পাতা:বাংলাদেশের স্বাধীনতা যুদ্ধ দলিলপত্র (ত্রয়োদশ খণ্ড).pdf/৮৭৭

849 ংলাদেশের স্বাধীনতা যুদ্ধ দলিলপত্রঃ ত্রয়োদশ খন্ড শিরোনাম সূত্র তারিখ জাতিসংঘ মহাসচিবকে প্রদত্ত জাতিসংঘে জাতিসংঘ ডকুমেন্টস ১২ ডিসেম্বর, ১৯৭১ নিযুক্ত ভারতের স্থায়ী প্রতিনিধির পত্র LETTER FROM THE PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF INDIA TO THE U.N., TO THE SECRETARY-GENERAL OF THE U.N. A/8580 S/10445, December 12,1971 The General Assembly adopted resolution 2793 (XXVI) entitled "Question considered by the Security Council at its 1606th, 1607th and 1608th meetings, on 4th, 5" and 6th December, 1971", on 7th December, 1971. This was telegraphically forwarded to the Government of India direct by the Secretary-General. I have now been instructed to send the reply of the Government of India in the following terms: "Excellency, India's dedication to the purposes and principles of the Charter is well known. It is borne out by our record over the last twenty-six years. India has not been content merely by giving verbal or moral support to the United Nations but has been in the forefront of a selfless struggle in the defense of peace, against colonialism, imperialism and racialism. Indian soldiers have sacrificed their lives in carrying out missions of peace in Korea, the Congo and West Asia. Decisions of the United Nations and resolutions adopted by its various organs and agencies have always received our most earnest and careful consideration. Consequently, the Government of India has studied with great care the resolution adopted by the General Assembly on 8th December, 1971, on the present grave situation in the Indian sub-continent. We are glad to note the resolution acknowledges the crucial importance of the voluntary return of the refugees to their homes. It may be worthwhile to recall briefly the circumstances in which these millions of refugees were driven out of their homeland. On 25th March, 1971, the Government of Pakistan launched an assault on the people of their Eastern Province, whose only crime was that they had voted democratically. Millions of innocent, unarmed citizens were uprooted from their homes, and hundreds of thousands were killed or maimed. However great our concern for justice and sympathy for human suffering, we could perhaps have taken a detached view, had these terrible events not occurred along the borders of several of our eastern States. More than 10 million people have so far sought shelter in our territory to escape death and dishonor at the hands of the West Pakistan army. The burden of taking care of such a large influx in so short a time has been a crushing one. Our entire administration in the eastern region is at a standstill and the daily life of the people dislocated, because of schools, hospitals and other public buildings being occupied by the refugees.