Balkan Tragedy: A Re-enactment of the 1971 Genocide in Bangladesh

Re: Reply # 184

Mr. Mirza, in reply#184 I posed six questions to you regarding Lt. Col. Z.A. Khan`s activity in occupied Bangladesh. I knew beforehand that you would avoid answering those questions. Now I see that I was proven right.

Consider this forum, if you will, a court where Z.A. Khan is now being tried for committing crime against humanity during the first four months (March through June 1971) of army crackdown Comilla, Feni, Chittagong, and Chittagong Hill Tract. Also consider yourself to be the lawyer defending the retired Brigadier. I am representing the Bengalis as their lawyer. Would you please ask Brigadier Z.A. Khan the following question?

Why was Lt. Col. Z.A. Khan sacked in June 1971? Also, why did the military authorities in Dhaka ship the Lt. Colonel so hurriedly to West Pakistan?

Please consult your client (Z.A. Khan), get the answer and then tell blurt it out. Like a good trial lawyer I will have a follow up question.

THE FALSE PRIDE OF THE IMBECILE DEFENDERS

OF THE ACCUSED WAR CRIMINALS:

RESPONSE # 2

M. Waheeduzzaman



Despite my pungent yet truthful commentary on Pakistani War Criminals and their imbecile defenders, I harbor no grudge against Pakistan as a nation and as people even though the mainstream of Pakistan society has thus far condoned “whatever” happened in 1971 in the then East Pakistan. I feel tormented when I realize that no one was made to account for in Pakistan for the atrocities their soldiers had committed in 1971. However, my comments have particular reference to those who were responsible for blueprinting g and committing atrocities in Bangladesh during our liberation struggle in 1971. My response has also direct bearing on those who have been defending the 1971military atrocities in 1971.

Despite my pungent yet truthful commentaries on the accused war criminals and their defenders, I would most respectfully submit that even the “accused” or “alleged” hard core war criminals should be afforded the right to self-defense and due process. The spouses, children (nephews also) and other relatives and friends of the accused war criminals have every right to defend the actions of their loved ones even though they might have “effectively” and “heroically” performed their assigned tasks as part of Pakistan’s genocide against Bangalees in 1971. I have no problem with that kind of fundamental rights of any human beings. Yet, I find it hard to comprehend how Pakistan society at large could condone or remain indifferent to 1971 genocide and ethnic cleansing for over period of almost 28 years. Is it arrogance? Is it false pride? Is it deliberate indifference? Is it lack of conscience? Is it something else? Although I can raise questions, I have no answers to these questions. It neither appropriate nor desirable on the part of a survivor of 1971 genocide to speculate on these questions. I think that only conscientious segments of Pakistanis can pursue these questions.

I sincerely believe that the “accused” or “perceived” war criminals of Pakistan must be held accountable for their deliberate planning and execution of genocide and ethnic cleansing in Bangladesh in 1971. Their despicable actions in Bangladesh were both immoral and illegitimate. Any participant’s participation in any genocide or atrocities can’t be washed away as a “justifiable” action for saving the integrity of Pakistan with which Bangalees had severed the pre-existing political relationship through the Declaration of our Independence on March 25, 1971, the black night on which the brute military forces of Pakistan had unleashed a reign of terror on the unarmed Bangalees.

It is very hard to swallow the arrogance and falsehoods of those accused Pakistani war criminals and their enthusiastic defenders who have the audacity to justify the ghastly massacres of Bangalees during Bangladesh’s War of Liberation. It is also difficult to accept when the perpetrators of 1971 genocide demonstrate no sense of remorse or repentance for committing ghastly crimes. Should they choose, let the hate mongering and genocide loving segments of Pakistan “SALUTE” those “Pakistani heroes” who were responsible for turning the then East Pakistan into thousands of killing fields for millions of Bangalees. However, the inheritors and children of those depraved perpetrators of heinous crimes with tainted past for their barbarities on Bangalees are no ones to mischaracterize the victims of genocide

The nature and extent of the 1971 genocide and ethnic cleansing perpetrated by the infamous “two-legged, blood thirsty Pakistani military wolves” [these are not rhetorical exclamations-- these words have become part of Bengali folklore and vocabulary because of the fact that the nature, extent and viciousness of those horrific crimes have yet to comprehended by mainstream of Pakistan society] over a period of nine months in Bangladesh have thus far been validated by numerous independently and professionally verified and umpired documents, books, dissertations, monographs, journal articles and contemporary newspaper reports. It is universally recognized that Pakistani War Criminals are those who were directly or indirectly involved in the design, implementation (or management, carrying out or execution) and monitoring of Pakistani Genocide in Bangladesh from March 25, 1971 through December 16, 1971.

I want the champions and defenders of war crimes to know that it is neither malicious nor slanderous on the part of the victims or survivors of 1971 genocide to accuse or characterize or perceive any “active participant” in the 1971 genocide as “war criminal” even though the final determination is contingent upon the verdict of a legally constituted court of law or tribunal for war crimes. It needs to be clearly understood that that there could not be any genocide in Bangladesh in 1971 in the absence of participation of Pakistan’s murderous military forces. Therefore, it is the legitimate right and invariably a moral duty of any patriotic Banglaee to condemn those Pakistanis who were responsible for blueprinting or committing those horrific crimes. Those war crimes need to be accounted for. No Pakistani war criminal should go unpunished. Such demands from the victims or the survivors of 1971 genocide have both moral and legal grounds.

Although the war criminals could not be prosecuted to the fullest extent of International Laws for the genocide they had committed in Bangladesh for insurmountable pressures from powerful allies of Pakistan, there has been no dearth of independently verifiable evidence against those who had committed those heinous crimes. Thus far hundreds of credible eyewitness accounts and personal memoirs of atrocities, rapes and murders that were committed by marauding Pakistani soldiers have been compiled and printed in Bangladesh. Many survivors of 1971 genocide are still alive even though they have been licking their deep wounds and scars which the Pakistani soldiers and their officers had inflicted upon them in the name of defending the integrity of so-called Pakistan.

I am not at all amused when the twisted defenders of their war crimes characterize our freedom loving people of Bangladesh or their sole spokesman in 1971 Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman (SMR) as ghaddars (traitors). It is totally unacceptable if a defender of Pakistani genocide dares to equate the freedom loving valiant freedom fighters of our liberation war with genocide loving brute military forces of Pakistan. As survivors from Pakistani genocide, is it too much to expect more truthful appraisal of their crimes in 1971 from the defenders or inheritors of Pakistani killers, rapists, child molesters, arsonists and tormentors ? I totally reject the patronizing notion of those who suggest that genocide was committed by both sides (Bangalees and Pakistanis). Such statements are devoid of any relevance to the truth. The victims of 1971 genocide, ethnic cleansing, rapes and other horrific crimes can’t be blamed for those crimes against humanity which were systematically perpetrated by the brute forces of the then Pakistan.

Thanks for your time. I do sincerely appreciate for perusing my commentary.

Respectfully submitted,

M. Waheeduzzaman (Manik)

Re: Omar

You seem to have a vivid idea of how people from another religion come to your house, rampage, kill , rape and then convert the members of the household. My guess is , your forefathers were converted just the same way by the people you call the heroes ``the mughals and the persian marauding tribes ``

no wonder you have such a recollection. Probably subliminal. Me. my conversion was peaceful. My grandfather was attracted by the equality that islam spoke off and hence he converted.

About my dangers from the RSS...let me tell you something. Where i come from, RSS can not even enter. The majority of people in this part of TN and Kerala are not Hindus but peace loving muslims and christians. We can take care of ourselves. And in this process even if something like what you said happens, we will not beg you for assistance. Like honourable muslims we will fight and if required we will give our lives. But rest assured that we will not look at people like you for help. You are the same kind who will first help in the name of the religion and then exploit because we are not mughals etc etc., i will not address any more mails to you unless i see some profanity in these pages from you.

P.S : if you are so bothered about being butchered by the hindus in india, you should leave america , for all you know, americans treat muslims worse than anyone else. And one day you will get the same from some Ku Klux Klan.

Note : I don`t even fully read your answers. I don`t even think they are worth it. Thanks for taking my advice and not speaking vulgarity though.

iconoclast

Mr Omar,

We have taken note of your statements against the Bhutto family. We have received postings at our official website about your statements and we have cross referenced them at this site. We advise you to avoid making such statements.

Party Functionary

Conclusion:

You people want to fulfill some notion of justice? I’ll give you an idea of what justice is. Justice is the discretion of the powerful and the mighty. Nothing more. Take my word for it. What kind of justice do you think you’ll get? Putting old men on trial for what? As for name calling, ‘war criminal’ is name calling too.

For a long time, I have wanted revenge. Just revenge. Pure and simple. If anyone even knows the meaning of hate, it is I. If I could, I think I would personally with my own hands like to lop off the heads off every single Sikh living on the planet for the death of my grandparents in 1947 in front of my 12 year old father, whom they left for dead along with his eight year old brother (not Z.A Khan) in pools of their own blood in the train after slashing them with swords. Their 20 year old sister was abducted by the Sikhs to be raped and killed. We never even recovered the body. They never speak of it, but I know. But what good would it do? Even I am well aware that everything is not so clear cut. There were in fact decent people, Hindus who undoubtedly saved Muslim lives. My point throughout has been that people see the world as black and white when it is really shades of grey. Give me my family’s justice, for I can easily drink Sikh blood even today without a second thought, I am also fully capable of inflicting merciless agonizing death on those whom I hold responsible. So let me get my version of justice, then I’ll give you the justice you seek. Come on, lets go to it, an eye for an eye until the whole world is blind. Being consumed by hate for ‘animals,’gets you nowhere. Trust me. I know from experience. Both my justice and yours are equally perverted and twisted.

Forget about it. Move on with your lives. Or grant me my wish. The choice is yours. Trust me, I am not an adversary you EVER want to see pitted against you, Changez Khan had not my passion, in either battle or in a court of law or any other endeavor in life. I take no prisoners. Not even so called holocaust victims.

OMAR MIRZA

I will not stand by and watch idealized versions of fairytales being propagated in the simple

manner of Aesop’s fables with their simple moral axioms. Good Vs. Bad. The actors in history

were men of clay, not gods who fed on ambrosia. Those who continue this shameless course (Be they Bengali, Indian, Serb, Jew, Arab, Muslim, Sikh, Hindu, Pakistani, Balauchi etc) will find themselves confounded at every step. You people want to believe in some twisted version

of what you think constitutes, ‘the truth,’ if it makes you sleep more soundly at night, go ahead,

but don’t expect the world to swallow it uncritically too. Because everyone has their own personal, biased version of truth that suits them just like yours suits you. And how do you plan to advise us which version to choose? Sway us with morality or patriotism to your side! Because this is the last refuge of the scoundrel. It cuts both ways. Pah. I see Both sides Very clearly and neither the overall conduct of the Pakistan army nor the Bengalis behavior impresses me in the slightest. Both are culpable.

Omar Mirza

End Explanatory note:

The truth is that Mujib was BOTH, ‘a liberator’ and ‘a Traitor.’ And you can apply this analogy to all the Pakistani Generals as well, in the same manner. And they can all be BOTH things simultaneously, as I explained in my prior post. It’s a question of perspective. And which jaundiced eye one is taught to view history from. For Bengalis they are `war criminals,` because they are on the `wrong side` of history, for Pakistanis they are `heroic defenders of the fatherland.` That is all there is to it. Holier than thou’s be forewarned, I am your worst nightmare, no matter which ‘side’ you’re on.

In any event, a thoroughly enjoyable discussion for me. Read previous post for full xplanation.

Regrets I cannot stay for tea,

All the best

Sincerely,

Omar Mirza

End Explanatory note:

The truth is that Mujib was BOTH, ‘a liberator’ and ‘a Traitor.’ And you can apply this analogy to all the Pakistani Generals as well, in the same manner. And they can all be BOTH things simultaneously, as I explained in my prior post. It’s a question of perspective. And which jaundiced eye one is taught to view history from. For Bengalis they are `war criminals,` because they are on the `wrong side` of history, for Pakistanis they are `heroic defenders of the fatherland.` That is all there is to it. Holier than thou’s be forewarned, I am your worst nightmare, no matter which ‘side’ you’re on.

In any event, a thoroughly enjoyable discussion for me. Read previous post for full xplanation.

Regrets I cannot say for tea,

All the best

Sincerely,

Omar Mirza

Fair is foul and foul is fair. Things are never quite what they may seem outwardly. Thinking upon the lessons of history, I am going to elaborate my paradigm. THERE ARE ONLY VERSIONS OF THE TRUTH. There is no truth per se. I do not doubt the sincerity of anyone’s PARTICULAR account. But particular accounts necessarily need to be examined with objectivity. I don’t trust any one of them standing alone. There are myths that have been perpetuated with the ‘uncomfortable’ details swept under the rug. Be they stories by holocaust victims, or by those alleged to have killed them. I am prepared to read EVERTHING to formulate my own opinion while remaining conscious of my own biases. Neither will I accept unconditionally anything more than personal accounts of the holocaust. Why? 50 plus years of propaganda by the ‘victims’ that’s why. And the perverted useage of the holocaust to blackmail numerous European governments and the world at large, time and time again. Excuse me therefore for a natural inclination to assume that both the Jews and the Bengalis have a vested interested in playing the role of victims, when they may well have been deemed to be partisans on opposite sides. Yes, PARTISANS, not victims. I am not inclined to dismiss out of hand any reasonable theory, any more than I am inclined to accept it blindly. In essence I ask the unspeakable, what were the Jews doing BEFORE the holocaust. Furthermore I also ask as to what particular conduct the Bengalis were engaged in PRIOR to both March 7th, and March 25th. You won’t like the question as to whether Bengalis were Partisans or victims. The question itself seems obscene to you. That is the point. To those who preach a gospel of genocide, this is heresy. The truth is that the truth is manipulated. It is neither safe in the hands of AAK Niazi, nor Bengalis. They all seem to have their own slanted versions of ‘the truth’. I never swallow anything hook, line and sinker.

Examples of historical myth making. The Kashmir conflict. I don’t dispute the views that Indians sprout by rote, or that Pakistanis sprout. I think now that they are both versions of history that suffer from perspective. In an attempt to drown each other out, both sides have resorted to yelling, w/o any willingness to listen to the other. Emotion has triumphed. Neither side is angelic. Both versions have flaws. We have learned the same history but from different perspectives. And the historical version has been diluted in national myth making. This is reality. I have seen the very same faults in versions related to the explanation of 1971s events. They are all of them imperfect. The theories of oppression, discrimination, Banglabandhu as the angel of ‘liberation,’ West Pakistani colonial exploitation, are all too neat. History is NEVER that neatly written to be understood in terms of natural progression of events in a straight line, deemed entirely foreseeable in hindsight of course. Had we known the train wreck that was to occur in 1971, 10 years earlier, would I seek to redress Bengali grievances? Yes. There is no doubt that there were indeed grounds for many, but it is NOT a tale of universal oppression by any means that certain individuals paint it as.

Take the Arab-Israeli conflict. My sympathies are with the Arabs. But lets look at how the Arabs have behaved towards the Jews rather than focusing only on the way the Jews have behaved towards the Arabs. It is not a one sided tale with only heroes and villains (Saints and Deamons) on one side or the other by any means. To label people as either solely ‘Victims’ and ‘Oppressors’ is not the way. The truth is never that clear cut.

Take ‘Secular India’ or ‘Islamic Fundamentalist Pakistan’, these LABELS ALONE are loaded, just as loaded as ‘Traitors’ Vs. ‘Liberation War.’ Neither of them stand up to close scrutiny completely. Each side believes it is in SOLE possession of THE TRUTH. And proceeds to express the truth it believes itself possessed of at the full strength that its lungs can muster (I have myself given a good example of how his can be done, by provoking the response I expected from a large number of people). Pardon me for my large scale psychological lab experiments with yourselves as the rats. This is no means of establishing truth, only the means I felt necessary to expose its partisan versions which have come out in their fullest hues as anticipated. I have been forced throughout this debate to make the point that there is indeed another side by painting it in very vivid colors. If I have given anyone any particular personal offense or grief, I humbly apologize for my part.

I also humbly observe that the term ‘war criminal’ is just as loaded as any other.

Regards,

Omar Mirza

RE : Mr.Manik #208 I am going to address a few quotes from your post and analyse them.

It is unthinkable that Bangabandhu would ask for “assurance” of blood thirsty Pakistani military animals for staying alive.

Response: In an earlier post I stated clearly enough I think that rhetoric, which we are all guilty of using must end, no one listened. Certainly not you. The problem you see is understandable, you read as do most people with their own biases. Its unthinkable Bangabandhu could be a common human being, or react like one. This is your preconception, nothing more. I have an eyewitness.

peace-loving Bangalees in 1971

Response: Quite frankly you need to repeat this statement in front of some of the people, whom I know personally, who lost parents and relatives (all civilians whose crime was being non-Bengali) to the blood thirsty mobs of ‘Peace Loving Bengalis in 1971.’ Come to Karachi, I can find these people for you. Tell this to them. See what they say.

It is unthinkable that Bangabandhu would ask for “assurance” of blood thirsty Pakistani military animals for staying alive.

Response: This is your preconception. It shows. Even Stalin was a man (and Banghabandu’s deeds from 1972-75 can be roughly compared to Stalin’s totalitarian regime’s acts, and modus operendi). What to speak of a Bangabandhu!

And he is not at all interested in professional exchange of views. His goal is to disseminate falsehoods and fabrications about Bangladesh.

Response: You have misunderstood me blinded as you are by your own rhetoric. I am the champion of those causes on whose behalf no one dares to speak out of fear of being labeled politically incorrect. I do not doubt that many Bengali civilians died, some innocently in the Civil War of 1971, I am not naive. Pakistan army was not full of angels, any more than Bangabandhu was one descended from Heaven to ‘liberate’ East Pakistanis. My point has been that it is time to shatter ALL myths. And I am perfectly willing to go to play extremes in order to stimulate people to think. Why? Because I don’t accept the Universal Truth that Bengali and Indian scholars have painted in Black/White about a progression of discrimination leading inevitably to Independence. The people involved were human beings not automatons as you paint them out to be. As I stated earlier, this simplistic version of history being peddled is FAR TOO Simplistic. Even the most patriotic Bengalis today who were in their 40s during the 1971 period can recollect a time when they loved United Pakistan, and West Pakistanis were not devils, but Bengalis and West Pakistanis were brothers. You had better heed these words. I always speak the unspeakable for a reason. I have no desire to torment anyone, except those who would impose a rigid conception of history upon us (for my views on how history is represented see earlier posts) or too rosy a one sided view. For them I have NO MERCY! Real history gets lost in Rhetoric, in this case the Rhetoric of the winning side, i.e Bengali Nationalism and Indian Trimphalism. Even professor types are lost in the rhetoric. To you, I am a hate-mongerer etc, well if expressing the views of 98% of Pakistanis today is ‘hate-mongering’, then I suppose I am what you say. I never shy from the truth or discovering it, or questioning it, no matter how ugly. First person accounts are valuable, and I have no problem with who wrote them, as these are the tools by which we can gain insights into the past. Let us not shun them and only regurgitate national myths. That would be completely useless. You have a preconceived attitude disposed to find Z.A Khan guilty before trial, you would be disqualified as a potential juror in the U.S with such a disposition. That has been my point throughout repeated ad nauseum, that Z.A Khan is not a war criminal JUST because he was there. I think frankly speaking that most of the 90,000 Pakistan army soldiers are war criminals in Bengali eyes. It really doesn’t matter what they actually did all that much. This attitude must be exposed. You have exposed it yourself, go back and read your post and see if you can spot your own preconceptions. If you can’t, you’re blind. I at least openly acknowledge mine and recognize them. You guys indulge in the same sterotypes that West Pakistanis are guilty of, and then try to justify it in terms of POLITICAL CORRECTNESS, sort of taking on the role of the Jews of the subcontinent, imposing your version of history onto everyone else like they have done over the past 50 years. I most certainly don`t deny the holocaust occurred, nor do I deny Pakistani some culpability in what happened in 1971. But I do challenge the holier than thou attitude with which accounts are presented and country`s described, especially when i know that they are not entirely justified but a view distorted through the prism of history, of the progression of history. There are only theories as to why what happened was `inevitable`, i challenge any and all presumptions, by any means necessary to drive home this point, no matter how verbally brutal i have to become simply because the past is covered by layers of preconceptions that have solidified over time. I WAS NOT EVEN BORN when this happened. Fortunately, I have a skeptical mind. I am willing to explore the can of worms Z.A Khan has opened thru his simple unvarnished account of what he claims to have witnessed with his own eyes. Soon the remaining participents in these events will be dead. I suppose that is why you want trials, to establish the primacy of your truth.

#209 MnKhan

Good Point! I though earlier today about this scenario myself, BEFORE I read your post.

Here is a gesture of good will towards Bengalis. I for my part have no objections to handing over ‘the jackal’ Niazi. If you want to try him, question him, and hang him, be my guest. I think most of Pakistan wished he were dead for the dishonor he brought upon us. I have no problem with handing him over to Bangladesh. The only thing is that I insist that he be tried not at the Hague for his alleged crimes, but in Bangladesh, where we can be sure he will swing without a doubt. I am extremely sorry that this gentleman has come out with, ‘mein nay hatyar nahinh daalay.’ (Trans. I did not lay down my weapons). Even though I have not read it. Perhaps I like others suffer from my own preconceptions of what he did and HOW he did it.

I certainly hope that none of this conversation gets down to name calling and stereotyping basics. While it is hard to control one`s passions specially when so provoked by the ignorant, I urge everyone to be calm. What specifically bothers me this time is a post or two that villified the entire ``officer class`` of the Pakistan Army and the ``Punjabis``. Let us not forget that the same ``officer class`` contained men of great honour like Gen Sahibzada Yaqoob Khan, a former Martial LAw Administrator in Dhaka. Most of us I am sure know of many Punjabis who are our friends. Generalisation is the tool of the ignorant not the defence of the wise.

OMAR1974

My replies 199 and 200 dealt somewhat with your qualties and uniqueness. But I forgot to address it to you, so just incase you missed it, I thought I should inform you.

Thanks

Satyavadi

My Thoughts on the Arrogant War Crminals and their Imbecile Defenders: My Response # 1

M. Waheeduzzaman

Although a host of serious readers have already responded to this thread, there is plenty of scope to further this discussion on many unresolved issues and vexing questions pertaing to 1971 genocide in Bangladesh. In view of this, I would love to share my own thoughts with the readers.

It seems to me that many of those in Pakistan who were directly or indirectly involved in masterminding, blueprinting and executing policies and programs for tormenting and slaughtering millions of Bangalees in 1971 have started writing books and memoirs. In recent years the publication of these annoying concoctions and invented narratives in Pakistan seems to have become a growth industry in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan! Despite the fact that there is a plethora of books in today’s Pakistan on 1971 genocide which was perpetrated in Bangladesh twenty eight years ago by the marauding Pakistani soldiers, most of these concocted accounts of 1971 are devoid of truths and conscience. All of these ``New`` writers of Pakistan have been desperately trying to construct a rationale or a justification for a genocidal war which they had perpetrated over a period of nine months in 1971.

In his recently published book titled `The Way It Was`[I have read only several excerpts of this book which were published in News From Bangladesh, a Dhaka based Internet Daily], Z.A. Khan, a retired Pakistani Brigadier, has come up with many revelations, conjectures and unsubstantiated narratives about various operations of Pakistani military in 1971 (which are now being contested and debated through Internet. Specifically CHOWK has provided the much needed forum for such open discussion on various unresolved issue of 1971 genocide].

Although I found several excerpts of Z.A. Khan’s book (The Way It Was) interesting and revealing, his selective and sterile narratives of numerous incidents are characterized by truths, half-truths, absurdities, hypocrisies, hearsays, distortions, innuendoes, fabrications, concoctions and blatant falsehoods. [I would employ similar generalizations for characterizing the contents of the books authored by Rao Forman Ali Khan and A.A.K. Niazi].

Lest it be thought that my comments on Z.A. Khan’s book are overstatements. Yet two quotes from the narratives of Z.A. Khan will lend credibility to my generalizations on his book (who was Lt. Col. in Pakistan Army when the horror campaign was unleashed on Bangalees. He was later promoted to the rank of Brigadier presumably for doing a good job during 1971 genocide!):

First, let’s find out what Z.A. Khan says about the way Sheikh Mujibur Rahman (Bangabandhu) was arrested from his Dhanmondi residence on the night of March 25, 1971: “I later learnt that after telling Major Belal to break down the closed door upstairs when I went to check on the vehicles, someone had fired a pistol shot into room where Major Bilal’s men were collected, luckily no one was hit. Before anyone could stop him, a soldier threw a grenade into the verandah from where the pistol shot had come and followed it with a burst from his sub-machine gun. The grenade burst and the sub-machine gun fire made Sheikh Mujib call out from behind the closed room that if an assurance were given that he would not be killed he would come out. He was given an assurance and he came out of the room. When he (Sheikh Mujib) came out Havildar Khan Wazir, later subedar, gave him a resounding slap on his face” (reference: Z.A. Khan, The Way It Was)

It is indeed appalling if someone, who was part of Pakistani military operation in Dacca on the black night of March 25th 1971, can gloat about the alleged “slap” on the face of Bangabandhu, the undisputed leader of all Bangalees in the then East Pakistan. To Z.A. Khan this alleged incident sounded like a “resounding slap” on the face of a leader of Bangabandhu’s stature who was elected by overwhelming majority of people to be the Prime Minister of Pakistan. Yet, an inadvertent or deliberate acknowledgment of such repulsive behavior succinctly sums up the contempt of a typical Pakistani soldier or officer for Bangabandhu. May be Z.A. Khan could not hide his own prejudice, disrespect and disdain for Bangalees even after all these years.

However, I would like to point out that over the years I have perused dozens of narratives about the way Bangabandhu was actually arrested on the night of March 25, 1971. Z.A. Khan’s account of Bangabandhu’s arrest is at sharp variance with all other narratives. His claims also contradict what Brig. Siddiq Salik has said in his much acclaimed book titled `Witness to Surrender.` His claim of the pistol shot from the premise of Bangabandhu’s residence is not at all credible under those circumstances. It is, however, true that when the heavily armed contingent of Pakistani brute forces had attacked Bangabandhu’s residence, he was inside his bed room closed from within, and he came out of the room on his own. It is unthinkable that Bangabandhu would ask for “assurance” of blood thirsty Pakistani military animals for staying alive.

With Bangalee blood in his hand, it will be very difficult for Z.A. Khan to comprehend that only a fearless leader of Bangabandhu’s stature could stay home on that black night of March 25, 1971. Instead of fleeing to safety on the blackest night of our history, Bangabandhu had made a deliberate determination to stay in his residence. Instead of compromising Bangalees` rights for self-determination, Bangabandhu was prepared to sacrfice his life. What kind of courage impelled the indomitable leader of Bangalees to face the murderous Pakistani forces on that fateful night is beyond the comprehension of Z.A. Khan, who was in charge of arresting Bangabandhu SMR.

Second, the then Pakistani Lt. Col. Z.A. Khan narrates his outlandish version of the black night of March 25, 1971 in the following words: “I was standing and smoking, a light machine gun, sited at the headquarters’ perimeter wire, either accidentally or the gunner saw something, fired a short burst. For a while after the burst was fired it was quiet, then every weapon in the cantonment and in the city opened fire. Not to be outdone the anti-aircraft regiment on the airfield also fired, green and yellow tracer arcs crisscrossed the whole of Dacca, after a few minutes the firing ceased as suddenly as it had started” (reference: Z.A. Khan, The Way It Was).

It is obvious that Z.A. Khan denies about the crude and barbaric nature of brutalities of Pakistani forces on the night of March 25, 1971. His bizarre description of the night is a travesty of truth. No one with any rudiment of conscience or human decency can write and then disseminate such falsehoods. It is a blatant lie to suggest that Pakistani military forces did not unleash a pre-planned reign of terror and prolonged killing, burning and rampage on the night. The entire city of Dacca was almost reduced to ashes on that night. For several days and nights which followed March 25th Pakistani military forces had turned the city of Dacca into a ghastly killing field soaked with blood of thousands of innocent and unarmed Bangalees. For those who had survived still remember that night as ``Kalo Ratri`` (Black Night). And many survivors of that night are still alive. What the residents of Dacca went through on that fateful night of March 25, 1971 due to sudden barbaric attack of Pakistani military hordes is well documented even within the confines of today’s Pakistan. For example, Z.A. Khan’s version of that black night is at sharp variance even with what Niazi and Rao Forman Ali Khan had described in their books.

As if Z.A. Khan`s heroic performance in a genocidal war against the peace-loving Bangalees in 1971 and his book `The Way It Was` were not enough of services. Now the hate-mongering or slandering services of his heartless nephew have been made available to Bangladeshis!

There is little wonder why Z.A. Khan’s twisted nephew, Omar Mirza, has recently littered Pakistani CHOWK, an innovative Internet forum, with physical and legal threats, fabrications, innuendoes and falsehoods about Bangladesh and Bangladeshis. This twenty five year old nephew has also threatened Jamal Hasan for accusing an active participant(Z.A, Khan)in 1971 genocide of War Crimes. According to Omar Mirza`s ``legal opinions``, all Bangalees and their leader Bangabandhu were ``traitors,`` and liberation war fighters were the actual ``war criminals`` in 1971. It seems that at an early age,he has adopted a policy of ``offence is the best defence.`` His motto has been ``attack the victims, vilify the victims and torment the victims.`` It seems that Omar1974 has started to practice law on the Internet even before he could become a lawyer! If I were his uncle-cum-client in a law suit, I would have lost my mind by this time! As a Bangalee and definitely as a human being, I am not amused with his demeaning comments about my race and about my country. The history is on our side. Facts are on our side. It has been universally recognized that Pakistani military forces had perpetrated a genocide in the then East Pakistan in 1971. The crux of the problem is that Omar Mirza has no consistency in his thoughts. He thinks that his distorted opinions are ``facts.`` And he is not at all interested in professional exchange of views. His goal is to disseminate falsehoods and fabrications about Bangladesh.

Yet,I am aware of the fact there are many fair minded Pakistanis who are willing to demonstrate empathy towards the victims and survivors of 1971 genocide. I am now convinced that Omar Mirza is not one of them. Hate-mongering may be his passion but bad- mouthing or tormenting or slandering others can be of no assistance in building bridges between nations.

Ms. Munezae Alam Khan, Z.A, Khan’s own daughter, has recently expressed her disdain for the entire Bangalee race. According to her, all Bangalees are the “descendants” of Mir Jaffor. She has also claimed that “Bengalis” are unworthy of trust!

It is a travesty of truth to allege that the ‘Bangalees’ are the descendants of Mir Jaffor. One of the professed objectives of Bangalees’ relentless struggle for independence from Pakistan’s colonial domination was to wipe out the last vestiges of Pakistani relatives and descendants of Mir Jaffor from the alluvial soil of Bangladesh. We had accomplished that goal on December 16, 1971 by decisively defeating barbaric Pakistani forces. The descendants of Pakistan’s barbaric military hordes and the inheritors of the heritage of 1971 genocide, rapes and plunder perpetrated by Yahya Khan, Tikka Khan and other Pakistani war criminals are not the rightful persons to apportion blame to Bangalees for their own crimes, butcheries, treacheries and betrayals!

Thank you for your time.

Respecfully submitted,

M. Waheeduzzaman (Manik)

Re: FerozK

My dear Friend, in putting forth these arguments, i am not trying to compare sufferings of victims of genocide . But i do beg to differ with you when you say that sufferings of people are not comparable on all scales. There is but one major factor in my opinion which governs such sufferings and that is the reason for these sufferings.

What happened between Bangladesh and Pakistan was purely a political issue which did had racism as an underlying factor. However racism was only a excuse which the politicians took up to fan the flames of hatred. The actual cause was just political greed. The same is the case with Tibet, Sri Lanka and Yugoslavia. In all these cases, a set of people were discriminated against and when they rebelled, they were put down with force. If only they were not discriminated against, they would not have rebelled and there would have been no genocide. Hence it is easier to compare these genocides on the same scales based on the causative factor and not on the amount of suffering people had to encounter.

But with the Shoah, the reason was unique. It was not political, economical or greed. It was purely racism at its worst. Agreed, the treatment of the blacks was also racism personified during the last century. However there is one important difference. The blacks were considered racially inferior and fit to be slaves ,, but not deserving to be eliminated from the face of the earth. With the Jews, the raison de etre of the holocaust was to remove the entire race/religion from the face of the earth. And in this, the Shoah can be categorized as the worst genocide perpetuated by mankind. And again in this, my bangladeshi friends make a mistake in comparing their genocide with the Shoah.

There are two angles, the depth of suffering, and the cause of the suffering. The first i agree with you Feroz is not comparable across mankind. The second is comparable. and even when this is compared, the cause of the sufferings of the people of Bangladesh is lesser than that of the the cause of the sufferings of the jewish people.

Rishi

Reply to post # 192 from FerozK:

The post #191 contributed by maliani is an eye opener. I am sure many researchers of South Asian politics will find valuable and rare material from the posting.

Dealing with my Pathan relatives I came to this conclusion - a Pathan may forgive but seldom forgets.

Let us have an imaginary scenario:

Yahya Khan is the Bengali Namrud, Tikka and Rao Farman Ali are the Bengali Iblises. They wanted to subjugate the people living in the western wing of Pakistan. In 1971 Yahya`s Bengali soldiers killed 1 million Punjabis and Pathans and in course of time raped one hundred thousand Pathan women.

Now what could have been the consequence?

Pachas saal baad ( 50 years later) young Pathan

will confront Bengali Tikka and Rao Farman Ali and ask them the pertinent question, ``Why did you do this?``

--Mohammad Nawaz Khan