These facts. Mr. President. are well documented in the hearings of the Subcommittee on Refugees and are outlined in my November 1 report to the subcommittee. I ask unanimous consent that these excerpts from my report be printed in the RECORD at the conclusion of my remarks. Mr. President. we find that after 8 months of calculated indifference to the escalating tragedy in East Bengalafter months of silence in the face of massive human tragedythe highest officials of this administration now tell us that they were in a "race against time" to preserve peace. But it is apparent that this "race" began only a few weeks agoand far too late to be effective or even relevant. American officials over the weekend condemned India becauseto use the words of one unnamed State Department source-"India wanted to move too rapidly for the process of political evolution in East Pakistan which the United States was promoting." What is too rapid in a crisis that has festered 8 long monthswhere in refugee camps children are dying at the rate of 4.300 each day. and countless thousands more go without food or shelter. Perhaps if Americans were faced with starving and wounded refugees pouring over our borders at the rate of 45.000 each day. we. too. might then move rapidly. Although the resort to armed force to settle international disputes can never. of course. be condoned. we cannot but be dismayed that the situation in South Asia has been neglected to the point where both Pakistans and Indias armed forces are now involved in the fighting launched by President Yahya Khans attack on the night of March 25. But to now assign "blame." in the way that this administration has. is not only counterproductive. but dishonest.
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Refugees refugee refugees