বাংলাদেশের স্বাধীনতা যুদ্ধ দলিলপত্র (ত্রয়োদশ খণ্ড)/৫০
| শিরোনাম | সূত্র | তারিখ |
| অধিকৃত বাংলাদেশে ত্রাণকর্মরত অপারেশন ওমেগা কর্মীর কারাবরণ | বাংলাদেশ নিউজলেটার | ১০ নভেম্বর, ১৯৭১ |
MONSTROUS PUNISHMENT
Two workers of the Operation Omega, an international relief mission with headquarters in England, have recently been arrested by the occupation army of West Pakistan for “illegally" distributing relief supplies inside the occupied Bangladesh. They were charged with “smuggling" and sentenced by a military court to two years in prison.
Ellen Langle Connett, 27, of Dumont, New Jersey and another volunteer. Gordon Slaven, a British citizen, were distributing clothes and medicine about 10 miles inside the occupied Bangladesh when they were arrested on Oct, 4.
Mrs. Connett was the second U. S. relief volunteer to be tried for illegally distributing relief supplies in Bangladesh, but the first to be given a prison sentence. Daniol Due, of San Francisco, also of Operation Omega, was tried last September and deported.
According to the officials of Operation Omega, the two volunteers are being treated as “class C" prisoners, the status given to common criminals, and denied an American lawyer.
In an editorial under the caption “Monstrous Punishment" British daily Observer (Oct. 17) wrote:
"Two young relief workers have been sentenced to two years imprisonment by the Pakistan courts. The aim of their exercise was to demonstrate that the claims of charity should have priority over political reasons of state. They therefore illegally entered East Pakistan to try to help those suffering there from hunger and disease.
"The Pakistan authorities used a big stick and imprisoned them. This has secured publicity and support for their aims from people all over' the world............ A two year sentence is monstrously excessive and must bring discredit on the regime"