পাতা:বাংলাদেশের স্বাধীনতা যুদ্ধ দলিলপত্র (চতুর্দশ খণ্ড).pdf/৮১২

780 বাংলাদেশের স্বাধীনতা যুদ্ধ দলিলপত্রঃ চতুর্দশ খন্ড Upsurge Therefore, it is a case of the upsurge of the people of Pakistan against military dictatorship established by colonialist intrigue. It is a question of our lending support not to a secessionist move as Pakistan is trying to make out, but to the upsurge of the people of Pakistan to establish a democratic society. This has been our traditional approach in foreign affairs. Should we not extend help to those across our borders when they are fighting for the same values we have supported in international forums? when we raise our voice against apartheid in South Africa. When we support armed intervention against the minority regime in Southern Rhodesia, when we press for the liberation of peoples under Portuguese domination, can we be mute spectators to the unprecedented atrocities across our borders? Can we shut our eyes to the ruthless repression, the wanton killings in Bangladesh? Are they not entitled to fundamental human rights? Will not millions of refugees come to India if this carnage is not stopped? Should we not help them? Never since independence have our national interests and our ideals converged so closely as they have done in Bangladesh. We have the refugees now. Four million today; seven million tomorrow and ten million the day after. Nobody knows how many will come; how much we shall have to spend on them; and for how long. How can this be Pakistan's internal affair? When large numbers of people are forced out of a country's borders into another country it is no longer an internal affair. It is a form of aggression, occupation of the territory of another country. If people can be forced out of a country into another without firing a shot to ease economic pressures and to find solutions to political problems, why go to war? Pakistan cannot be permitted to balance the problem of numbers between East and West Pakistan this way. Bangladesh is an international issue today. A case of genocide, trampling of fundamental human rights and the violation of the frontiers of a neighbouring country. But we are losing time. We have already missed the critical first three weeks in the euphoria (hat got built up. It should have been assessed that Pakistani repression would sent a flood of refugees to India. If we could have assisted the Mukti Fauz to consolidate its position in the liberated areas, the refugees may not have been forced to come to India. And, even if they had come to India, they could have been sent to the liberated areas. The Government of Bangladesh could have sought international support and the pressure would have been on Pakistan to settle the matter. The pressure today is on us. There are no refugees in Pakistan. Recognition The question of formal recognition of Bangladesh and the timing of it must be left to the Government to decide. Of course, recognition will give strength to the freedom fighters and there are no legal or constitutional barriers. The question now is of future action. If the Mukti Fauz could give protection to people over a substantial area against attacks of Pakistani army, the refugees from India could still be moved to Bangladesh. Alternatively, a determined effort will have to be made to involve the international