393. Letter From the Ambassador of Pakistan (Raza) to Secretary of State Rogers1 2
My dear Mr. Secretary of State,
The President of Pakistan has asked me to convey the following message to President Richard M. Nixon :
BEGINS :
Your Excellency,
I am addressing you on a humanitarian matter of great urgency which is causing utmost distress to my Government and people. This concerns the safety and security of hundreds of thousands of non-Bengalis including women and children whose very existence in East Pakistan is threatened as a result of planned retaliation and reprisals by armed personnel.
Following the occupation of East Pakistan by the Indian forces in December 1971 a reign of terror was let loose against the non-Bengalis particularly the Biharis in Mirpur and Mohammadpur localities of Dacca involving several hundred thousand persons for many days. The beleaguered residents of these areas were [Page 2] denied essentials of life to the extent of even stopping milk for infants.
Soon after his return to Dacca Sheikh Mujibur Rahman gave the assurance that everyone in East Pakistan including the non-Bengalis would receive full protection and that their lives and properties would be safeguarded. We welcomed this statement.
However, it is a matter of great anguish that the armed personnel in East Pakistan are committing savage atrocities on the non-Bengali residents in Dacca and other places in East Pakistan particularly Chittagong and Jessore. Incidents of brutality including rocket and mortar attacks on the unarmed Biharis have been reported by neutral observers. The International Red Cross teams have been refused access to the affected localities which are without food, medicines and water. These unfortunate people are now living in a state of extreme terror, helplessness and starvation. They have issued desperate appeals to the international community for relief and succour.
Your Excellency in view of the over-riding humanitarian considerations and to avoid further bloodshed of innocent people I request your [Page 3] personal intervention with the Indian Government whose forces are still in East Pakistan and with the elected leaders in East Pakistan for the safety and security of the non-Bengali community. As parties to the United Nations Charter and in accord with the Geneva Conventions definite responsibilities devolve on all the countries to move in and to take active cognisance of and to stop the atrocities and killings of innocent people. Your prompt and positive contribution towards this end would not only earn the gratitude of the Government and the people of Pakistan but would also serve the greater cause of humanity.
ENDS.
I will be grateful if you could kindly transmit the above message to its high destination.
- Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970–73, POL BANGLA DESH. Immediate; no further classification marking. Forwarded under a covering memorandum by Eliot to Kissinger on February 8. (Ibid.) On February 10 the Department instructed Sober to acknowledge receipt of the message and to inform Bhutto that the United States shared his concern and was watching the situation closely. Sober responded on February 11 that he had done so. (Telegrams 23379 to Islamabad and 1364 from Islamabad, respectively; ibid., SOC 14 BANGLA DESH)↩
- Raza conveyed to Rogers a message from Pakistani President Bhutto to President Nixon in which Bhutto asked Nixon to intervene with the Indian Government and “the elected leaders in East Pakistan” on behalf of “hundreds of thousands of non-Bengalis including women and children whose very existence in East Pakistan is threatened as a result of planned retaliation and reprisals by armed personnel.”↩