accepted these assurance: he had chosen the path of negotiation. We know now that the whole negotiations were a fake: a cover behind which military preparations for the massacre were proceeding.
The killings which were carried out on 25th March, 1971, and on the days which followed, brought a violent end to the state of Pakistan after 23 years. They also brought into being the new state of the People's Republic of Bangladesh.
RECOGNITION OF BANGLADESH. From every possible viewpoint Bangladesh has established its rights to international recognition. The leaders won the votes of 80% of the population; the Awami League had a clear majority in the Provincial and National Assemblies. But Bangladesh will NOT be recognized at least not yet. It is inconvenient for the Great Powers to do so. The people of Bangladesh will fight on until they achieve self-determination. Their appeal is for moral and martial assistance in their struggle. Every day more lives are lost and more of the country's resources are destroyed.
WHY THE GENOCIDE? These actions of the corrupt ruling class in West Pakistan are not a sudden act of folly; they are the logical and necessary outcome of the policies of economic exploitation and political oppression followed ever since Pakistan was established in 1947.
HOW WEST PAKISTAN EXPLOITED THE EAST
Here are some of the basic facts of the economic domination of East Pakistan and the subordination of East Pakistan's interests to those of the West.
1. INCOME. There was a great disparity in the per capita income of West Pakistan and East Pakistan. In 1952-1960, the income in the West was 30% more than in the East. And by 1969-70 it was 61% more. Thus in ten years the income gap had doubled in terms of percentages.
2. INVESTMENT. This situation arose because Pakistan's investment funds derived from internal sources and foreign aid was directed mainly to West Pakistan's population of 75 million is 60% of the whole. But in the period 1950-1955 East Pakistan received only 20% of central government expenditure. And the peak during the Third Five Year Plan period 1965-70 was still only 36%.
East Pakistan's share of private investment was less than 25% in that period.
3. TRADE. Between 1950 and 1970 East Pakistan's foreign exports earnings were between 50% and 70% of the total exports eamings of Pakistan. But East Pakistan's share of imports from abroad was between 25% and 30%. Over the period 1948-69 East Pakistan transferred to West Pakistan resources to the amount of S 2.6 million.
(All of these figures are obtained from official statistics issued by the Central Statistical Office of the Government of Pakistan and from the Reports of the Advisory Panels of the 4th Five Year Plan, 1970-75, Vol 1, Planning Commission, Government of Pakistan, July 1970.)
