The US stayed shamefully mute when the Bangladesh genocide happened. But not every American diplomat agreed with the official stand. This was a telegram from Archer Blood, the acting US Consul General in Bangladesh in April, 1971 and signed by 29 Americans 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 any deservedly negative international public relations impact against them. Our government has evidenced what many will consider moral bankruptcy... 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 an internal matter of a sovereign state. Private Americans have expressed disgust. We, as professional civil servants, express our dissent with current policy and fervently hope that our true and lasting interests here can be defined and our policies redirected. Blood was recalled from Bangladesh and his diplomatic career suffered greatly from his principled stand. He died in 2004, and while he was remembered on the front pages of the papers in Bangladesh, most US media ignored his demise. His last diplomatic stint was as charge daffaires in New Delhi.
Posted on: Sun, 30 Nov 2014 05:00:34 +0000
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