পাতা:বাংলাদেশের স্বাধীনতা যুদ্ধ দলিলপত্র (ত্রয়োদশ খণ্ড).pdf/৭৯৩

765 ংলাদেশের স্বাধীনতা যুদ্ধ দলিলপত্রঃ ত্রয়োদশ খন্ড make a thorough study of situations revealing a consistent pattern of violations of human rights and to report, with recommendations thereon, to the economic and social council. What information is there available to support the allegations of violations of human rights in East Pakistan? The members of the sub-commission have access to the communications on human rights sent to the U. N. by persons who allege they have been victims of violations. The members also have available to them press repons authored by journalists who were eyewitnesses to certain atrocities or were told of such incidents by eyewitnesses non-governmental as well as intergovernmental organizations have prepared reports on the situation on the basis of field investigation finally, the Pakistan Government has issued a white paper alleging certain violations of human rights. These sources of information might not in every instance, or in most instances, be acceptable in a court of law, but the sub-commission is not a court nor is it responsible for making a final judgment on the situation. The sub-commission is only authorized to report that a situation appears to reveal a consistent pattern of violations of human rights on the basis of available information. Clearly there is sufficient information available for the sub- commission to investigate the situation and make recommendations for action. What are the violations of human rights which are alleged to have occurred in East Pakistan and to which the members of this sub-commission should consider? Reports indicate that the following violations have occurred, killing and torture, mistreatment of women and children, mistreatment of civilians in armed conflict, religious discrimination, arbitrary arrest and detention, arbitrary deprivation of property, suppression of the freedom of speech, the press and assembly, suppression of political rights, and suppression of the right of emigration. A report by a mission of the International Bank for reconstruction and development, excerpts of which appeared in the July 13th edition of the New York Times, described the punitive action taken by the West Pakistan army against the civilian population. The World Bank report stated, for instance, that in the town of Jessore the population was down from 80,000 to 15,000- 20,000. Twenty thousand people were killed. The report stated that "The Army terrorizes the population, particularly aiming at the Hindus and suspected members of the Awami League." Another authoritative report is presented by Mr. Anthony Mascarenhas in the Sunday Times of London, June 13, 1971. Mr. Mascarenhas was one of eight Pakistani journalists invited by the Pakistan Government to fly to East Pakistan and observe firsthand the developments in the area. Mr. Mascarenhas has been a Pakistan citizen since the founding of that country in 1947. He has been a leading Pakistani journalist, at the time he wrote the account of his trip to East Pakistan he was the Assistant Editor of the Morning News of Karachi. The Sunday Times checked the veracity of his account with refugees in a position to have had a wide knowledge of events in East Pakistan as well as with objective diplomatic sources. I would like to quote one passage from Mascarenhas' report which is representative of the killings and other inhuman acts which he observed committed by the Pakistan Army against the civilian population. "For six days as I travelled with the officers of the 9th division head-quarters at Comilla I witnessed at close quarters the extent of the killing. I saw Hindus, hunted from