পাতা:বাংলাদেশের স্বাধীনতা যুদ্ধ দলিলপত্র (সপ্তম খণ্ড).pdf/২১৬

182 বাংলাদেশের স্বাধীনতা যুদ্ধ দলিলপত্র : সপ্তম খণ্ড quarter of a million to two million, as if they are just figures or just inanimate units, and not living human beings? If we consider the laws of our own countries, every single death is investigated as the highest crime, and a country is, most concerned and exercised over even a single casualty. But the Representative of India comes here and charges Pakistan with causing by the federal action against secessionist elements the death of between 250,000 and 2,000,000 men, women and children. What can one say of the requirements of veracity and precision when they make such allegations? Let me say that those figures which are always quoted by India and which have found their way into the world press have all emanated from Indian sources, from the secessionist elements that have spread rumours and tried to defame the image of the Pakistan. Members are all aware of the cyclone that occurred last November. At that time, certain charges were made by political parties in East Pakistan engaged in elections that the Government of Pakistan had not sufficiently mobilized all the resources to bring help to the survivors of that flood. Those political parties which made the charges against the Government did not defect a single worker of their parties for the sake of humanity and relief to their own kith and kin. They were engaged in electioneering, campaigning and taking our processions, and yet they charged the Federal Government of Pakistan with the responsibility; and let me tell the Assembly that they charged the Government of Pakistan with responsibility for genocide. Apparently, in this war of words, people have lost their sense of reality, words have lost their meaning. Not a single survivor of that cyclone died as a result of neglect. The casualties that took place were due to the flood; they all happened in the cyclone, within twenty four hours and yet the Government of Pakistan was accused by those political parties—which later on betrayed their secessionist colors-of genocide. Let me also tell the Assembly that between 2nd March and 25th March, the Awami League took a series of actions to set up a parallel government and defy the authority of the established Government. They issued directives to Government employees not to attend offices; they raised the flag of rebellion; they gave directions to commercial housed they gave directives that no taxes should be paid to the Central Government, and it way they, the secessionist elements which started the killing of innocent citizens. Those facts have been documented. When the armed forces, which were sanding as spectators in order not to be accused of interfering in the political process, were at length ordered to suppress the killings, and when, as a result of their action, not more than two or three dozen people were killed, they were accused of genocide. The cry of genocide against the Government of Pakistan started even before 25th March when the army took action to suppress the killing, of innocent people in East Pakistan who were not of the same political persuasion as the secessionist element. Those are recorded, documented facts, and yet there has been a suppression of information. Those facts have not been allowed to find their way into the world press. Yet the Pakistan Government is accused of censorship and suppression. However, let me tell you that the figures of death quoted by the Representative of India have all emanated from Indian sources. Those correspondents have been fed with