Toronto Declaration voices against 1971 Pakistani atrocities

The Toronto declaration made on August 21, 1971 that voiced against Pakistani atrocities globally stands as yet another written proof that Pakistan is telling a unconcealed lie shamelessly by denying committing war crimes during Bangladesh’s war of liberation. More than 20 eminent personalities in the world adopted the “Toronto Declaration” requesting all the governments to eliminate military and economic aid to Pakistan expressing grave concern over four months of horrifying atrocities and military operations in East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) during the Liberation War, 1971 and, reports BSS.
“We are horrified by the events of recent months in East Pakistan which have resulted in one of the major disasters in man’s history. Millions of refugees have fled in the wake of atrocities and military operations—-,” the Toronto Declaration said.
It also said, “We appeal with the utmost urgency to all people in all countries to prevail upon their governments to act while there is still time.” The declaration was made in an international conference (the South Asia Conference) of people meeting in Toronto from August 19 through August 21, 1971 at Toronto, focused on the serious crisis in East Pakistan. Noted internationally known South Asian experts including distinguished parliamentarians, scholars, administrators, and editors from different parts of the world took part in the conference.
The conference, sponsored by the private relief agency, Oxfam, was chaired by Mr. Hugh Keenleyside, former director general of UN Technical assistance and former Canadian ambassador to Indonesia and vice chaired by Prof. John Kenneth Galbraith, of Harvard, former US ambassador to India.
From the assembly they forwarded five demands before the globe to create pressure on the Pakistani government to put an end to their atrocities in East Pakistan.
They requested all the governments across the globe to terminate immediately all military deliveries to Pakistan, to suspend all economic aid to Pakistan, to channel all possible resources into a massive emergency program for famine relief in East Pakistan, directed and administered by the United Nations.
Two other demands of the declaration were to make firm continuing commitments to share fairly the economic burden of supporting the refugees in India and to intervene to save the life of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. The signers of the declaration were: Rev. E. Johnson, N.C. Dahl, G. Papanek, J.T. Thorson, Gen. J.N. Chaudhuri, Patrick P. McDermatt, Niall Macdermot, Chester Ronning, James Barrington, Hanna Papanek, Bernard Braine,M.P, John Holmes, Ajit Bhattachajea, Nurul Hossain, John E. Rodhe, M.D., Rev. Eoin A. Mackay, Gerard Lachene, Thomas A. Dine, Hugh L. Keensleyside, Rev. Earnest Long, Judith Hart, M.P., Cornelia Rhode, Stanley Wolpert, Robert Drofman, Horner A. Jack. Describing the situation in East Pakistan as threat for the entire world, the declaration said, “The Present situation is a threat to peace both in the subcontinent of South Asia and throughout the world, with danger of great power involvement in a familiar pattern of escalation.” Stressing the need for political settlement to end the crisis in Easyt Pakistan, the conference called for an immediate end to all killing, saying, “This can be achieved only in the context of a political settlement. There can be no lasting political solution without the democratic consent of the people of East Pakistan.

 

Toronto Declaration voices against 1971 Pakistani atrocities

The Toronto declaration made on August 21, 1971 that voiced against Pakistani atrocities globally stands as yet another written proof that Pakistan is telling a unconcealed lie shamelessly by denying committing war crimes during Bangladeshs war of liberation. More than 20 eminent personalities in the world adopted the Toronto Declaration requesting all the governments to eliminate military and economic aid to Pakistan expressing grave concern over four months of horrifying atrocities and military operations in East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) during the Liberation War, 1971 and, reports BSS. We are horrified by the events of recent months in East Pakistan which have resulted in one of the major disasters in mans history. Millions of refugees have fled in the wake of atrocities and military operations-, the Toronto Declaration said. It also said, We appeal with the utmost urgency to all people in all countries to prevail upon their governments to act while there is still time. The declaration was made in an international conference (the South Asia Conference) of people meeting in Toronto from August 19 through August 21, 1971 at Toronto, focused on the serious crisis in East Pakistan. Noted internationally known South Asian experts including distinguished parliamentarians, scholars, administrators, and editors from different parts of the world took part in the conference. The conference, sponsored by the private relief agency, Oxfam, was chaired by Mr. Hugh Keenleyside, former director general of UN Technical assistance and former Canadian ambassador to Indonesia and vice chaired by Prof. John Kenneth Galbraith, of Harvard, former US ambassador to India. From the assembly they forwarded five demands before the globe to create pressure on the Pakistani government to put an end to their atrocities in East Pakistan. They requested all the governments across the globe to terminate immediately all military deliveries to Pakistan, to suspend all economic aid to Pakistan, to channel all possible resources into a massive emergency program for famine relief in East Pakistan, directed and administered by the United Nations. Two other demands of the declaration were to make firm continuing commitments to share fairly the economic burden of supporting the refugees in India and to intervene to save the life of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. The signers of the declaration were: Rev. E. Johnson, N.C. Dahl, G. Papanek, J.T. Thorson, Gen. J.N. Chaudhuri, Patrick P. McDermatt, Niall Macdermot, Chester Ronning, James Barrington, Hanna Papanek, Bernard Braine,M.P, John Holmes, Ajit Bhattachajea, Nurul Hossain, John E. Rodhe, M.D., Rev. Eoin A. Mackay, Gerard Lachene, Thomas A. Dine, Hugh L. Keensleyside, Rev. Earnest Long, Judith Hart, M.P., Cornelia Rhode, Stanley Wolpert, Robert Drofman, Horner A. Jack. Describing the situation in East Pakistan as threat for the entire world, the declaration said, The Present situation is a threat to peace both in the subcontinent of South Asia and throughout the world, with danger of great power involvement in a familiar pattern of escalation. Stressing the need for political settlement to end the crisis in Easyt Pakistan, the conference called for an immediate end to all killing, saying, This can be achieved only in the context of a political settlement. There can be no lasting political solution without the democratic consent of the people of East Pakistan.