Pakistan
Sir,—Politicians have a frightening tendency to regard the State, and their own powers, as sacrosanct. Nonetheless, the existence of the State and the use of its power can be justified only in terms of benefit, and protection from harm, of the people within the jurisdiction of the State. I cannot see that the formation of an independent State in East Pakistan would have caused very much harm to anyone—certainly nothing that justifies the horrifying means the West Pakistan army has used to suppress the secessionist movement. People are sacred, not governments. Yet what greater harm can a government do to its citizens than slaughter-
ing them or driving them from their homes? One wonder? why there were not much louder protests from other nations especially those which show a strong desire to interfere in civil wars elsewhere.—Yours, etc, J. S. TANNER. June 21, 1971.
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Bibliographic details
Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32639, 22 June 1971, Page 16
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145Pakistan Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32639, 22 June 1971, Page 16
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