 |
||
|
||
|
||
In a telegram sent by U.S. Consul General in then East Pakistan and signed by 20 consular officials they complained, "Our government has failed to denounce the suppression of democracy. Our government has failed to denounce atrocities. Our government has failed to take forceful measures to protect its citizens, while at the same time bending over backwards to placate the West Pakistan government."
The telegram was addressed to Kissinger. Consul General Archer Blood soon sent another telegram, describing the West Pakistani military crackdown on East Pakistan civilians as " selective genocide". To suppress the India-backed separatist uprising in its eastern wing, Pakistani generals created new records of human rights violations, thus alienating them further.
Consul Blood telegrammed again in March 1971 from East Pakistani capital Dhaka: "Here in Dacca we are mute and horrified witnesses to a reign of terror by the Pak military. Evidence continues to mount that the Martial Law Administrators (MLAs) authorities have a list of Awami League supporters whom they are systematically eliminating by seeking them out in the homes and shooting them down."
Blood was horrified at U.S. government's "posture of pretending to believe" Pakistan government's "false assertions". He also talked about "non-Bengali Muslims" attacking poor people's quarters and " murdering Bengalis and Hindus" .
However, the U.S. was more concerned about Indian maneuvers (with Russian help) to "dismember" Pakistan rather than protecting human rights and democracy. In his remarks on a six-page document prepared by Kissinger regarding the situation, President Nixon wrote, "Don' t squeeze Yahya at this time." Nixon underlined the "Don't" thrice to emphasize his point. That shows the famous "tilt" towards Pakistan referred to so frequently in discourse regarding U.S. policy in South Asia.
[IslamOnline & News Agencies
(islamonline.net).] Published at the Palestine Chronicle.
|
||
|
||
|
||