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1971-12-17

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Joy and Marigolds

By James P. Sterba

Page: 1

Scene in an Army Camp: Flowers in Gun Barrels

DACCA, Pakistan, Dec. 16— Shouting “Joi Bangla!” and waving the Bangladesh flag, Indian troops in trucks and buses poured into the Pakistani military camp north of town today just after the Pakistanis had accepted an ultimatum to surrender.

Indian soldiers with marigolds in their gun barrels passed armed Pakistani soldiers in great traffic jams within the camp. Pakistani officers saluted Indian officers. Officers of both armies, many of whom attended the same schools under the British, shook hands and asked about mutual friends.

In Dacca itself, there were spontaneous eruptions of joy and celebration in the streets. Bengalis kissed Indian Punjabi soldiers, tossing flowers at them and at the rebels who accompanied them.

Pictures of Sheik Mujibur Rahman, who was the Awami League leader until he was imprisoned in West Pakistan in March, were hoisted above cars. Bengalis surrounded them, shouting “Joi Bangla” (Victory for Bangla) and “Sheik Mujib.”

One rebel leader, trying to stop Bengali mobs from seeking revenge on West Pakistanis and Bihari Moslems who cooperated with the Pakistani Army, reportedly said, “Now they are our prisoners, but unlike them, we must be civilized.”

Ten minutes before the time limit given by the Indian commander to the Pakistani Army here to surrender to prevent the destruction of the city, word was flashed through United Nations radio channels that the Pakistani second in command, Maj. Gen. Rao Firman Ali, had accepted the ultimatum.

United Nations officials who feared that the city would be destroyed drove to the military cantonment just north of town and found commanders there unable to get word to the Indians of their decision. Word was immediately relayed through walkie‐talkie to United Nations headquarters here for urgent transmission. Minutes later the first Indian Army officers arrived to announce the surrender decision through their channels.

The surrender arrangements were first discussed at talks held in the cantonment in the afternoon. But two Indian generals had arrived there earlier, Maj. Gen. Gandhary Nagra and Brig. Gen. Hardev S. Kier, who led the assault from the north on the city.

At 3 P.M., the Indian officers said, the cease‐fire would become permanent, but there was sporadic shooting in the city. Some artillery shells fell on the Pakistani fortifications in the early morning after the commander had accepted the surrender ultimatum. Maj. Gen. J. F. R. Jacob, chief of staff of India's Eastern Command, sent a message expressing regret that some of his units had not received the cease‐fire orders, according to Brig. Gen. Baqir Siddiqui, chief of staff for the Pakistani Eastern Command.

General Praises Pakistanis.



General Kier praised the Pakistani Army, saying, “They fought well, but they didn't hold out to the last man—that's good.”

He said that his troops had captured 2,500 tons of Pakistani armaments at Jamalpur in the last big battle before his troops reached the outer limits of Dacca.

“I killed 300 of them there—they came in waves—I haven't seen that before.” said General Kier. “They had another 400 others wounded.”

The citywide celebration was abruptly interrupted at about 2:45 P.M. when one of several Pakistani soldiers riding by the Inter‐Continental Hotel in a truck fired his rifle into the air. People dashed for safety as gun battle erupted between ‘guerrillas and Pakistani soldiers either unaware that their commanders had surrendered or confused and scared by the mobs of Bengalis shouting “Joi Bangla.”

At least one civilian Bengali and one Pakistani soldier were killed in the shooting. Several other persons were wounded, including Henry Sells, director for CARE.

The streets of Dacca were scenes of confusion, with a few Indian soldiers trying to keep order amid Milling crowds of exuberant Bengalis. Demoralized West Pakistani troops sought to reach surrender areas under Indian protection so that they would not become victims of the Bengali crowds.