Assistance to the refugees from East Pakistan

Recommendation 648 (1971)

Author(s):

Parliamentary Assembly

Origin

Assembly debate on 5 October 1971 (10th Sitting) (see Doc. 3026, Doc. 3026, report of the Committee on Population and Refugees). Text adopted by the Assembly on 6 October 1971 (11th Sitting).

The Assembly,

1. Expressing its grave concern at developments following the events in East Pakistan, in particular at the desperate situation of more than nine million persons who have had to abandon their homes ;

2. Welcoming the efforts made by the Indian Government, by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, by the League of Red Cross Societies and by other voluntary organisations to alleviate the suffering of millions of refugees ;

3. Thanking member governments of the Council of Europe for the contributions in cash and in kind already made to the relief work undertaken, but emphasising that they will fall far short of immediate needs ;

4. Having learnt with concern that, out of the sum of at least 400 million dollars necessary to cover the most urgent needs of the refugees throughout the next six months, only 115 million dollars has hitherto been made available through the Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees,

5. Recommends that the Committee of Ministers issue an urgent appeal to member governments of the Council of Europe to support the action of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, which is co-ordinating the relief operations of the United Nations Agencies, as well as those of the League of Red Cross Societies and other voluntary organisations, and to continue and considerably increase their aid in cash and in kind for the benefit of millions of persons whose existence is threatened following the events in East Pakistan.