পাতা:বাংলাদেশের স্বাধীনতা যুদ্ধ দলিলপত্র (চতুর্থ খণ্ড).pdf/২৭৭

247 বাংলাদেশের স্বাধীনতা যুদ্ধ দলিল : চতুর্থ খন্ড শিরোনাম সূত্র তারিখ যুক্তরাষ্ট্রের কংগ্রেস সদস্যদের প্রতি বাংলাদেশ লীগ অব আমেরিকার ২৭ এপ্রিল, বাংলাদেশ লীগ অব আমেরিকার আবেদন দলিলপত্র Տի»Գծ TO THE HONORABLE MEMBERS OF THE CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES In December 1970, for the first time in its brief history as a nation, Pakistan held free and fair elections at the provincial and national levels. The national elections were designed to produce a constituent assembly which was to prepare a national constitution as a step toward the restoration of democratic government, absent from the country since 1958. The peoples of East Pakistan, or what is now called Bangladesh gave their overwhelming support (167 out of 169 seats for East Pakistan in the constituent assembly) to one party, the Awami League. The League under Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, had pledged to work for a national constitution which would grant more autonomy to the province of East Pakistan as a principal means of bringing an end to politico-economic discrimination against its citizens. And, as a result of this overwhelming support, the Awami League became the majority party in the constituent assembly, by virtue of which it would have been able to formulate a constitution of its choice. Nonetheless, for two months prior to the outbreak of violence, and before any convening of the assembly. Sheikh Mujibur attempted to work out a consensus with the leader of the principal minority party, Z. A. Bhutto, and Pakistani President Yahya Khan. Without warning on night of March 25, 1971, the negotiations were abruptly ended by premeditated military attacks against civilians, especially intellectuals, students, and political elites of the province. For more than a month now, the Government of Pakistan has been using brute military force to suppress a non-violent democratic movement, in Bangladesh. The Pakistani army has committed without discrimination acts of atrocity against the civilian population of all ages and both sexes resulting in casualties ranging somewhere between 200,000 and 1,000,000 persons. Contrary to the original intention of the American military alliance with Pakistan, the weapons and military supplies acquired through this alliance have been used against citizens of the country not a foreign enemy. These acts of genocide transgress all values which the civilized world has come to classify as basic human rights, and especially the right of life. By virtue of its military assistance to Pakistan, the United States has indirectly become a party to this instance of egregious inhumanity. And, while the United States cannot be expected to intervene to stop the Pakistani Government from using these weapons, it can take several measures which may help to stop the bloodshed and create a political community in that region which would be most consistent with the wishes of the Bengali people and restore political stability. The measures are as follows: 1. Diplomatic recognition of the Government of Bangladesh.