US role in 1971 a tragic mistake

Moriarty says his country recovered from the mistake to recognise Bangladesh early
US Ambassador James F Moriarty yesterday in an oblique criticism said the role of his country during the Liberation War of Bangladesh was a ‘tragic mistake’.
Speaking at a memorial meeting on Edward Kennedy at the Liberation War Museum in the city, Moriarty said the US had recovered from the mistake by giving early recognition to Bangladesh.
“Senator Kennedy helped my country to correct the mistake back in 1971 and we expressed that by quickly recognising Bangladesh,” Moriarty added.
“I think we expressed that view by very quickly recognising Bangladesh after the end of the war. I think you all will recall that we were one of the first countries to recognise Bangladesh,” he told reporters after the meeting.
Ambassadors never say that their country makes a mistake, they just imply it,” he went on to say.
“We want to look at each country individually. We don’t look at you as a former part of Pakistan or Bangladesh and Pakistan as former parts of India,” he added.
Recalling Kennedy’s visit to refugee camps in West Bengal Moriarty said Kennedy drew the attention of the world to the humanitarian disaster for the first time.
“Senator Kennedy’s visit and continued support for Bangladesh’s independence has a great impact on public opinion. I have no doubt that his efforts led to the early recognition of Bangladesh by the US,” Moriarty added.
He said Ted Kennedy’s visit to Dhaka in February 1972 was one of the first visits to an independent Bangladesh by an international leader.
“The events, as we have seen this week, bonded Ted Kennedy with the people of this country in a deep way and Senator Kennedy will live on in the hearts of the people of Bangladesh,” Moriarty added.
Attending the programme the power and energy adviser to the prime minister, Toufiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury said, “I got a unique privilege to escort Ted Kennedy during his visit to refugee camps in India in August 1971 and his greatness, farsightedness and his vision of the world impressed me very much.”
Recalling the contributions of Ted during the country’s Liberation War in 1971 eminent economist Prof Rehman Sobhan said Kennedy not only raised his voice against the genocide in Bangladesh in 1971 he also raised his voice against the recent Iraq war.
“We should mourn for him as he was a friend of Bangladesh as well as a real spokesman of deprived people across the world,” Sobhan said.
Marya Hossain, student of Peace and Conflict department at Dhaka University read out the speech of noble laureate Dr Muhammad Yunus who was scheduled to attend the programme but finally didn’t take part for unavoidable reasons.
Akku Chowdhury, trustee of the Liberation War Museum also spoke at the meeting, among others.

Courtesy of The Daily Star