পাতা:বাংলাদেশের স্বাধীনতা যুদ্ধ দলিলপত্র (চতুর্দশ খণ্ড).pdf/৫৪০

508 বাংলাদেশের স্বাধীনতা যুদ্ধ দলিলপত্রঃ চতুর্দশ খন্ড ૨રે | ASIAN TOPICAL TALKS PAKISTAN’S WHITE PAPER 6th August 1971 by Mark Tully (S) The Pakistan Government has issued a white paper called the crisis in East Pakistan. Mark Tully looks at the white paper. The white paper sets out the Pakistan government's version of the events which led up to the military action on March 25th and those which immediately followed this action, The white paper says that the Federal Government acted on March 25th to restore law and order which had completely broken down. It blames the crisis on the failure of the elected representatives to reach agreement on the constitution. They could not agree on the constitution, the white paper says, because the leaders of the Awami League had moved from their original demand for provincial autonomy to a demand for secession. The white paper accuses the Awami League leaders of planning an armed uprising with the help of India. It sets out in detail the case for Indian involvement going back to the Agartala conspiracy case of 1967. The white paper also lists the reported atrocities committed under what it describes as the Awami League's reign of terror. Not all the dates which these atrocities were committed are listed in the report but the report does indicate that many of them were committed after the army action started. The white paper also gives a detailed version of the negotiations between the President and the political leaders in Dacca from 15th March to 25th March. One of the difficulties the white paper presents to students of events in East Pakistan is that it makes no attempt to discuss the Awami Leaguers case. It is a one sided version of events and as such many people will take it less seriously than they would have done had it examined the facts from more than one point of view. Two examples of this might be quoted. Much is made in the white paper of the killings by the Awami League but there isn't even any mention of killings and destruction by the army. No attempt is even made to justify them as militarily essential. Again the repot does not try to assess the effect in East Pakistan of the President's announcement on March 1st that he was postponing the National Assembly. Many observers believe that this one single action did more to destroy confidence in the President's good intentions in East Pakistan than anything else. The white paper just quotes the President's speech in which he admitted that one of the reasons he was postponing the assembly silting was because the major party in West Pakistan has threatened to boycott the session. It then goes on to say boldly "The response of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was to call for a general strike." The timing of the report is also a little difficult to understand. The Pakistan Government says that the atrocities and acts of lawlessness committed by the Awami League militants before March 25th were not publicized to avoid possible reprisals. But in his speech broadcast to the nation of March 26th President Yahya Khan said "A number of murders have been committed in the name of the Awami League. Millions of our Bengali brethren and those who have settled in East Pakistan are living in a state of panic and a very large number had to leave that wing out of fear for their lives." If the President saw fit to make that admission on March 26th it seems strange to delay the