The Wounded Spirit of 1971
A.H. Jaffor Ullah
January 24, 1999
EDITORIAL
The wounded spirit of 1971
By Jamal Hasan
Awami League's victory in the last elections had a profound effect on the
political ambiance in Bangladesh. It seemed like a resurrection of the long
suppressed spirit of 1971.
The people of the Gangetic delta had been forced to fight a heroic war of
liberation against a ruthless enemy. Pakistani soldiers were armed to the
teeth. To add insult to the injury, the people of Bangladesh received no
support from the most powerful democracy on earth, namely, USA which itself
had once fought an anti-British war of liberation. The immoral politics of a
bipolar world had led the leader of the free world, the United States, to
side with the Yahya Khan led military junta that was perpetrating the worst
genocide since the days of Hitler. The American public was not only kept in
the dark, but was even misled to view the desperate struggle of the
Bangladeshis as just yet another Soviet adventure against the newly forged
alliance between America and China. Nothing could have been stranger than
the sight of Pakistan's Fascist junta engaging in a genocide in Bangladesh
with the direct blessings of democratic America and revolutionary China.
Cold war politics made a complete mockery of decency and of all avowed
principles.
Awami League emerged from the war of liberation as the flag bearer of the
spirit of 1971. But it didn't take long for the party to squander away its
political capital. The Awami League cannot escape responsibility for the
rise of anti-liberation forces in independent Bangladesh.
Bangabandhu's naivete would inevitably lead to bizarre situations.
He failed to bring the war criminals to justice. This lapse proved to be a
watershed in our history. It gave a new lease of life to all those that had
betrayed Bangladesh in her hour of need. Furthermore, Bangabandhu failed to
weed out the opportunists and anti-liberation turncoats who infiltrated the
Awami League in the wake of independence. But Bangabandhu wasn't the only
leader who was at fault.
We had the strange spectacle of a war hero (whose wife had remained confined
in a Pakistani army cantonment during the war of liberation) going out of
his way to rehabilitating the discredited collaborators once he came to
power in the aftermath of the 1975 coup d'etats.
Shah Azizur Rahman was an unabashed collaborator who had lobbied on behalf
of Pakistan's military junta at the United Nations in 1971.
But General Zia inexplicably chose to overlook his past. Shah Azizur Rahman
went on to become the Speaker of the Parliament and then the Prime Minister
of independent Bangladesh with Zia's backing.
The diehard supporters of Awami League deny any wrong-doing by the party in
the 1972-1975 period. But the fact remains that many an Awami Leaguer got
enmeshed in the politics of self interest to the detriment of the nation.
Corruption became rampant and merely lip service was paid to secularism
which was one of the four pillars of the so-called Mujibism. It is painful
indeed to admit that the Hindu minority could observe its religious
festivals with less harassment during the Ayub regime than in independent
Bangladesh under Awami League. The liberation had been betrayed. Anti-Indian
sentiment had degenerated into an anti-Hindu stance. This is a far cry from
what we see in today's America (thanks to its Department of Education) where
the private media and the administration go out of their way to promote
multiculturalism and the tolerance of diversity. In other words, America is
following a policy that promotes secular and humanistic ideals among
children in the nation's classrooms.
Shortchanging the ideals of a secular state wasn't the only failing of the
party. Awami League leadership can be held directly responsible for the rise
of quasi-fascist politics. Dissent was quickly and ruthlessly suppressed by
branding the dissidents as "Pakistani agents". It didn't take long for the
pro-liberation forces to become disillusioned. While the dissidents were
being silenced, the real Pakistani agents, with patronage of the Awami
League leadership and of the cantonment, were waiting patiently in the
wings. These fifth columnists had the last laugh when the Awami League was
sent into oblivion by the bloody coup d'etats of 1975.
Awami League's failure to live up to the ideals of our liberation movement
was a tremendous setback. Successive military regimes after 1975 either
inadvertently or deliberately served the interest of Pakistan. Under the
pretext of containing India, the new rulers of Bangladesh deliberately chose
to erase the memories of 1971 from the collective consciousness of the
people. Both Zia and Ershad preferred to present themselves as apolitical
but their actions left little doubt about their agenda to turn Bangaldesh
into a "born-again-Pakistan". Under their regimes, the Radio and TV were
instructed to refrain from mentioning the crimes against humanity in 1971 by
the Pakistani soldiers. Not even on independence day would the Radio or the
TV use the word, "Pak army." "Hanadar bahini" was the word that was used
instead. It is as if words like "German Nazi atrocities" and "war against
Germany" had been banned from European and American media.
The Bangladesh liberation movement had unfortunately taken place at a time
when the American administration preferred to see everything in the light of
cold war politics. Promoting the Washington-Bejing- Pindi alliance against
the Russians was deemed to be far too important to worry about the genocide
in Bangladesh. Nevertheless, Bangladesh managed to earn her independence,
but at a stupendous cost. Three million Bengalis were murdered and hundreds
of thousands of our mothers and sisters were dishonored by the brutal
Pakistani soldiers. What hurt the most that much of the world ignored our
plight during our travail much as they had once ignored the plight of Jews
under Hitler.
History repeats itself if we fail to learn its lessons. That is why the Jews
continue to say, "Never again." They continue to hunt down the criminals who
had shorn the Jews of all dignity under the Nazis. The Jews have been doing
everything possible to recoup their dignity. And every self-respecting
people are emulating them. The Koreans have self-respect. That is why the
Japanese emperor had to apologize to the Koreans for all the atrocities of
the Second World War. The Polish too have self-respect. That is why the
Soviet foreign minister (during Gorbachev era) had to publicly apologize to
the Polish people for the Soviet army's infamous crimes in Khatyn. As we see
countries like Japan and Russia apologizing for crimes that took place a
half century ago, we Bengalis have to ask ourselves why Pakistan has not
bothered to do the same.
Public repentance for past crimes is becoming increasingly common.
Switzerland is belatedly compensating the survivors of the holocaust. Japan
is being nudged to apologize to China for crimes committed more than a half
century ago. For the sake of self- respect we must demand an apology from
Pakistan. But that is not enough. When the Soviet Union disintegrated,
mammoth Russia was forced to cut a deal with tiny Ukraine which extracted
its share of the assets that included the Baltic fleet. But Pakistan, to
this day, has not bothered to give Bangladesh its share of assets. It has
not offered any reparations for the crimes of 1971. The quarter million
"Biharis" continue to rot in UN-run refugee camps. And Pakistan continues to
thumb its nose contemptuously toward Bangladesh even as it delivers homilies
on the virtues of Islamic solidarity.
This is hardly surprising in view of the fact that Bangladesh has not been
able to extract even a simple apology from the present day rulers of
Pakistan.
Bangladesh was born in blood, sweat and tears. But we have not been able to
live up to the obligation to our martyrs. Our quest for self-respect remains
unfulfilled to this day.
The saga of General Nasim has hammered in the final nail on the coffin of
"Pakistanized Dhaka cantonment". It has brought home the fact that no
political party can bring back the almost lost spirit of 1971 without the
cooperation of men in uniform in Bangladesh.
We are hopeful that the process would prove to be irreversible.
____________________
Jamal Hasan writes from Maryland. His E-mail is po...@hotmail.com
Iftekhar Hassan
day Sheikh Mujubur Rahman pardoned "The Real killers"..... the Pakistani
army officers who surrendered on 16 December 1971 in Dhaka, Bangladesh.
(2) It was Mujib who did not listened to a noble advised by than Marshall
Tito of former Yogoslavia that Mujib should "only" appoint freedom fighters
and patriots in responsible post within the new government regardless of
their qualification.
(3) Those officers and soldiers of East Bengal Regiment who were nucleus
of Mukti Bahini were deserters in every legal sence, as they broke away from
command and discipline of a regular army they had taken an oath of
allegiance.
Regardless of how patriotic or heroic this may be considered. This is indeed
true in every military laws which automatically disqualify them for again
joining another regular armed forces. Mujib and his "Moni Mozzafor" chokro
should have known this fact. These great former soldiers should have been
retired from regular army and posted to high offices of the civil
government.
Regards
I.H.
A.H. Jaffor Ullah wrote in message ...
Sunil Sethi
slaves from your fellow Muslims. So much for Muslim brotherhoodship.
Sunil
A.H. Jaffor Ullah wrote in message ...
Hetal Joshi
Full of hate and no understanding of the issues.
You just a brown skinhead, like white wog-bashers.
Happy bashing, SS man (that's Schutz Staffel).
Sunil Sethi <sse...@onaustralia.com.au> wrote in article
<36af8...@139.134.5.33>...
ras...@my-dejanews.com
So what would you(India) the new masters of the x-slave(Bangladeshis) want us
to do? Scrach your back or lick your feet? Common Sunil, India helped to
liberate Bangladesh but she also got the benefit of that help many folds.
Bangladesh is a friendly nation rather than a threat! India saved billions on
defence over the last 27 years. India would have been stupid not to take the
advantage in 71 and help the Bangalees.
India had to do what she had to do in 71. But please, don't expect the
Banglaees to fall on your feet for the help. Both countries did the right
thing. Not that India "just" sacrificed to help the Banglee cause.
Rashad.
In article <36af8...@139.134.5.33>,
-----------== Posted via Deja News, The Discussion Network ==----------
http://www.dejanews.com/ Search, Read, Discuss, or Start Your Own
Kh...@onramp.com
wrote:
>Typical BJP/VHP posting!
>
>Full of hate and no understanding of the issues.
>
>You just a brown skinhead, like white wog-bashers.
>
>Happy bashing, SS man (that's Schutz Staffel).
>
>
>Sunil Sethi <sse...@onaustralia.com.au> wrote in article
><36af8...@139.134.5.33>...
>> TYpical Muslim posting ! You forget that it was India that liberated you
>> slaves from your fellow Muslims. So much for Muslim brotherhoodship.
>>
>> Sunil
The funny part is India cannot liberate itself from the clutches of
muslims. It is free now thanks to the brits but physically not
mentaly.
Bholu
ras...@my-dejanews.com wrote:
>
> thing. Not that India "just" sacrificed to help the Banglee cause.
>
That should be Bangladeshi cause. Not all Bangalis live
in BDesh.
Hetal Joshi
India not in muslim 'clutches' or otherwise, mental or physical.
India in grip of BJP/VHP fascist hoodlums on one side, american idiot
culture other side.
Even without hoodlums, India is feudal state like Pakiland.
Nothing to do with muslims, to do with caste system and 1000s years
culture.
'Brits' as you say treated Indians like s**t and dogs. Not liberated India,
subjugated.
Only thing brits give to India was colonial law (nothing doing with Indian
culture) and white roman buildings (nothing doing with Indian culture). Not
have any good influence. At least muslims try blend with culture and
improve society, but got corrupt and finished.
Your prejudice and ignorance blinds you mind from clear truth.
Should not live in hate.
H.
Kh...@onramp.com wrote in article <36b072f0.243175547@news>...
Mahbub Farid
ancient matters which has not only started to rot but has in fact, worn away
with years of overkill.
Yes, India 'helped' Bangladesh. But it was more like a big 'bully' brother
helping a
'kid' brother who had just learn to walk on his wobbly feet so that the
big-brother
would have years of fun teasing the younger one, pushing him down and
'dragging' him
up again. The term 'brother' is not really appropriate here, probably the
intimacy that
Bangladesh has with India is nothing like that between siblings. I know, it's
more like
a class ten student, and a kindergarten-playgroup student where the former
thinks himself
the big almighty bully.
What did India gain? Lots, no doubt. First of all, it had a chance to get
back at its old sworn(?)
enemy Pakistan. Secondly (may be, more importantly), it could get its hands at
whatever wealth
it could find in Bangladesh. Not that it was much, but as they always say,
"something's better than
nothing" (couldn't be truer for India).
In short, the independence that took us 10 months to attain would probably have
taken a 'bit' longer,
but there is no question that WE WOULD HAVE GAINED IT ANYWAYS WITH or WITHOUT
India's help(!?). Thanks to common Indian people for the support, but let's
just not get carried away
in our enthusiasms shall we? Facing the facts like a man (or a woman) is a
virtue not a vice.
As for Pakistan, no comments required, the country is in a bad enough shape
already, and any
letting up of pent-up hatred won't add much to its plight.
Mahbub
Tokyo
nkdat...@my-dejanews.com
"A.H. Jaffor Ullah" <jha...@bellsouth.net> wrote:
> News From Bangladesh
> January 24, 1999
>
> EDITORIAL
>
> The wounded spirit of 1971
> By Jamal Hasan
>
[deleted]
:
>
> History repeats itself if we fail to learn its lessons. That is why the Jews
> continue to say, "Never again." They continue to hunt down the criminals who
> had shorn the Jews of all dignity under the Nazis. The Jews have been doing
> everything possible to recoup their dignity. And every self-respecting
> people are emulating them. The Koreans have self-respect. That is why the
> Japanese emperor had to apologize to the Koreans for all the atrocities of
> the Second World War. The Polish too have self-respect. That is why the
> Soviet foreign minister (during Gorbachev era) had to publicly apologize to
> the Polish people for the Soviet army's infamous crimes in Khatyn. As we see
> countries like Japan and Russia apologizing for crimes that took place a
> half century ago, we Bengalis have to ask ourselves why Pakistan has not
> bothered to do the same.
>
Filipinos Want Apology From U.S.
Filed at 1:27 p.m. EST
By The Associated Press
MANILA, Philippines (AP) -- Filipinos marked the 100th anniversary of the
outbreak of the Philippine-American War on Thursday amid demands that the
United States apologize for alleged atrocities in its former colony.
The United States has generally depicted the war as an insurrection by
Philippine bandits against its rule, but many Filipinos consider the conflict
a revolution for independence crushed by U.S. colonialism.
In 1898, Philippine revolutionaries declared independence from Spain, which
had ruled the islands for more than 300 years. As the revolutionaries battled
their colonial rulers, U.S. troops arrived to fight the remaining Spanish
forces as part of the Spanish-American War.
Hostilities broke out between the Filipino revolutionaries and American forces
on Feb. 4, 1899, when an American soldier shot and killed a revolutionary in
San Juan, now a Manila suburb.
The United States defeated Spain and acquired the Philippines and other
Spanish colonies as part of a peace settlement. Filipino nationalists
continued to fight the new U.S. colonial government for several years.
For this year's anniversary, a leading senator, Blas Ople, drafted a
resolution urging President Joseph Estrada to ``secure a just and proper
rectification'' from the United States of the idea that the struggle was
merely an insurrection of bandits.
He said the war was an expression of the Filipino people's right to be free of
foreign domination and was comparable to the American Revolution.
In ceremonies in San Juan, Estrada made no reference to Ople's resolution.
He said the poorly armed revolutionaries who fought the Americans ``taught
the Filipinos that, through courage and persistence, the seemingly impossible
could still be attained.''
Meanwhile, hundreds of supporters of the left-wing New Patriotic Alliance
rallied at the U.S. Embassy, where they distributed copies of a letter to
President Clinton demanding an apology ``for the death, misery and havoc
wrought on our nation.''
Estimates of the number of Filipinos who died in the fighting or from diseases
and hunger as a result of the war range from 250,000 up to half a million.
The United States granted the Philippines independence in 1946.
>
> Public repentance for past crimes is becoming increasingly common.
>
> Switzerland is belatedly compensating the survivors of the holocaust. Japan
> is being nudged to apologize to China for crimes committed more than a half
> century ago. For the sake of self- respect we must demand an apology from
> Pakistan. But that is not enough. When the Soviet Union disintegrated,
> mammoth Russia was forced to cut a deal with tiny Ukraine which extracted
> its share of the assets that included the Baltic fleet. But Pakistan, to
> this day, has not bothered to give Bangladesh its share of assets. It has
> not offered any reparations for the crimes of 1971. The quarter million
> "Biharis" continue to rot in UN-run refugee camps. And Pakistan continues to
> thumb its nose contemptuously toward Bangladesh even as it delivers homilies
> on the virtues of Islamic solidarity.
>
> This is hardly surprising in view of the fact that Bangladesh has not been
> able to extract even a simple apology from the present day rulers of
> Pakistan.
>
:
[deleted]
:
> ____________________
> Jamal Hasan writes from Maryland. His E-mail is po...@hotmail.com
>
>
-----------== Posted via Deja News, The Discussion Network ==----------
nkdat...@my-dejanews.com
1st March, 1999
Nawaz to face demands of apology for 1971 actions
DHAKA: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif will face protests during his visit to
Dhaka over the actions of Pakistani troops during Bangladesh's 1971
independence war. Nawaz Sharif may not encounter protesters personally
because of tight security. But two movements are set to demonstrate over
different issues.
They plan to stage a demonstration at the Dhaka University campus today, close
to the Sheraton Hotel summit venue. "Japan has apologised for its misdeeds
during World War II and is compensating the women victims. Why can't Pakistan
apologise for its misdeeds?" said one protest leader, Kazi Mukul. "Both
Pakistan and Bangladesh are Muslim countries and are no more at war, and after
27 years of independence, an apology is not asking for the moon," Kazi said.
nkdat...@my-dejanews.com
>
> The News, Pakistan
> 1st March, 1999
>
> Nawaz to face demands of apology for 1971 actions
>
> DHAKA: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif will face protests during his visit to
> Dhaka over the actions of Pakistani troops during Bangladesh's 1971
> independence war. Nawaz Sharif may not encounter protesters personally
> because of tight security. But two movements are set to demonstrate over
> different issues.
>
> They plan to stage a demonstration at the Dhaka University campus today, close
> to the Sheraton Hotel summit venue. "Japan has apologised for its misdeeds
> during World War II and is compensating the women victims. Why can't Pakistan
> apologise for its misdeeds?" said one protest leader, Kazi Mukul. "Both
> Pakistan and Bangladesh are Muslim countries and are no more at war, and after
> 27 years of independence, an apology is not asking for the moon," Kazi said.
>
> >
> > In article <bfLq2.2237$Si1.1...@news2.mia>,
> > "A.H. Jaffor Ullah" <jha...@bellsouth.net> wrote:
> > > News From Bangladesh
> > > January 24, 1999
> > >
From: Pakistan Human Rights Watch
Mian Mohammed Nawaz Sharif
Prime Minister of Pakistan
Dear Prime Minister,
You are soon due to visit Bangladesh. We appeal to you to please do now
on behalf of the people of Pakistan what has been long due. Apologize to
the people of Bangladesh, formerly East Pakistanis. Apologize deep from
heart for inflicting atrocities on the Bangladeshi people in the wake of
1971 tragic events. Japanese Government has tendered apology to the
foreign countries against whom their troops committed Atrocities
during occupation of those countries.
In case of Pakistani troops, they are blamed for Atrocities against
people who were the citizens of Pakistan. Pakistani troops and the
government were responsible for protecting the life and liberty of the
citizens in East Pakistan (Now Bangladesh). Instead of protecting the
citizens, Pakistani troops instilled in them fear and fright. East
Pakistanis, some seven and a half million people, according to the
United Nations Commission for Refugees, were made to flee to
neighboring India for fear of their lives, liberty and honor. East
Pakistani masses ran away from their homes, their huts, from their
ponds, from their paddy fields to India to seek shelter.
East Pakistan is free today as a sovereign Bangladesh. God bless them
with increased liberty and progress. But the people of Bangladesh still
await the sincere apology from their former brethren, Pakistanis.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, please show courage.
Please go to Baitul Mukrram to join the Juma prayers. Bow down before
Allah and bear him witness to the apology of Pakistan to the people of
Bangladesh. An appropriate apology to the people of Bangladesh will help
in healing old and deep wounds.
May God give you faith and courage to ask for the forgiveness from the
former citizens of Pakistan who terribly suffered because of the
mistakes of Pakistani leadership of that time.
Mutahir Kazmi
Chairman Pakistan Human Rights Watch, Chicago
Director Reform Movement, Washington DC
nkdat...@my-dejanews.com
Daily Internet Edition
4th March, 1999
Commentary
An apology to Bangladesh is a litmus test for Nawaz Sharif
By A. H. Jaffor Ullah
jha...@bellsouth.net
Pakistani military's inhumane treatment of Bengalis during nine-month period
in 1971 will go down in the annals of history as one of the most despicable
act any professional army could perpetrate. They alone have massacred about
three millions Bengalis in that short span of time. How does the Prime
Minister of Pakistan Mr. Nawaz Sharif feel about it? All these years Pakistan
is all but mum about it. Pakistan would like to pretend that nothing did
happen in erstwhile East Pakistan in nine-month period in 1971. After
twenty-seven years, it is about the time that Pakistani Prime Minister
acknowledges the existence of Bengali Genocide.'
The political commentators in Pakistan consider Nawaz Sharif to be one of the
most powerful and effective Prime Ministers the country had witnessed in a
long time. The passage of 15th amendment (article of Laws of Sharia) in
Pakistani constitution in 1998 bears that testament. He also started a
scorched earth campaign against the MQM party members in Karachi not too long
ago by establishing military tribunals. He also had a run in with the supreme
court chief justice only a couple of years ago. In addition, in the spring of
1998, he ordered the nuclear scientists of Pakistan to detonate about half a
dozen nukes to flex his muscle in retaliation to India's blasting of nukes in
Pokhran ranges of Rajasthan. And he did this on the face of massive
opposition to G-7 leaders. All of these examples point out that indeed Mr.
Sharif is a can do' leader.
It is often reported in Pakistani media that this Punjabi political leader,
whose career was started under the patronage of Gen. Zia Ul Huq, is very
popular among the military generals and officers. He also has the utmost
confidence of Islamic fundamentalists, the supporters of Jamaat-e-Islami.
Above all, he is the undisputed leader of Pakistan Muslim League.
Nonetheless, with all this support from diverse political parties and
military of the nation, can Mr. Nawaz Sharif call his shot? The litmus test
for this may happen now in Dhaka. The sixty-four thousand-dollar question is
- will Mr. Nawaz Sharif apologize to Bangladesh for the misdeeds of Pakistani
army during 1971?
If Mr. Sharif offer the apology then he will prove that he calls his shot. On
the other hand, if he is mum about it, and he leaves for Islamabad at the end
of D-8 summit, then it will prove that Mr. Sharif does not want to irritate
Pakistan's army.
About two years ago the apology issue surfaced abruptly when Prime Minister
of Bangladesh Mrs. Hasina Wazed was visiting Islamabad. It was reported in
the news media at the time that Mr. Nawaz Sharif was very much willing to
offer the olive branch. However, Pakistani military was grumbling in the
background. The ever-popular Prime Minister of Pakistan Mr. Nawaz Sharif
never did apologize officially to Bangladesh's Prime Minister or to any other
Bengali person. Not even as a private citizen. This tells us clearly that in
Pakistan army is still a formidable force. Mr. Nawaz Sharif has to
accommodate the wishes of armed forces of Pakistan no matter how distasteful
and vulgar those may be.
Most retired Pakistani army bigwigs who wrote their memoirs covering the
events of 1971 will now acknowledge that Pakistani military wanted badly a
quick military solution to a political problem. However, the same bunch was
arrogant as hell all through 1971. Considering the fact that Mr. Nawaz Sharif
was never a part of this killing machine, why can't he apologize to
Bangladesh for the misdeeds of rogue Pakistani army? This will most certainly
pave the way for bringing all those culprits to justice. After all, Pakistani
army had brutalized the entire Bengali nation and killed an estimated three
million Bengalis in the name of Jinnah's united Pakistan.
The sacrifice of three million Bengalis during 1971 will never fade away from
the minds of present-day Bengalis. No Pakistani politician can ever mend the
fence without apologizing to our people. Mr. Nawaz Sharif may be the most
successful Prime Minister of Pakistan, but to Bengalis he is just one of them
who is not willing to accept the fact that Pakistani army unnecessarily
brutalized and traumatized our people. He can change all of this by one act.
The big question of the day is - does he have the mental capacity to do it?
_____________
A.H. Jaffor Ullah writes from New Orleans, Louisiana, USA. His e-mail address:
jha...@bellsouth.net