Narration's from the Documentary by Sentu Roy related to the 1971
Genocide in Bangladesh committed by Pakistan Army and the agents.
The excerpts are from the interviews with international journalists,
activists and expatriate who were witness to the Genocide.
In 1971, a small South Asian nation called Bangladesh Experienced
perhaps one of the worst genocide of the post-second war period.
At least 3 million people were killed. Another 10 million people
were uprooted, forcing them to flee across the border to India.
There are many people in the world that are unaware of this massive
human tragedy. It was also one of the worst crimes against humanity.
Yet no one was ever prosecuted; no one was ever held responsible.
The memory of this tragedy is fast fading from our memory. Yet,
for those who lost their loved ones, there is a wound that will
never heal, until those responsible are charged and prosecuted.
The tears may have dried in their eyes, but the pain they must
endure is still alive.
After almost 200 years of British rule, the Indian sub-continent
was broken up in August 1947 into two independent nations, Pakistan
and India. The dividing criteria was religion. The result was
that Pakistan had a western wing and an eastern wing , separated
by 920 miles of of Indian Territory. Enormous differance seoerated
the two region, differances in language, culture, history and
heritage. It is well documented that the western wing exploited
East pakistan economically and politically. Since its independance,
Pakistan has been ruled mostly by millitary. It was a major goal
of the East Pakistan people to institute a democratic government
and press for greater autonomy. When parliamentary elections were
held in December 1970, the Awami League of East Pakistan won a
clear majority. However, the ruling military dictatorship made
a mockery of democratic proceedings and refused to hand over power
to the East. This resulted intremendous agitation among the people
in East Pakistan. On March 25, 1971 the West Pakistan millitary
rule and chief of the Army General Yahya Khan ordered his army
to attack East Pakistan and suppress the agitation. Thus began
nine horrific months of systematic genocide.
Sydney Schanberg
Journalist
(New York Times South Asia correspondent during 1971 and author
of the book Dateline Bangladesh on the Liberation Struggle of
the Bengalees)
What I saw an evidence that constitute Genocide. The target had
been Bengalis in particular Hindus. In towns that I visited, there
were houses marked spicily to direct soldier to those homes to
kill peoples. There were houses supporters of the freedom movements
or they were Hindus. Every towns, every villages that I visited
there were killing fields. In particular places people were taken
in a large number and shot or struck down the death of whole with
the instruments. There were one of the divices was to put people
together, a line of people and shoot them through heir heads that
one bullet could kill five to six people before it lost it's momentum.
It was that organised.
Shamoyli Nasreen : They came to our residence on 15th of
December 1971 at about 4:30 PM with arms. They asked my husband
to go with them. He asked why! They said , you will know it very
soon. He asked them let me put on my dress and clothes, But they
did not let him. They took him away and he was lost for ever.
Dr. William Greenough
Founder of Bangladesh Information Center
Director, Colera Hospital Dhaka during 1971
The Government of United States unfortunately did not see Bangladesh
of Bangladeshis as a vital Geo. Political Importance and they
placed trip by Henry Kisenger a greater importance of the lies
of the several million people displacement to another country
distraction in their homes. I felt very strongly about the lies
which provocative to our elective representatives in this country.
Basically what we did to provide eye witness information, photographs,
provided to Senator Kennedy, to committee of refugees. So he had
facts, he would display as testimonies from the state department
to the contrary.
Nadeem : On 17th April my father was picked up from our
residence. He had tried to leave Chittagong railway station. At
that time all evenues were blocked and Pakistan armies tressd
him with the help of some local collaborates. We have not herd
from him since but we know that he was immediately taken to the
Chittagong circuit house where he was tortured by the electric
chair and other means. They tried to kill me and my pregnant mother.
My younger brother was post-humus child. He has not seen his father.
So still he waits for him. My mother died struggling and waiting
for her husband. We don know where he is. I know where is mother
lying. I can go and talk to her when I am in pain. From my father
we do not know. We are three brothers and sister
Phyllis Taylor Activist
My feeling was increadively out raged. Part of, It was, I am Jews
and I wondered as I was child growing up where are the good people,
where are the good Germans when the trains rolled, when the people
were displaced, when the people were being killed and part of
my commitment to myself and my commitment to all those who were
killed or injured. We were trying to find a way to speak out against
injustice. Here again, the whole were being killed because they
were simply Bangles not for any reason other than that. So it
touched my Jews heart.
R. K. Taylor Activist
We learned that Pakistani ships were coming to the East Coast
of the United States to pick up military weapons that would be
used in genocide that was happening over in East Pakistan and
we felt and we know, we could not stop the ships but may be we
could draw the public attention what is happening by doing something
dramatic in relation with the ship. The first one of the ship
was Padma in Baltimore. We gathered canoes and packs together,
we called the News media and telling them that we are coming in
Baltimore. We drove down quickly to Baltimore and spend a few
days picketing like that when the ships came we launched our fleet
out of Baltimore Harver and tried to get a way of the ships and
at the same time many police force, coast car force were trying
to prevent us from doing that but eventually we were arrested
and we were not able to actually block the ship but what happen
was that was the first time the news began to get out instead
of few
