Congressional Record

The warfare and violence in East Pakistan is a new source of concern for an already troubled world. From the information available it appears that a full-scale civil war , likely to last some time, is now underway. I urge that the United States government refrain completely from intervening in the war between the Pakistan forces and those of Bangla Desh. The embargo on the sale of arms and military supplies to Pakistan, in effect since 1965, should be maintained in force without any exceptions.

Economic assistance cannot be provided to only one side. Our government should work to reach the people in both West Pakistan and the area known as Bangla Desh. If this proves impossible because of the unwillingness of the authorities to control any region to permit the free flow of such aid, then I ask that the U.S. Government suspend all such economic assistance.

The complete suspension of economic aid would be a tragedy for the people in the Bangla Desh area who are the victims of the recent cyclone. They desperately need housing materials, food and medical supplies. Undoubtedly other people in Bangla Desh require food and medical supplies. I hope that such assistance could be channeled to those in need through CARE and the Catholic Relief Services which I understand, continue to operate in Dacca.

The lesson that the United States should have learned in the years since World War II and especially as a result of our experience in Vietnam is that we have no right and no duty to intervene in civil wars. But we should use our best efforts to insure that assistance for humanitarian purposes reaches all those in need. In addition, if the events now taking place in East Pakistan become a threat to international peace and security, I urge that the United States ask the United Nations to give the earliest consideration to steps to end hostilities.