PGHIMC - Pittsburgh Independent Media Center

Forgotten Genocide
by Vrin Parker Thursday, Feb. 13, 2003 at 5:35 PM
vrinparker@yahoo.co.in (email address validated)

Millions of Hindus, Muslims and Buddhists were genocided by US Backed Pakistan. Yet No one cares.

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

From [IslamOnline & News Agencies (islamonline.net).] Published at the
Palestine Chronicle.

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.

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