go on making a profit on home grown rice. “Although East Pakistan always has a rice deficit, the province grows this very high quality Basmati rice which enjoys a good market abroad, ordinarily, Pakistan exports this rice and sells it for hard currency, importing cheap rice from China and elsewhere for its own consumption. “But now it certainly does not look very good for donor nations to be struggling at great cost to bring rice into East Pakistan so that the Islamabad Government can go on making a profit on home grown rice. “Bengalis argue, in fact, that continued food grain and other assistance to the Government is nearly as much resented as the recently discontinued United States policy of providing Pakistan with the spare parts needed to maintain her military air-lifts from West to East." These aspects of the operation have to be constantly watched and reviewed. We are glad that the representative of the UNEPRO in his statement has given recognition to some of these important problems. The news coming from East Pakistan is however not at an reassuring. Secondly, we doubt if the present impression of relationship that exists between the UNHCR operation in India and the UNEPRO is altogether relevant or wise. The Secretary-General launched UNEPRO as a humanitarian operation and this was never intended to be. nor can it ever be, a substitute for the political solution inside East Pakistan. Should the donor countries come to consider that the UNEPRO is a way of solving the refugee problem in India it would be both unrealistic and unfortunate. This committee will, I am