By VLADIMIR YORDANSKY
Novosti Press Agency

MOSCOW — The beginning
of economic negotiations be-
tween the industrialized Western
countries (‘‘north’’) and the de-
veloping nations (*‘south’’) is one
of the most important events in
recent months. This ‘‘dialogue’’,~
undoubtedly, was possible be-
cause the economic crisis of 1975
crossed all the T’s and dotted all
the I’s. ; :

At the same time, one of the
reasons prompting the “‘north’’,
at long last, to enter into negotia-
tions with the “‘south’’ was the
desire to find out just how much
the developing countries were de-
termined to start revising their
economic relations with western
Europe and North America.
Equally definite was the intention

to check up in practice on the un-
ity of the ‘“‘south.’’ Lastly, the
“north’’ hoped that this dialogue
would permit it, while sacrificing
trifles, to retain the main object,
namely, the possibility of impos-
ing on the developing states an
approach, benefitting — the
“*north’’, in vital problems of both
today and tomorrow concerning
raw materials, finance, energy
and commerce.

In turn, many representatives
of countries of the ‘‘south’’ did
not, and do not, conceal their
concer over dependence on the
state of economic affairs in west-
ern Europe and North America. It
is essential to the “‘south’’ that
primary. prices be constantly ad-
justed to the fluctuating prices of
industrial goods. Moreover, infla-
tion in the Western countries en-

DETERMINED
 -'TO CHANGE
RELATIONSHIPS

dangers the implementation of
economic development projects

‘in the third world.

The developing countries have,
in the long run, succeeded in hav-
ing four commissions set up to
study concretely the basic
economic issues of raw materials,
energy, finance and development.
These commissions were recently
held in Paris.

‘Stabilizing Poverty’

The ‘“‘northerners’’ attach the
main importance to the energy
problem. Following the line of the
United States in this question, the
Common Market countries are
seeking a minimum on oil of $7 a
barrel, whereas the current world
price is slightly over $12. They
have also adopted a plan of under-

‘takings for the development of
their own energy and especially

Police raids, arrests intensify

| - Repression in Bangladesh

CALCUTTA (CNS)— A fresh
wave of repression has been
launched in Bangladesh. Several
leaders of the former Awami
League, including some ministers
of the Mujib (Prime Minister
Mujibur Rahman) cabinet have
been arrested.

Warrants of arrest have been
issued against the general secret-
ary of the former Communist
Party of Bangladesh (CPB) and a
number of other political leaders.
_ Even universally respected intel-
lectuals like the venerable sep-

tagenerian scientist, | Dr.
Qudrat-e-Khuda and poetess
Sufia Kamal have been

threatened with arrest. _

The occasion was the celebra-
tion of the anniversary of Feb. 21
when 14 years ago a number of
young Bangladeshis gave their

lives in the struggle to defend their .

right to use their mother tongue.
On Feb. 21, 1952 a student de-
monstration demanding the rec-
ognition of Bengali as the state
language of the then East Pakis-
tan was fired upon by the police,
killing a number of people. —
Symbol of National Resurgence
Since then February 21 has be-
come the symbol of Bangladesh's
national resurgence and has been
observed with great solemnity
every year. A beautiful monu-
ment was built in Dacca on the
spot where the martyrs fell and
this became a place of national
pilgrimage. After Pakistani
‘crackdown on March 25,.1971,
the Pakistani Army demolished
the monument which was rebuilt
after liberation. Since. liberation
Feb. 21 has always been observed
as the National Martyrs’ Day.
Anti-India Campaign
_This year a 301-member na-
tional celebration committee con-
sisting of the leading intellectuals
of Bangladesh and members of
the now banned Bangladesh
Krishak Sramik Awami League

PACIFIC TRIBUNE—APRIL 16, 1976—Page 6

(BAKSAL), the national party
formed by Sheikh Mujibur
Rahman, was set up to observe
this day. Its chairman.was the
universally respected poet
Jasimuddin. Progressive writer
Khondkar Mohammad Ellias was
elected the convener.

The committee in its manifesto -
* appealed to all patriots to observe

the day in a fitting manner by
fighting the forces of reaction and
communalism that are trying to
negate the gains of liberation, and
by restoring Bangladesh to its
post-liberation glory. An elabo-
rate program for the observance
of the day was drawn up.

But this frightened the reac-
tionaries who set up a rival com-

“mittee with the known col-

laborators, Muslin Leaguers,
Jamat-i-Islami men and Maoists.

The rival committee put for-
ward rabid anti-Indian slogans
such as: ‘Resist Indian Expan-
sion,’ ‘‘Liquidate the Indian
agents,’’ etc. To these, Maoist
leader Toha added two other slo-
gans: “‘Liquidate the agents of In-
dia and Soviet Union’’, ‘‘Release
all those who are against India
and Soviet Union.”’

Simultaneously, the govern-
ment-owned newspapers started
an anti-Indian campaign on

the plea that ‘India was: stop--

ping supply of water from Farak-
ka.”’ This added fuel to the anti-
Indian campaign and a hue and
cry was raised that India was
planning to reduce Bangladesh to
abarren land by stopping Farakka
water. ;

On the background of this rabid
anti-Indian propaganda the gov-
ernment put a ban on all prop-
aganda and meetings and de-
monstrations in connection with
the Martyrs Day.

But the national celebration
committee disregarded these or-

ders:and went ahead with its pre--
paration for the observance.
Police Raids -

Then suddenly on Feb. 25 the
government arrested the con-
vener of the committee and a
central committee member of the
former BAKSAL. Also arrested
were former minister of Mujib
government and a member of the
national celebration committee
Matiur Rahman, former Awami
League leader Nurul Islam and
secretary of the former Dacca
Awami League Committee Man-
soor. They were all arrested on a
charge of treason.

The same day the police raided

_ the houses of former CPB general

secretary Mahammad Farhad,
BAKSAL’s trade union leader
‘Saifuddin Ahmad Manik, former
NAP leader and BAKSAL cent-
ral committee member Begum
Motia Choudhury and several
others. But they could not be
found.

Arrest warrants have also been

. issued against the vice-president

of former NAP and BAKSAL Ki-
san leader, Pir Habibur Rahman,
— committee member of
“former CPB Osman Gani and
many others.

Also arrested were three co-
accuseds of Sheikh Mujib in the
Agartala conspiracy case. They
are Ahmed Fazlur Rahman,
Mahabubuddin Choudhury and
Kamaluddin. The house of Col.
Shaukat (Retd.) of the liberation
struggle fame was raided.

The police also warned poetess
Sufia Kamal and Dr. Qudrat-e-
Khuda that they would be ar-
rested if they associated them-
selves with the national celebra-
tion committee. :

But despite this, Feb. 21 was
celebrated all over Bangladesh.

According to official figures
over 10,000 persons, mostly be-
longing to the banned BAKSAL,
have so far been arrested.

tions

for the more extensive use of nuc-
lear energy and coal.

As for trade with the ‘‘south,”’
the European Economic Com-
munity (EEC) countries drew up
a scheme of stabilization of in-
come of the developing nations
from export. This scheme pro-
vided for the establishment of a
special fund, from which a coun-
try, whose export receipts would
have fallen below a definite
minimum, could take out a loan
Corresponding to the amount of
its losses. In the event of its ex-
port cost showing an increase, the
country would be obliged to
reimburse the earlier-obtained
loan.. However, the ‘‘south’’ re-
jected the: plan of stabilizing ex-

GDR bans cold war 4
journalists from Fair}

By FILS DELISLE
Tribune Berlin Correspondent
BERLIN — The German

Democratic Republic has made it

clear to Bonn that socialist Ger-

many governs itself, takes no dic-
tation from outside, and considers
that the Federal Republic of Ger-
many should mind its own busi-
ness. :

This pointed warning to the
West German Government, and
especially to all the West German
cold warriors, was provoked

-when a new storm was blown up

in the FRG this past week over
the exclusion of three poison-pen
FRG journalists: from accredita-
tion at the current Leipzig trade
fair. The three represented the
notorious West German radio sta-
Deutsche Welle and
Deutschlandfunk. It is the admit-
ted function of both stations to
beam propaganda programs to the
GDR that are violently hostile to
this socialist state.

Neues Deutschland,. organ of

-the Socialist Unity Party, in a
‘comment on the West German

fuss, asked: ‘‘Since when does
the FRG decide how many and
which journalists from the FRG
can enter the GDR?”’

With the arrogance that has re-

cently caused some apprehension -

even inside: the FRG, the FRG
media and the CDU-CSU par-
liamentary opposition im-
mediately set up. a clamor for
harsh reprisals against the GDR.
It was noted with regret, how-
ever, that members of the SPD-

BRS Tn oe tener x

‘greater significance to the fi

port receipts, calling it a *‘plan!
stabilizing poverty.”

With such a sharp differen
the adopted stands, it is diffic
expect any substantial dec
on the issues under. discus
However, one thing is al
clear, namely, that the proce
revision by the third world c
tries of their economic rela
with the West has assumed
reversible nature.

Furthermore, many develop!
countries consider the frame
of the economic talks in Paris #8
being too narrow. They attach?

meeting in Nairobi, Keny
where the socialist countries ¥
also take part in the negotiatio

FDP coalition at Bonn
seemed to feel it necess
make obeisance to the intemP
ate outbursts against the GU
Thus the FRG economics m
ter, Hans Friderich’s, demo
tively left the Leipzig spring
after an attempt to gain entry
the country for the barred
German propagandists.
284 Foreign Journalists
It was evident to every?
Neues Deutschland wrote,
the stand was not a breach of
reements between the two
man states and the He
document, but rather a defen
both. The two stations invol¥
and their representatives,
violently anti-GDR, opposed
the Helsinki course and hé
other function than to malig
GDR: i
Freedom of the press was 0?
ously not involved, since
are 284 foreign correspo
accredited at the Leipzig
from capitalist countries
West Germany is represent
no less than 152 journalists
West Berlin by 20.

t
il

Subversive balle

RIO DE JANEIRO —
Brazil military regime has ord
the television channel own
the newspaper ‘‘O Globo”’
carry a film of the ballet Ro?
and Juliet with music |
Tchaikovsky and perfo

Se SS Ne