lives of millions. To emphasize that concern, we are very pleased to welcome this afternoon Senator Edward M. Kennedy of Massachusetts. His Subcommittee on Refugees, of the Senate Judiciary Committee, has produced extremely valuable information about the impact of policy on people and the dimensions of the suffering and the dislocation in countries where war has been conducted.

The humanitarian aspects of the East Pakistan situation must be considered by all the parties involved, and it will be a great pleasure to hear you this afternoon, Senator Kennedy, discuss the information developed by your subcommittee.

On behalf of the members of the subcommittee, we welcome you here this afternoon.

STATEMENT OF HON. EDWARD M. KENNEDY, A U.S. SENATOR FROM THE STATE OF MASSACHUSETTS

Senator KENNEDY. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman.

I want to express my very sincere appreciation to you, as the chairman, in providing this leadership, and in providing an opportunity for those of us who are concerned about humanitarian needs to explore them with you and the members of the subcommittee.

I feel that there are too many times and instances in the past where we of the United States have tried to portray ourselves as being truly humanitarian, truly concerned about suffering and pain and hunger and malnutrition throughout the world, but we have been all too slow in responding to these needs.

I think you and I realize the very great sense of humanitarianism which exists within the American people, and I always feel that if the American people had a fair understanding of some of the great human tragedies that have existed throughout the world, they would demand of their Government the kind of response which I am sure you and I, and many others in the Congress and in the Nation, would like to see. But too often there is dragging of feet, failure to recognize a problem, and failure of an adequate response by our Government.

I say that not only in terms of observing by this administration. It has been true of past administrations, in terms, for example, of responding to the Biafran situation.

So I truly appreciate the chance of being with you this afternoon, and of making some comments on a subject which so many of us are interested in. And I am hopeful that the hearings will underscore the urgent need to further encourage the initiatives underway to meet the needs of the Bengali people.

Official reports from our Government and elsewhere express very serious concern about the condition of the people in East Pakistan. These reports say that within a month the condition of the people will become acute. The precarious situation which exists today will evolve into a nightmare of death for millions-unless immediate and concerted efforts are made to meet the needs of the people involved. Although reports from East Pakistan suggest that violence has subsided considerably, reports also indicate that feelings are tense between the people and the army of the central government. In fact official reports to our Government suggest that the great bulk of the population is alienated, perhaps forever. Regrettably, this can only complicate, and perhaps delay, the organizing of a meaningful relief

program, and the solving of those political problems which generated the recent violence.

Moreover, reports also indicate that the army effectively controls only the cities and towns, and that throughout most of the countryside, government administration and services do not exist. The transportation and distribution of available foodstocks and medical supplies are at a standstill—even in the area struck by the cyclone last fall, where conservative estimates say a million persons have been solely dependent for their survival on effective relief operations. Food reserves-except that confiscated by the army-are very low.

The tragedy, finally, has now spilled over into India, which so far has found it necessary to give asylum to nearly 2,000,000 refugeesof whom at least 526,000 are in camps. The recent daily influx into India has reportedly been some 50,000. The State Department informs me that the influx will continue at a high level, "at least until the beginning of the monsoon in a few weeks, when both military operations and travel will become more difficult." The continuing heavy influx of refugees into India is a stark reminder of how bad conditions have become in East Pakistan.

Over the last month I have repeatedly communicated my concern in these matters to officials in the Department of State and elsewhere, in an effort to encourage and support reasonable initiatives by our Government and the international community to help meet the urgent political and humanitarian problems in East Pakistan. I have strongly believed these initiatives should be taken through the United Nations. On the humanitarian problems, at least, some progress is being made.

On the Indian side of the border, and at the invitation of the Indian Government, representatives of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) are currently assessing relief needs and developing a plan of international action. According to a communication I received from the Department of State this morning, our Government has "authorized up to $2.5 million in food and other assistance as our initial contribution to the international relief effort." While the UNHCR effort is being organized, the U.S. is providing emergency food assistance for 237,000 refugees in West Bengal. The food assistance is being distributed by CARE, Catholic Relief Services, and Church World Service/Lutheran World Federation.

I must add here, Mr. Chairman, that while this interim U.S. assistance to these refugees is welcomed by all concerned, it falls far short of India's immediate need. It also falls short of India's bilateral request for emergency aid, in order to tide them over until the UNHCR program begins. This dragging of our feet over a simple request for emergency aid is distressing, to say the least.

I understand that the Indian authorities requested, over 2 weeks ago, some direct bilateral help and assistance from our Government. And once again, our Government has been extremely slow in responding to this kind of help and assistance, indicating that the prime help and assistance ought to be through international agencies.

Of course, I support this view, and have strongly advocated it to our Government over the past few weeks. But until these agencies can function, I do feel that there is a direct role, a traditional and historical role, which we ought to play in responding to the initiative by India. The situation is an extraordinary kind of burden, I think, for the Indian Government.

As I mentioned, they have approximately 2 million refugees now. They can expect it at least to go to 3 million. There is even the possibility that it will go to five. And this does provide an extraordinary kind of burden on the Indian Government. And certainly, particularly in this immediate and critical relief period, we ought to be able to respond with a good deal more imagination and compassion than we have.

Far less progress in meeting relief needs is being made in East Pakistan. Initiating an adequate relief program is undoubtedly being hampered for a number of good reasons-but, on the basis of talks I have had, the primary cause may very well be simple lack of candor in recognizing the vast dimension of human need brought on by the conflict. Let us not quibble over how we label the situation. Whether we call it a minor disturbance, a disaster, or an emergency-the threat of mass starvation puts a heavy obligation for action on the Government of Pakistan and the international community.

In the name of neutrality, some in our Government say we must not be involved in East Pakistan today. But we are involved. Our weapons have been involved in the violence. Our aid has contributed to East Pakistan's development for more than a decade. And today, our Government, at the highest levels, is involved in discussions for even more aid. So we are involved. The only question is what this involvement will be. At this point it must be humanitarian—aid that will heal and rehabilitate, not further divide and destroy.

This reminds me, Mr. Chairman, of the attitude that we have toward refugees in Cambodia. We have got in excess of a million refugees in Cambodia. But not one dollar has been requested in terms of the administration's budget request. And in asking administration spokesmen about this, they say, "Well, this is a Cambodian question. The Cambodians want to handle it themselves. We don't want to interfere in any way in local affairs."

It seems we are always willing to interfere in terms of military or economic aid-but when it comes to humanitarian questions, we always say, "Well, this is an internal matter." It does seem to me that we do have a considerable leverage in terms of the Pakistani Government. Although I have not been one that has suggested a complete cutoff of all aid and assistance to Pakistan, I do think we have strong leverage in communicating a very true humanitarian concern. Very high priority should be given in terms of meeting the kinds of human problems that are suggested by the current tragedy.

In this connection, I strongly urge that our Government leave no stone unturned-especially this week when high level representatives of the Pakistani Government are present in Washington-in supporting current efforts by the United Nations to organize a relief program within East Pakistan. Since the last week in April representatives of UNICEF, the U.N. Development Program, and the World Food Program have traveled to Dacca to ascertain relief and logistical needs. Moreover, representatives of the Pakistani Government have assured me of their Government's willingness to accept humanitarian aid and personnel through U.N. channels and private voluntary organizations. Thus there is nothing but inertia to prevent a meaningful relief effort.

Solving the political and humanitarian crisis in East Pakistan is, first of all, Pakistan's task. But in this effort, there is scope enough for

all the energy and charity that the emergency of the civil war has called forth, among Americans and peoples throughout the world.

And so today, as an individual concerned about the dignity and preservation of the ultimate resources on our planet, I appeal to the leaders of Pakistan, to the leaders of other countries, and to our own Government to support immediately a mercy mission and airlift into areas of need. And, hopefully, the appeal of the Indian Government for assistance to meet refugee needs within her borders will also receive the sympathetic response of all concerned.

We are conditioned in this world we have created to accept suffering and injustice-especially in our time when violent conflict and oppression are active in so many areas. But the newer world we seek will not evolve if we ignore these challenges to leadership, and take comfortable refuge in the mundane patterns and attitudes of the past.

In the case of East Pakistan-in the effort to help a people caught in the clutches of natural disaster and the passion of conflict-I cannot believe that governments stand paralyzed in the face of great tragedy. The situation must not be ignored. At stake are human lives-innocent lives-Pakistani lives-thousands, even millions of lives-whose destruction will burden the conscience of all mankind unless something is done to save them.

Mr. Chairman, that concludes my statement, summarizing some of the thoughts that I have on this situation. I am extremely hopeful-as we look at the problem in India and Pakistan, and think back to the Nigerian-Biafran situation, to the other kinds of disasters which have taken place in Chile, Indochina, Tunisia, and so forth-that we consider the development of a Bureau of Social and Humanitarian Service in the State Department.

This was recommended in a report by our subcommittee back in 1969. Hopefully, a bureau of this kind would be able to focus in a more meaningful way on humanitarian concerns within the Department of State, and give some visibility, as well as responsible authority, at a high level of government, to matters of great concern to the American people. I don't really think that we have got any such office within the Department.

I would also be hopeful that we might be able to do more in developing a U.N. Emergency Relief Service, which I first recommended in 1969. Encouraging progress, as I understand, was made in terms of this idea last December, when the U.N. General Assembly adopted a resolution creating an Office of Inter-Agency Affairs under the Secretary General.

The purpose of this office is to organize international relief efforts in disaster areas. To expand and support this new office deserves high priority in the councils of Government. And I would hope, once again, that the kind of situation presented in India and Pakistan would add new impetus for our own Government at least. I think that concludes my comment.

Mr. GALLAGHER. Thank you very much, Senator, for your very concise and knowledgeable statement and for giving this subcommittee the benefit of information about the factual situation that your subcommittee has developed in connection with the humanitarian aspects of the tragedy that is now occurring in Pakistan.

I believe that your suggestion for a bureau focusing on humanitarian aspects in the Department of State is certainly worthy of consideration by the full committee here in the House.

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I understand that you do have to return to the Senate rather promptly to take up a matter which I have been rather personally interested in: a national commitment to cure cancer in this decade. It is not our intention to detain you.

I would wonder, however, Senator, whether if fighting does break out, has your subcommittee considered or have you considered what additional steps, if any, the others should take?

Senator KENNEDY. Well, we haven't. We really haven't gotten into it. As I understand, there is continued conflict within East Pakistan. It is my further understanding that the Government has control of the more urban areas. In many of the communications centers, it does have control.

There is a need for transport facilities to move food. We've checked into this and found that air transportation could be used to a greater extent. There ought to be more direction in terms of even the equipment that has been provided to the area, and not utilized, in response to the cyclone needs last fall.

But you know, if there were increased armed conflict, obviously, this would present very extensive additional kinds of problems. However, I think even then, looking at past experiences in Biafra and even Vietnam, there are various relief groups that might be able to operate.

I am thinking of the Quakers, for example, in Quang Ngai, who have operated a small clinical hospital fitting prosthetic devices, and so forth-which has existed there untouched over a long period of time. It is risky, it is dangerous, and it is threatening to do this. But I think that there are individuals motivated in these various voluntary agencies that would be prepared, if they were given the kind of support that I think should be given to them-be prepared to assume those risks, if they thought they could make a meaningful humanitarian contribution in the conflict

Mr. GALLAGHER. Thank you, Senator.

Mr. du Pont.

Mr. DU PONT. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Senator, I appreciate you spending your time with us today to bring us up to date on your thoughts on the problem.

I have two questions. Specifically, you stated that you thought that the United States had some leverage to be applied, perhaps, to persuade the Pakistani Government to take more action to help with this serious problem. Specifically, what do you have in mind there? What would you say?

Senator KENNEDY. I am thinking of the very critical financial situation that Pakistan finds itself in. It is on the verge of bankruptcy. They have a critical financial situation.

We are continuing, of course, our economic aid to Pakistan. We have withheld military aid, and it is my understanding that will continue for a period of time.

And in the last few days, in terms of a resolution reported out by the Foreign Relations Committee-they put a condition on military aid. It would be withheld, unless we get a normalization in East Pakistan and relief efforts of significant dimensions are started in there.

I would hope that we consider that latter question independently. But as we are providing economic aid and assistance, I do think that that provides a leverage in terms of our relationships with Pakistan,