Readers may have read an introspective piece on 19th September under
the caption 'The hanging of Mir Quasem Ali'. It was indeed refreshing to
come across an honest and largely historically correct observation of a
Pakistani about the genesis of Bangladesh and particularly about the
recent trial of Bangladeshi war criminals and collaborators of 1971. The
Pakistani, in question, is Mr. Pervez Hoodbhoy, an educator and no
wonder he has been able to take a dispassionate view of men, matter, and
moments.
It is undeniable that a distorted version of history that purposely
ignores the atrocities committed by the Pakistan Army in 1971 and the
continued obstinacy of the Pakistan establishment in not admitting the
horrendous mistakes of that period will only serve to create ill
feelings in Bangladesh. Doctored textbooks on the happenings of 1971 in
the then East Pakistan will further aggravate the process. Sadly, the
myopia of Pakistan is disturbingly explicit when even now one sees that
the country is “deeply saddened” by the execution in Bangladesh of Mir
Quasem Ali. This war criminal was sentenced to death after what Pakistan
describes as “a flawed judicial process.”
While optimists would hope that in the coming days discerning
Pakistanis will come to terms with the realities, it is pertinent to
remind that hanging aging war criminals is not intended to draw
satisfaction but actually giving the devil its due. The frail looking
characters waiting in the docks with drooping posture must not make us
forget the gory crimes they committed in full public view in complete
disregard of morals and scruples. Their actions turned countless women
into widows and scores of children into orphans.
Believers, including Pakistanis, should know full well that
patriotism is an inseparable part of faith. That being so, persons
accused of crimes against humanity in 1971 have quite manifestly defied
and defiled their own faith. They deserve no compassion and
consideration, morally or legally.
The fact of the matter is that in 1971, Bangalees, despite clinching
an electoral majority were not only denied their due, they also became
the unfortunate victims of a regime-sponsored genocide whose gory
details and dimensions are yet to be ferreted out.
The recently published book Blood Telegrams, that tells of a
forgotten genocide and the Spivac Communications before and after
Bangladesh's cruel birth, brings tragically to the fore the monstrous
deeds committed by the Pakistan army and its Jamaat collaborators
against hapless Bangalees in 1971. Leaving aside this credible evidence,
one could talk to scores of living men and women of Bangladesh who are
first-hand witnesses to the horrendous criminality of the Jamaat
hirelings against their own countrymen in 1971.
It is, in fact, only a small fraction of the above perpetrators that
have been accounted for and are now being charged for crimes against
humanity. Let us be very clear on one point; after March 25, 1971, no
self-respecting Bangalee could support the Pakistan establishment's
action in the then East Pakistan. The Pakistan army was in fact quite
unabashedly carrying out what in later days was termed as ethnic
cleansing. The racist rage of the 'Brown Sahibs' against the dark
skinned Bangalees, despite following the same religion, was manifest.
Unspeakable and dastardly crimes were committed in the name of the
so-called 'Islamisation drive.'
Let us remember that the tracking of Nazi war criminals has been an
unrelenting process. Armenians have not forgotten the extermination
campaign against their existence in the early 20th century. Koreans
still resent the brutalities committed by the Imperial Japanese Army
during WWII. Bangladeshis, despite being subjected to a horrendous
genocide, have been more than magnanimous towards their tormentors. So,
let the Pakistan establishment atone for its crimes in 1971, as has been
done by the Germans.
It is also worth pondering that only a tiny fraction of those guilty
of crimes against humanity in 1971 have been indicted. This is partly
because the victors had no stomach for the scale of executions,
numbering several thousands, which would have been necessary had strict
justice been enforced against every criminal accused of crimes against
humanity. Very few retributive executions took place in liberated
Bangladesh. Students of history may like to compare this with events of
post-World War II in Europe, where nearly a thousand retributive
executions took place in the western zones of occupation. Some 920
Japanese were executed, more than three hundred of them by the Dutch,
for crimes committed in the East Indies.
Finally, if indeed Bangladeshis are the brotherly people as has often
been claimed by the Pakistani authorities then let them respond
accordingly and give the brother the due respect. Let them not defile
our sentiments and distort history. We owe at least this much to the
countless souls who sacrificed for our sovereignty. Let Pakistanis
honour themselves by paying tributes to our war heroes of 1971,
especially those brave soldiers of East Bengal Regiment who in large
measure gallantly defended Lahore in the 1965 war.
The writer is a columnist of The Daily Star.
