Himalayan Times (1954)

Four

April 18, 1954

Kalimpong, Apiil IS, 1054

THE CEYLON LEAD

Should the proposed Ceylon lead at
the South East Asian Premiers' Con-
ference be accepted by the distinguished
participants therein, a major obstacle to
peace could be l.quidated. That even
Pakistan, if only to save her face, would
wholeheartedly support Mr. Nehru s van
for a suspension of further tests of the
hydrogen bomb which had been aptly
described as Satvmasmi, the destroyer
of every thing, might be taken for
granted. Ceylon's propo?al is triumph
of statemanship and a personal victory
for India's Prime Minister who in utter
disregard of Pakistan's rebuffs, has not
been tired of repeating his ofier of a no
war declaration between the two,countries.

It is atati d that Ceylon would not
be actually moving a resolution but will
make the siiggestii-n through the mou'h
of her Prime Minister in his opening
speech. The technique is beside point.
What is needed is to bell the cat
boldly and without a sign of nervous-
ness.. Official opinion in the Island does
not favour a consideration, of the issue
of the . impending aims aid to Pakistan
It, is true, of course that a discussion
on that important issue would or might
break up the conference itself But on.
the other hand, failure to give the matter
consideration at the highest level would
defeat the-very' purpose of the Assembly.

Were any justification needed to press
this point home, the aggression indulged
in, by the Pakistan border police
on the outskirts of Arhritsar afford it.
The. issue should be faccd^'boldly and

EARLY REPAIRS PROLONG RADIO

without reserve. It is whether Pakistan
could be trusted to be in possesion of
unlimited weapons of destruction in her
present mentality. Nor is it a side issue
to question the representative character
of the Pakistan Government which, if it
had any sen?e of self-respect according
to democratic reckoning, should make
way for a successor Goven ment in con-
formity with the mandate of 56 per cent
of its electorate. The danger is that
the American aid might bo misused by
Karachi to drawn the voice of demo-
cracy in Pakistan

The presumption is that the South
East Asian Premiers are upholders and
advocates of the democratic ideal. There
can be no place in the confetence for
fascists or communists. There is no re-
ason why the conference should hesitate
to discuss the Kashmir issue in a scientific
spirit and rosonable temper with an eye
to make the world safe for democracy.
Should the truth b; told blunty, the
mnnner in which Pakistan swooped open
Kashmir without warning is on all fours
with Pearl Harbour. The border firings
of recent days might have proved tc be
another Pearl Harbour if the Indian
border police wai: not vigilant.

Perhaps a larger and more represen-
tative conference composed of all Asian
Premiers including the Middle East
countries would be in « more authorita-
tive position than the present Colombo
gathering to deal with all logicnl issues
in a manner whieh would be in keeping
with the ideals cf democracy. The Co-
lombo conference might well provide the
foundations for a bigger structure which
might suitabilv be raised on neutral
ground. Perhaps oven communist China
might be invited to participate' in its
deliberation provided she would subscribe
to the doctrine that compulsion in furms
of Government is as vicious in principle
as compulsion in religion.

LIFE — Darjesling Radio Co., Dtrjeeling