পাতা:বাংলাদেশের স্বাধীনতা যুদ্ধ দলিলপত্র (ত্রয়োদশ খণ্ড).pdf/৭৪৪

71.6 ংলাদেশের স্বাধীনতা যুদ্ধ দলিলপত্রঃ ত্রয়োদশ খন্ড On 29 November, 1971, Willi Stoph Chairman of the GDR Council of ministers, in his policy statement, pointed to the necessity of preventing a military conflict between Pakistan and India. On behalf of the GDR Government, the came out for bringing about a peaceful political settlement of the problems on East Pakistan in accordance with the will on the people of East Pakistan and their elected representatives so as to permit a speedy and an absolutely safe return of the refugees to their home country. There were enough examples of responsible government interested in world peace which appealed to Pakistan to guarantee a political settlement in East Pakistan. The Soviet Government in this spirit again and again appealed to the Pakistani Government. The Indian Government repeatedly has made proposals for a peaceful, political settlement. Regrettably the Pakistani military authorities have refused a political settlement of the East Pakistani problems, they intensified tension with India and actively prepared war against India. In view of the imperialist maneuvers to veil and to distort the real reasons for the outbreak of armed actions on the Indian sub-continent, it must be stated that the main reason for the military conflict is the policy of the Pakistani military regime vis-a-vis East Pakistan. It is known that the Awami League of East Pakistan gained an overwhelming victory in the first general parliamentary elections of the country in December, 1970This party's election program envisaged far-reaching autonomy for East Pakistan, progressive socio-economic reforms and Pakistan's withdrawal from the imperialist military pacts SEATO and CENTO. The Pakistani military authorities brutally ignored the election returns, prevented the convocation of parliament and banned the Awami League on 25th March, 1971. West Pakistan military units brutally suppressed the population of East Pakistan. The Leader of the Awami League, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, was arrested. Nearly 10 million people-about 13 per cent of the East Pakistani population-fled to India from the outrages by the West Pakistani Army. The provision of accommodation and food for them is an almost unsolvable economic and social problem for India. The creation of conditions enabling the return of the refugees to East Pakistan is one of the key problems for relaxing this situation on the Indian subcontinent. A political settlement of the problems of East Pakistan is doubtlessly only possible on the basis of the interests and justified demands of the 75 million inhabitants or East Pakistan and by negotiations with their elected representatives. In order to secure the Indian and Pakistani peoples a peaceful and independent development, the bloodshed on the Indian sub-continent must be halted immediately and political settlement reached on the problems which have arisen in East Pakistan.