US Diplomats Horrified by '71's“selective genocide”.

January 24, 2003

Declassification by George Washington University's National Archives

has made documents of Nixon presidency accessible to public. These

documents show extreme disappointment of U.S. consular personnel in

Dhaka and of their diplomats in New Delhi with the administration' s

pro-Pakistan policies.

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.

Recommended Posts