পাতা:বাংলাদেশের স্বাধীনতা যুদ্ধ দলিলপত্র (ত্রয়োদশ খণ্ড).pdf/৭৮০

752 ংলাদেশের স্বাধীনতা যুদ্ধ দলিলপত্রঃ ত্রয়োদশ খন্ড শিরোনাম সূত্র তারিখ ইকনমিক এ্যান্ড সোশ্যাল কাউন্সিল-এর জাতিসংঘ ডকুমেন্টস ১৬ জুলাই, ১৯৭১ ৫১তম অধিবেশনে নিউজিল্যান্ড প্রতিনিধি মিঃ STATEMENT BY MR. J. V. SCOTT, NEW ZEALAND DELEGATE, IN THE 51st SESSION OF THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL, ONJULY 16, 1971 We have heard with interest and appreciation the comprehensive statement of the High Commissioner for Refugees on his role as the focal point for international assistance to the refugees from East Pakistan now in India. We must all have been deeply impressed by the magnitude of the task he has described and with the tremendous burden that the sudden influx of nearly seven millions of refugees has cast upon the Government of India. We wish to acknowledge again the value of his interventions on behalf of the refugees and pay tribute to the response of the Indian authorities, of non-governmental and inter governmental organizations, and of private citizens to the stark challenge of this incomparable human tragedy. We are grateful to the High Commissioner for providing such a clear and detailed picture of the scope of the relief operations for which he is the focal point and for responding to the questions which my delegation asked some days ago. We can take confidence from his statement in his actions to bring about co-ordination of international relief activities. We can feel assurance that within the limits of his resources and abilities no effort is being spared to cope with the pressing requirements of the situation-a situation, in his words, created by the massive overwhelming arrival of millions of people in a state of destitution and physical exhaustion, a situation of great human misery. We were particularly pleased to hear his remarks about the climate of genuine co-operation and the feeling of common undertaking that exists among the United Nations agencies concerned. But if much has already been accomplished much more still remains to be done. We are all faced with the urgent need for additional assistance, for mere adequate accommodation and shelter for transport, food and medical supplies to match the revised estimates of the needs of this growing human flood. The dangers are all too clear of the rapid spreading of epidemics and infectious diseases brought on by inadequate sanitation, malnutrition, the lack of clean water and of medical supplies and facilities. In this connection the actions of the specialized agencies, the WHO, UNICEF, FAO, the World Food Programme and the non-governmental organizations in conjunction with the Government of India are commendable in helping to meet this emergency situation. The High Commissioner's statement sheds new light on the extent of the human misery that has been caused. The need for urgent assistance remains and, if insufficient is done, is certain to last for a very long time. The amount of help required has increased