পাতা:বাংলাদেশের স্বাধীনতা যুদ্ধ দলিলপত্র (চতুর্দশ খণ্ড).pdf/২৭২

এই পাতাটির মুদ্রণ সংশোধন করা হয়েছে, কিন্তু বৈধকরণ করা হয়নি।
বাংলাদেশের স্বাধীনতা যুদ্ধ দলিলপত্রঃ চতুর্দশ খন্ড
240
শিরোনাম সূত্র তারিখ
১০২। দক্ষিণ এশিয়ার বিপর্যয় এড়ানোর পন্থা নিউজ উইক ২৫ অক্টোবর, ১৯৭১

NEWS WEEK, OCTOBER 25, 1971

AVOIDING DISASTER IN SOUTH ASIA

By William P. Bundy

 The sheer horror of the Pakistan reign of terror in East Bengal and of the resulting refugee situation in India has been almost obsessive in recent months. It has, perhaps for others besides myself. drowned out real efforts to think through the future there. But such efforts are vital. For the next three months are absolutely critical: they are, in fact, likely to decide whether the horror can be brought under control and whether the even worse horror of outright war between India and Pakistan can be averted.

 But, critical in what ways? And what do we do-"We” being the nations of the world, but above all, the U. S.?

 The minimum objective is clear enough. A political situation which will stop and in time, reverse the refugee flow must be one that minimally satisfies the aspirations of the bulk of the people of East Bengal. Whether defined in practical or moral terms, this means at the very least bringing back Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and granting East Pakistan a far higher degree of autonomy than any West Pakistan leader, military or civilian, has yet visualized. Very likely it means an independent Bangladesh in time, but to attempt this at one bite would be to trigger a renewed blood bath, one cannot strike final solutions while passions are as hot as they are now. Time and a reduction of pressures on all three parties-the Pakistan Government, India and the Awami League leaders of East Bengal-are vital elements.

Build Up Of Pressures

 The measure of the crisis, however, is that time is mow running against all three primary parties, and the pressures, far from being reduced, are building up. In addition to the trial of Mujibur Rahman himself, at least three fuses are lit and running, anyone of which could explode in the critical three months. One is the distribution of food within East Bengal. A second, closely related, is the peace of activity of the Indiasupported guerrilla movement there, the Mukti Bahini or Liberation Army.

 A third fuse, set for perhaps eight to twelve months, is the economic situation in West Pakistan, which is heavily dependent on foreign aid. Beyond all this, and in the longer run perhaps the most ominous threat of all, is the effect of the crisis on Indian economic development. Mrs. Gandhi's triumphant clection last March seemed a last chance for India to get on top of its problems. And renewing India's forward progress is critical to the survival of a united India.