jinnah papers extracts

8/8/2019 Jinnah Papers Extracts

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Extracts from the Jinnah Papers, ed. Zaidi

Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah Papers: Volume I: Prelude toPakistan

20 February - 2 June 1947 (Part I and Part II) (Quaid-I-AzamMohammed Ali Jinnah Papers)

by Z. H. Zaidi

Published in February 26, 1994, Oxford University Press, USA

Report by Edwina Mountbatten on a Tour of the NWFP and thePunjab, 2 May 1947

At the Refugee Centres, I spoke with some hundreds of the refugees,and in hospitals I met Hindu, Sikh and Muslim patients who had beenvictims of the riots and were still undergoing treatment. I heardharrowing descriptions of atrocities that had been committed and of damage to property. In the areas visited, the larger proportion of thevictims were Hindus and Sikhs, but Muslims and Muslim property hadalso suffered in the mad disturbances

[Policy of trying to get victims to return to their homes if still habitableor to stay with their community] there are obvious difficultiesinvolved:

(1) the great fear by which the refugees are obsessed, which isinfectious and may give rise to further trouble;

(2) the damage to property, both partial and complete, which willtake a long time to repair; and

(3) the question of what compensation will be given was constantlyraised by refugees with whom I talked and this uncertainty of the future, combined with fear and hatred, is a bad factor formorale

This four-day tour, during which I covered 1,500 miles by air andlong distances by car and jeep, as well as on foot, has given mesome idea of the magnitude of the devastation caused by recentriots and the appalling loss of life and property, as well as theghastly injuries sustained. No words can describe the moral andphysical suffering of the unfortunate victims and the presentseeming hopelessness of their future.

Zaidi i. pt i. 699-701.


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Situation of Muslims in Delhi in September 1947 (H. L. Ismay, 5Oct. 1947):

Muslims were being systematically hunted down and butchered.Thousands of them were herded into camps, where the conditions

defied description. The dead lay rotting in the streets, because therewas no one to collect and bury them. The hospitals were choked withdying and wounded, and in imminent danger of attack because of thepresence of Muslim staff and Muslim patients. Arson and looting werewidespread. Food supplies both wholesale and retail were disrupted,the first because consignments arriving by train could not be unloadedand distributed for lack of labour: the second because all markets andfood shops were closed in terror. The Muslim members of the Delhipolice had either deserted or were disarmed: the Hindu members hadeither been suborned or were afraid to do their duty.

Zaidi, v. 459.Master Tara Singh and Udham Singh Nagoke, in a public statementon 24 September 1947 :

We do not hesitate to admit that our brethren Sikhs and Hindushave also been guilty of most shameful attacks upon [Muslim]women and children in the communal warfare. Human natureshudders to think of these atrocities and we do not like to repeat theseand thus give a shock to the world. We know that Sikhs stooped tothese low depths only in retaliation for what was done by the Muslims.

But this is no justification for the Sikhs who have falsified tradition.We tried our best and we are trying our best to prevent our brethrenfrom falling to these low depths. But it appears that most of theMuslims, Hindus and Sikhs have gone mad. Crime, then retaliation;and then retaliation continued and there is no end to it. Wetherefore appeal to our brethren, Hindus and Sikhs, to halt and stop allretaliation. We do not desire friendship of the Muslims and we maynever befriend them. We may have to fight again but shall fight a cleanfight man killing man. This killing of women and children and of those who seek asylum must cease at once. It would mean that thereshould be no attacks on refugee trains, convoys and caravans. We askyou to do so chiefly in the interests of your own communitysreputation, character and tradition, and not to save the Muslims. Weare sure that the Muslim religion does not permit these fiendish deeds.It is for them to think what is right from the Muslim point of view. Weonly desire that they may also stop this devilish warfare on their partat once, lest the devil of retaliation should overpower the humannature of our brethren, the Sikhs and Hindus.

Zaidi, v. 517 citing IOR Mountbatten papers F. 129.


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US Ambassador to India Henry Grady to George Marshall, USSecretary of State, Telegram, 1 Sept. 1947.

New Delhi.

Following information furnished to Donovan by Stimson, BBCcorrespondent, just returned from Punjab:

General view all correspondents that Sikhs are more responsible fordisturbances than Muslims or Hindus. Sikhs are well-organized andmany bands are equipped with sten guns, mortars and hand grenades.It is opinion of all foreign press correspondents that Sikh rulersFaridkot, Habha, Kapurthala and Patiala have furnished arms to Sikhsin Punjab. Muslims in general were poorly armed. Stimson confirmsstory. Embassy has heard from various sources that 1,200 Muslimpolice in Amritsar were disarmed by orders from G[overnment] o[f]I[ndia] (who issued these orders is mystery but the police weredisarmed). This left Muslims at mercy of Sikh and Hindu mobs.Amritsar is practically destroyed.

There are numerous well-established cases of police and soldiersrefusing to extend protection to other than co-religionists, and insome instances, police and soldiers have attacked refugees.

Train crews will not go nearer the frontier than 30 miles and thereis a complete breakdown of transportation throughout northernIndia.

Zaidi, v. 464.

Joint Press Dispatch. GIGANTIC EXCHANGE OF TWO MILLIONPEOPLE BEGINS IN THE PUNJAB. Lahore 2 Sept. [1947].

60-MILE LONG CARAVAN

This caravan was perhaps the longest in history. At one time15,000 persons were on the road, spread over 60 miles. The majority

of them passed over the Sulaimanki Bridge, which was crossed by therefugees in 36 hours.

The mass movement was chiefly undertaken by those who hadbullock-carts or animals for transport. Those who are to be carriedby train number about 40,000 and are chiefly in camps in Montgomery[=Sahiwal] and Okara. When these are moved within the next week ortwo, practically 90 per cent of the Sikh and Hindu population of Montgomery district will have moved into India Zaidi v. 476,

[A peasant woman who did not recognize Nehru said to him]: if you wanted to partition the country, why did you not first arrange


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for exchange of population[?] See what misery has come on us all.Pandit Nehru did not answer Zaidi v. 477

Howard Donovan to George Marshall, US Secretary of State, 18Sept. 1947. [Reflections on Nehrus press conference of 13 Sept.]

there is good reason to believe that the mob warfare which flared upin East Punjab during the first week in August was started primarily bySikhs, who felt frustrated by the partition of the Punjab; that for somedays at least the West Punjab authorities succeeded in giving betterprotection to non-Muslims fleeing to East Punjab than was given toMuslims leaving the East Punjab for Pakistan. On the basis of reportsnow available, however, it is perfectly obvious that both theMuslims in West Punjab and the Sikhs and other non-Muslims in

East Punjab have indulged in savagery on a scale unprecedentedin modern times I can testify on the basis of personal observationto the bestiality of murders committed by non-Muslims in Delhi

Zaidi v. 514.

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