By Arul Louis The US diplomatic cable to Secretary William Rogers, sent in 1971 by US diplomats to Dhaka.It was sent as the Pakistani military carried out genocide in East Pakistan.
This was a pivotal moment in Washington’s involvement in Bangladesh’s struggle for independence.
The diplomats, who were willing to risk their careers for their opinions, exposed Washington’s hypocrisy.
They denounced Washington’s policy of supporting dictator Yahya Khan while supporting genocide victims and suppressed democracy.
They failed to save their nation from being viewed as the moral leader in the world.
The cable’s name is “The Blood Telegram”, but it serves as a metaphor for the massacre that diplomats are writing about.It was also named after Consul General Archer Blood, who supported the message against Dhaka by 20 diplomats and whom he called “among the most distinguished US officials in East Pakistan”.
Blood warned President Richard Nixon’s administration about supporting General Khan.He called him “the likely loser”, and said that this “would be foolish”.
The text of this diplomatic cable is available at the US National Archives.
1138.Subj: Disagreement from the US Policy towards East Pakistan
Dacca, April 6, 1971, 0730Z
1.Aware of the task force proposals on “openness” in the Foreign Service, and with the conviction that US policy related to recent developments in East Pakistan serves neither our moral interests broadly defined nor our national interests narrowly defined, numerous officers of AmConGen (American Consulate General) Dacca, USAID (US Agency for International Development) Dacca and USIS (US Information Service) Dacca consider it their duty to register strong dissent with fundamental aspects of this policy.
Our government has failed to denounce the suppression of democracy.Our government has failed to denounce atrocities.
Our government has failed to take forceful measures to protect its citizens while at the same time bending over backwards to placate the West Pak dominated government and to lessen likely and deservedly negative international public relations impact against them.Our government has evidenced what many will consider moral bankruptcy, ironically at a time when the USSR sent President Yahya (Khan) a message defending democracy, condemning arrest of leader of democratically elected majority party (incidentally pro-West) and calling for end to repressive measures and bloodshed.
In our most recent policy paper for Pakistan, our interests in Pakistan were defined as primarily humanitarian, rather than strategic.But we have chosen not to intervene, even morally, on the grounds that the Awami conflict, in which unfortunately the overworked term genocide is applicable, is purely internal matter of a sovereign state.Private Americans have expressed disgust.We, as professional public servants, express our dissent with current policy and fervently hope that our true and lasting interests here can be defined and our policies redirected in order to salvage our nation’s position as a moral leader of the free world.
2.Our specific areas of dissent, as well as our policy proposals, will follow by septel (separate telegram).
3.Signed:Brian Bell, Robert L.Bourquein, W.Scott Butcher, Eric Griffel, Zachary M.Hahn.Jake Harshbarger, Robert A.Jackson, Lawrence Koegel, Joseph A.Malpeli, Willard D.McCleary, Desaix Myers, John L.Nesvig, William Grant Parr, Robert Carce, Richard L.Simpson, Robert C.Simpson; Richard E.Suttor, Wayne A.Swedengurg, Richard L.Wilson, Shannon W.Wilson—4.I support the right of the above named officers to voice their dissent.Because they attach urgency to their expression of dissent and because we are without any means of communication other than telegraphic, I authorize the use of a telegram for this purpose.
5.I believe the views of these officers, who are among the finest US officials in East Pakistan, are echoed by the vast majority of the American community, both official and unofficial.I also subscribe to these views but I do not think it appropriate for me to sign their statement as long as I am principal officer at this post.
6.My support of their stand takes on another dimension.As I hope to develop in further reporting, I believe the most likely eventual outcome of the struggle underway in East Pakistan is a Bengali victory and the consequent establishment of an independent Bangladesh.
At the moment we possess the good will of the Awami League.We would be foolish to forfeit this asset by pursuing a rigid policy of one-sided support to the likely loser.
(Consul General Archer) Blood
(Arul Louis can be reached at [email protected] and followed @arulouis)
al/ksk/
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