Secret

July 29, 1971

Memorandum for

Mr. Henry A. Kissinger From: Theodore Eliot

The White House Washington DC

 

Subject: Situation Report on India/Pakistan

 

Situation in East Pakistan

The current level of insurgent activity remains similar to the previous week. The Inspector General of Police for East Pakistan (a West Pakistani) has privately expressed satisfaction with the pace of re­construction of the police force, which is beginning to assume greater law and order responsibility. However, the number of attacks on rural posts is increasing, and our Consulate General in Dacca be­lieves that the insurgency in East Pakistan has begun under favorable circumstances and despite shortcomings is likely to prevail in time. There has been no progress toward political accommodation. Our Embassy in Islamabad reports that the GOP has decided to put into immediate effect a Martial Law Ordinance to bring about the restitu­tion of seized Hindu properties in East Pakistan.

 

East Pakistan Relief

Our Consulate General in Dacca has predicted that there will be a famine in East Pakistan and estimates it may equal in seriousness the 1943 Bengal famine in which millions died. We are urging the GOP to take a series of measures to expedite implementation of existing relief programs and are urgently preparing a master contingency plan for famine relief. During a call on the Secretary, Ambassador Hilaly requested the US to expedite movement of additional PL-480 grain to Pakistan and to provide additional funds for lease of shallow draft coastal vessels to move grain from seaports to inland centers. Ship­ment of US grain is being accelerated. Also we are in the process of making available a third $1 million grant for lease of vessels with crews to move grain within East Pakistan.

 

Refugee Relief

We have to date financed eight commercial charter flights to Calcutta carrying rehydration fluid and other medical supplies from Geneva for the World Health Organization and plastic tarpaulins and hospital tents from the US and Canada for UNICEF. The flights are continu­ing.

 

A July 23 press report, quoting the West Bengal Health Services Di­rector, warned that 300,000 refugee children were on the verge of death from starvation, but the Indian team of experts which visited West Bengal refugee areas July 15-23 reportedly concluded that malnutrition among refugee children was not as bad as the press re­port indicated. We are waiting for possible recommendations for specific external assistance requirements by GOI following receipt of the team's complete report. In mid to late August UNICEF will begin feeding 2 million refugee children and expectant mothers, using US supplied high protein blended food.

 

India-Pakistan Relations

U Thant on July 21 sent the UN Security Council President a confi­dential memo expressing deep concern about the possible conse­quences of the present situation and urging Security Council mem­bers to consider what action might be taken. We had hoped the Secu­rity Council might reach an informal consensus in support of the

Secretary General's memo and earlier aide memoir to the parties, particularly his proposal for a UNHCR presence on both sides of the frontier. However, the Soviets on July 27 reacted negatively to such a consensus. India welcomed U Thant's memo but continues to lobby against the specific proposal for a UN presence on the Indian side of the border.

Reports of border violations continue. India charged Pakistan with violating Indian airspace in Kashmir July 20; Pakistan denied the al­legation. The Indian Defense Minister told Parliament orders had been given to shoot down intruding Pakistani aircraft. Pakistan has also charged that India shelled the town of Comilla on several recent occasions. The Indians have responded with charges of Pakistani shelling.

 

US-Pakistan Relations

NEA Assistant Secretary Sisco told Pakistani Ambassador Hilaly July 27 that trial of Sheikh Mujib by a military tribunal on charges possibly carrying the death penalty would provoke a strongly ad­verse reaction in the US, particularly in Congress, and would in our view adversely affect the prospects for a political settlement in East Pakistan.

India-US Relations

 

In conversation in New Delhi between Ambassador Keating and Foreign Secretary Kaul and in Washington between Assistant Sec­retary Sisco and Ambassador Jha the Indians continued to take a po­sition strongly critical of the proposal for a UN presence on their side of the border. The Indians continue to imply that the US is the origi­nator of the idea and the GOI spokesman has labeled support for the proposal an unfriendly act.

 

US Public and Congressional Attitudes

The House will probably consider the Foreign Assistance Act, in­cluding the Gallagher Amendment suspending military and eco­nomic assistance to Pakistan, before it recesses August 6. We are continuing to try to have the Amendment modified but it is uncertain whether or not the bill will open for amendment from the floor.

 

Under Secretary Irwin, Special Assistant Frank Kellogg and Herbert Rees of AID outlined before the Kennedy Subcommittee July 22 the measures which the US and UN have been taking to assist the Paki­stani refugees in India and to help the GOP mount a relief operation in East Pakistan. The press concentrated on the Senator's release of two classified telegrams about the possibility of famine in East Paki­stan.

 

Senator Kennedy, accompanied by Senator Mathias and some staff members of the Subcommittee on Refugees, is planning a visit to In­dia and both wings of Pakistan tentatively scheduled for August 10­16. The Pakistanis have not yet indicated whether he would be wel­come in East Pakistan.

 

Theodore J. Eliot, Jr.

Executive Secretary

 

 

 

Source: Bangladesh Liberation War and the Nixon House 1971, Enayetur Rahim and Joyce L. Rahim, Pustaka Dhaka, p – 152 - 155