Thirty-two years ago, as a student suffering from repeated illness, whilst being treated in Switzerland, I watched on in horror as Nazi armies rapidly conquered the European continent- raping, killing, and pillaging, as they went. Stranded for two months, I saw first-hand the carnage wrought by the Third Reich and it's minions. Three years earlier, peace was proclaimed in our time- the wool was pulled over the eyes of the world and we ignored reality. It was no surprise, then, when the wool was forcefully removed and we had to accept responsibility for failing to prevent the preventable. The Jewish people, and many yet more besides them, lingered in concentration camps and were systematically killed. The price for our failures, was the deaths of millions of innocents.
Today, I stand before the organization which has inherited the mantle discarded by it's discredited predecessor. Here, in this Assembly, exists the last remaining hope for the survival of the Bengali people.
In 1936, Haile Selassie declared that it was not the Covenant of the League that was at stake, but international morality. Undertakings, he said then, are of little worth if the will to keep them is lacking. The Charter of the United Nations expresses the noblest aspirations of man: abjuration of force in the settlement of disputes between states; the assurance of human rights and fundamental freedoms for all without distinction as to race, sex, language or religion; the safeguarding of international peace and security.
Yet, these are but words on paper. There exists no inherent value in these aspirations; their value depends solely on our will to uphold them and give them due meaning. The maintenance of peace and the preservation of Man's basic freedoms and rights, requires courage and eternal vigilance; the courage to speak and act - and if necessary, to suffer and die -for truth and justice; eternal vigilance, that the least transgression of international morality shall not go undetected and unremedied.
This organizations bears an immense responsibility. It has forced unto itself the collective desires of all people's, everywhere, and must act not with thought of national or personal interests, but of global interests- the interests of all peoples. Yet this organization has, for all of the it's faults, has a strong track record. This is, I have no doubt, a wondrous thing, that the successor organization has proven itself of being capable of dealing with situations where the League, in it's place, would falter- in the Suez, the Congo, Palestine, and even Korea.
The United Nations exists as a stage where all can make their case heard before the international community- a place where disputes can be discussed in a rational, coherent, manner. Where once would only war be considered the natural solution, instead now the global community favors peace and diplomacy. Indeed, we can see this within Africa and Asia- the United Nations has been invaluable in achieving the freedom of many tens of millions of people.
However, there still exists many millions more under the boot of tyranny and oppression. We speak, of course, of the Bengali people- the people of East Pakistan. We trust that all present are aware of the circumstances that has led to an explosive conflict- the rape, the genocide, the wholesale slaughter of men, women, and children, based on a variety of reasons that have been fabricated to justify these actions. The evidence of these things, just like the evidence of the Holocaust, is undeniable. Irrefutable. India brought it's case before the United Nations - speaking on behalf of the Bangladeshi government and the people it represents - in a
previous resolution. And yet, this resolution failed to grip the interest of the international community. Only a single member of the Security Council voted- and that vote was a no. Members of the United Nations; we remind you again; genocide has occurred. Where once vibrant villages existed, only charred remains and ash now lie. Where once lively intellectual debates occurred in the colleges and universities of East Pakistan, only a deafening silence sits. Mass graves litter the landscape and refugees flood into India in a desperate attempt to live. Much has been done to aid these people, and we thank those who have sent such aid.
In light of this, India, then, was faced with a decision, and we chose to act where the United Nations did not. This does not mean the United Nations has failed- nor do we hold this organization responsible for how the situation has developed. Indeed, India took unilateral action, and we must face the consequences of our actions.
India has acted, and the forces that represent genocide, oppression, and tyranny, have responded in kind. No reasonable defense can be offered by the parties involved in these atrocities - no amount of verbal justification will be satisfactory to dispel their crimes. The scale of their crimes is unimaginable- and that there still exists nations who would so eagerly participate in such things, is a very worrying thing.
We must all face the consequences of our actions- and that is why I stand before you here today; to call on the international community to dispense justice when faced with villainy. We have revealed to the world the crimes committed in East Pakistan. The many tens of thousands of decomposing bodies, the videos of executions, and the scarred remains of a once prosperous peoples are the evidence. The government of Pakistan, and by extension the People's Republic of China, are responsible for these crimes. Of that there is no doubt.
Thirty-two years onward from that fateful trip to Switzerland, the world has changed in many, wondrous ways. Yet it is also the same. Evil still yet exists in the world, and the forces of good are failing to halt it's inexorable march. I ask the members gathered here: Are we to sit by idly and watch as millions die before action is taken? Shall we repeat the mistakes made by our forefathers, and abandon the innocent and needy? Shall we once again watch in horror as regions devolve into anarchy and chaos?
A decision must be made, esteemed delegates. Will you do what is necessary to safeguard the ailing Bengali people? Or will they be abandoned to those who seek their permanent eradication? The people of India and Bangladesh have taken the first step. We ask the United Nations to join us and move forward together.
