The heaviest weapon the secessionists have in any number is the 3-inch mortar, although they have captured a few heavy guns. The Pakistani military are using jet fighter-bombers, heavy artillery and gun boats-mostly supplied, by the United States, the Soviet Union and Communist China.
Pakistani charges that the Indian Government has been sending troops and weapons to East Pakistan are not borne out by this reporter's observations. No Indian troops were seen in the East Pakistani units.
Before the political crises began to mount, the Pakistani Army had about 25.000 troops in East Pakistan. Large numbers of reinforcement have been flown over from West Pakistan, which is separated from the Eastern province by over a thousand miles of Indian Territory.
Some estimates put the number of West Pakistani troops in East Pakistan at 60,000 to 80,000, most of them Punjabis and Pathans. The Punjabis in particular have traditionally held the Bengalis in disdain though both are predominantly Moslem.
The Bengalis are bitter about the failure of the United States to take a strong stand against the Pakistani Government; most of the leaders of the independence movement are pro-Western and were hoping for support from Washington. They are even more bitter about the American weapons being used against them. 'We Were Expecting Help'
“Do you know, they are using your planes, your rockets, your tanks, to kin us?” a Bengali soldier, his voice tense and his eyes narrowed, asked the American correspondent. “We were expecting help, not this.” Similar remarks were made repeatedly by others.
The Bengalis are not so surprised by the Chinese weapons the army is using because they apparently expected Peking to support the Government. Some Bengali officers, contending that the army offensive was worked out in advance with the Chinese, insist that the army would never have embarked on such a venture without assurances of full support from Peking.
Even before the offensive, the Bengalis wondered why the Western powers and others did not support their cause. Now their disillusionment is complete.
“This is genocide, and people are just standing by and looking.” a Bengali student remarked. “Nobody has spoken out. Has the world no conscience?”
The bitterness does not include India, which has condemned the Pakistani military action and is trying to persuade other governments to put pressure on Pakistan to stop the killing.
Indian civilians and officials in border areas are providing assistance to refugees and others, but this correspondent saw no arms being transported across the border-as the Pakistani Government has charged and New Delhi has repeatedly denied.
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