পাতা:বাংলাদেশের স্বাধীনতা যুদ্ধ দলিলপত্র (ত্রয়োদশ খণ্ড).pdf/৬৭৫

এই পাতাটির মুদ্রণ সংশোধন করা প্রয়োজন।

647 ংলাদেশের স্বাধীনতা যুদ্ধ দলিলপত্রঃ ত্রয়োদশ খন্ড শিরোনাম সূত্র তারিখ আন্তর্জাতিক বিষয়ক চার্চ কমিশন-এর বিবৃতি | বাংলাদেশ ডকুমেন্টস ৯-১২ জুলাই, ১৯৭১ STATEMENT ON PAKISTAN BY COMMISSION OF THE CHURCHES ON INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS, APPROVED BY EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING ONJULY 9-12, 1971 The plight of the Pakistani people has been a major concern of the Executive Committee of the Commission of the Churches of International Affairs during its twenty-sixth session held in Geneva, 9-12 July, 1971, and ours is a reflection of the deep concern of the member churches of the World Council of Churches especially those of India and Pakistan. The appalling loss of lives, the full extent of which may never be known; the continued suffering of refugees and others whose lives have been disrupted are but one tragic manifestation of the violence of inherent in the poverty which the Pakistani people share with their neighbors of the subcontinent. It is an obligation laid upon Christians to stand alongside the poor and oppressed. Therefore our concerns lie with those whose brothers and sisters have died, with those who have been driven from their homes, with those whose undeterminable future will be spent in make shift refugee camps in a foreign land, and with those who have remained to a face increased poverty and a struggle for minimal existence. We would appeal for responsible actions by the Pakistani authorities, by the nations who have the power and resources to act and by the churches to minimize and eventually bring an end to the part of the suffering which is still reparable. It is urgent that continuing repression in East Pakistan cease as a precondition for repairing the damage wrought and for allowing refugees to return to their homes. This must be done by those now in power in Pakistan, and we urge them to do so. This will necessarily be a long process and it behaves those who can to provide much greater assistance than they have up to now, through the United Nations and other responsible agencies, to relieve the suffering of the refugees in India. The churches have been called upon to bear their part of this load, and we urge them to respond generously, Emergency relief does not stop with the hoped-for return of refugees to the homes in a land, of peace. It must continue when it is possible to contribute to the eradication of misery and its causes. It is clear that aid must be given on a long term basis in the form of grants. This is a responsibility of those who have funds to give. They ought not take advantage of this tragedy as an occasion to exercise political or economic pressure in order that their own ends might be achieved. Recognizing the responsibility of the government of Pakistan for its internal affairs, we believe that there are important international implications in the present crisis and we strongly insist that the people should be free to determine the destiny of their nation. We believe that the Government of Pakistan should demonstrate its often-stated willingness