INDIA-PAKISTAN BORDER: PAKISTANI REFUGEES USE JUNGLE TRACKS AS EXODUS FROM EAST PAKISTAN CONTINUES. (1971)

TRANSCRIPT: "THE REFUGEES FORM EAST PAKISTAN ARE NOT USING THE MAIN CROSSING PINTS INTO INDIA ANY MORE. INSTEAD, THEY'RE COMING THE BACK WAYS ACROSS PADDY FIELDS, OVER TRACKS, ANYWHERE THEY THINK THE PAKISTANI BORDER GUARDS WON'T SPOT THEM. THIS WAS DESCRIBED TO ME AS THE JUNGLE PATH. IN PLACES IT'S NOT EVEN PATH AT ALL. AND IT'S TRODDEN BY PEOPLE OF ALL AGES, ALL CONDITIONS -- SOME SO WEAK AND INFIRM THEY'RE BARELY ABLE TO WALK AND THEY'VE HAD TO WALK FOR HUNDREDS OF MILES FROM THEIR HOMES ACROSS THE BORDER. THEY CARRY WHAT THEY CAN -- A COOKING POT, A SUITCASE, A LAMP, AN UMBRELLA, THE UMBRELLA IS PARTICULARLY USEFUL. IT MAY BE THE ONLY PROTECTION THEY HAVE FOR DAYS OR EVEN FOR WEEKS AGAINST THE MONSOON RAINS. IT'S A HUGE AND CONTINUING MIGRATION, THIS. THERE'S NO CERTAIN SIGN THAT IT'S GETTING ANY LESS. ONE ESTIMATE I HAD WAS THAT TWENTY THOUSAND PEOPLE CAME ALONG THIS TRACK ALONE DURING THE PAST WEEK. THE LIFE THAT AWAITS THEM HERE ISN'T MUCH, SO THAT THE FACT THAT THEY'RE MAKING THE JOURNEY AT ALL IS SOME EVIDENCE OF WHAT IT MUST BE LIKE ON THE OTHER SIDE."




Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: Thousands of refugees from East Pakistan are continuing to cross the border into India. But now, instead of using the main border crossing points, the refugees are using jungle tracks and walking hundreds of miles to escape security checks at the India-pakistan border.

During the past weak an estimated twenty thousand Pakistanis crossed into India along the jungle trails. This film carries a commentary by the British Broadcasting Corporation reporter, Martin Bell, which may be used if desired.