More action on E. Pakistan sought

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32660, 16 July 1971, Page 6

More action on E. Pakistan sought

The Commission for Justice and Peace of the. Roman Catholic Church in New Zealand has . urged that the Government bp encouraged to increase its political activity and influence with the Pakistan Government to end fighting and'to restore civil and human rights in East Pakistan,-' ■. ir -‘ And the Christchurch region of-the National Association of Priests has written to the Prime Minister (Sir Keith Holyoake) asking that the Government give leadership to the world by sending an Army medical . team to aid Pakistan refugees in India. The association also asks Sir Keith Hplyoake to consider permitting a number of refugees, should they wish, to emigrate to New Zealand. It has written to the High Commissioner for Pakistan expressing "repulsion and horrence” over his Government’s “ruthless suppression Of human rights and dignity in East Pakistan. \ “In the name of humanity and justice, we ask your Government to immediately desist from such savage repressention,” the letter says.

In a statement issued on Wednesday by the chairman (the Roman Catholic Bishop of Christchurch, the Most

Rev. B. P. Ashby) the Peace and Justice Commission urges all members of the Catholic Church in New

Zealand and all men of justice and goodwill to support in every possible way the relief and . genuine rehabilitation of Pakistani refugees in India. ■ “The commission is convinced that this relief and the genuine rehabilitation which must succeed it must be truly international in scope and character if it is to be effective at all.” The statement says the commission welcomes the news that the Prime Minister has personally intervened with the President of Pakistan. SUPPORT URGED “The commission encourages all New Zealanders to support this intervention and to urge the Government fiot only to Continue and expand its relief assistance to India and international agencies, but also to increase its political intervention and influence with the Pakistan Government. “The New Zealand Government must be encouraged to use all the possible means at its command, moral, economic and political, to bring the fighting to an end; to secure the withdrawal of

troops, the restoration of, civil and human rights in East Pakistan, and to obtain the acceptance of the democratic will of the East Pakistan people expressed in the general election of December, 1970.” The statement expresses alarm at the revelations of injustice and violence in East Pakistan. NATURAL DISASTERS "Members of the commission, like most citizens of this country, were concerned for the rehabilitation of the people after the natural disasters last year. “The present massive refugee problem is much more serious, not only because of its greater dimensions and serious threat to peace, but because it is the outcome of cruel and deliberate actions of the Government of Pakistan, carried out in the name of law and order.” The commission says that the incontestable reports of visiting British members of Parliament, of experienced journalists, missionaries as well as some of the 6m refugees, leaves its members under no illusion concerning the “vileness and ruthlessness of the campaign

I,launched against the Bengali i people” in East Pakistan. “The commission is aware 1 of several of the events ' leading up to this rule of t terror. It knows that after i the failure of the Pakistan , Government to face the consequences of the phenomenal . success of the Awami league in the national elections, there were several break1 downs in law and order in East Pakistan. PUNJABI MAJORITY “The commission knows , that terrible vengence was' ! exacted on many of the Pun-1 : jabi minority in East Pakistan for real or imagined wrongs suffered in past years! 1 by the Bengalis. “It is easy to see how the indecisive behaviour of the Pakistan Government would encourage desperate Bengali dissidents to proclaim then own state of Bangla Desh. “It is now becoming cleat how such action provoked precipitate reaction to restore Government rule where previously the Pakistan Government had shown only vacillation. “The commission believes that these prior events in East Pakistan, however ' frightening and evil they may have been, cannot possibly justify such brutal violation of human rights as has been

carried out by the armed forces of the Pakistan Government. “It cannot believe that more than 5 million people would flee their homes were such violence not being done to them. “Nor can it admit the credibility of the Pakistan Government when, on the same day as it promulgates its ‘welcome to return’ messages to Bengalis, another 90,000 cross into India.”

i The statement says the i commission applauds the I work of the Indian Central land State governments as well as private and comImunity agencies caring for (Bengali refugees. It welcomes the launching of appeals for emergency aid directed to all sectors of the New Zealand community.