Independence war was for just cause, says Ingvar Oja
Saturday, 11 December 2010
Eminent Swedish journalist and South Asia analyst Ingvar Oja, who witnessed the Pakistani army's surrender in 1971, said the liberation war was justified and he foresaw Pakistan's breakup long ahead viewing the severe disparity between its two wings, reports BSS.
"The reasons for a complete break with the western half of the country- -economically and politically-were justified, the fight for independence was for a just cause," the septuagenarian Swedish journalist told the news agency as the country is set to celebrate the 39th anniversary of Victory Day on December 16.
He added, "Long before I visited East Pakistan for the first time, I had written many articles describing the uneven distribution of resources between the two halves of Pakistan and had also anticipated the break up of Pakistan."
Ingvar covered the liberation war as War Correspondent of Sweden's highest circulated daily Dagens Nyheter and used to file reports on war situation as well as Bangalees’ sufferings.
His factual reports during those turbulent days helped create sympathy and mobilise particularly the Scandinavian peoples' support to the Bangalees cause.
Ingvar made several trips to the then East Pakistan, first to cover the devastating cyclone in November and then the general elections in December.
"I think that the cyclone and the failures of the Pakistani government in its relief efforts made the demands for independence even more justified, and this certainly helped the AL to its landslide election victory," Ingvar said.
During the war, he had visited Dhaka once officially with Pakistani visa and later entered deep into occupied Bangladesh crossing West Bengal border risking his life to cover war events.
During his "official" stay in Dhaka with Pakistani visa during the war for several weeks, Ingvar was once arrested by Pakistani forces after they intercepted one of the telegrams from his office in Stockholm seeking a clarification on his reports on interactions with freedom fighters.
"I was arrested by the Pakistani security police after I had got a telegram to my hotel in Dhaka from my head office about a story (report) I had written after my walks with the Mukti Bahini," he said.
Ingvar said, "the Pakistani interrogator extensively quizzed me, but I could honestly not tell them much".
"The reasons for a complete break with the western half of the country- -economically and politically-were justified, the fight for independence was for a just cause," the septuagenarian Swedish journalist told the news agency as the country is set to celebrate the 39th anniversary of Victory Day on December 16.
He added, "Long before I visited East Pakistan for the first time, I had written many articles describing the uneven distribution of resources between the two halves of Pakistan and had also anticipated the break up of Pakistan."
Ingvar covered the liberation war as War Correspondent of Sweden's highest circulated daily Dagens Nyheter and used to file reports on war situation as well as Bangalees’ sufferings.
His factual reports during those turbulent days helped create sympathy and mobilise particularly the Scandinavian peoples' support to the Bangalees cause.
Ingvar made several trips to the then East Pakistan, first to cover the devastating cyclone in November and then the general elections in December.
"I think that the cyclone and the failures of the Pakistani government in its relief efforts made the demands for independence even more justified, and this certainly helped the AL to its landslide election victory," Ingvar said.
During the war, he had visited Dhaka once officially with Pakistani visa and later entered deep into occupied Bangladesh crossing West Bengal border risking his life to cover war events.
During his "official" stay in Dhaka with Pakistani visa during the war for several weeks, Ingvar was once arrested by Pakistani forces after they intercepted one of the telegrams from his office in Stockholm seeking a clarification on his reports on interactions with freedom fighters.
"I was arrested by the Pakistani security police after I had got a telegram to my hotel in Dhaka from my head office about a story (report) I had written after my walks with the Mukti Bahini," he said.
Ingvar said, "the Pakistani interrogator extensively quizzed me, but I could honestly not tell them much".