From: was@cbnewsm.cb.att.com (wasif.sattar)
Subject: Re: The word "liberation"
Organization: AT&T
Date: Thu, 1 Oct 1992 20:49:19 GMT
Summary: The meaning of the word "liberation".

In article <1992Sep30.172138.2052@ultb.isc.rit.edu>, kas5213@ritvax.isc.rit.edu writes:
> The word "liberation" has been bothering me for the past couple of years. It
> seems to me this word does not describe the War of '71 properly.
> We were the majority in 1971, we did not get "liberated", we simply separated
> ourselves from Pakistan. The Webster Dictionary defines "liberate" as "to set
> free, as from bondage". I personally take great offense when people tell me
> that we were "liberated". 
> 					ADNAN SIDDIKY
> Disclaimer: The opinions expressed are mine and mine only. 

I feel that it is quite appropriate to use the word "liberation" in
connection with our glorious Liberation War. 

To put things in perspective, these are the sequence of events:

(1) We the people of East Bengal in spite of constituting the majority 
of the population of Pakistan were denied our rightful share in managing
the country called Pakistan from 1947 to 1971,

(2) In the 1970 elections we won the absolute overwhelming majority of
seats in the Pakistan national assembly to form a government and run the
country,

(3) We were denied the right to exercise the authority vested in us by the
peoples' mandate in the 1970 elections,

(4) The West Pakistan forces unleashed a reign of terror on a massive scale
beginning on March 25, 1971.

(5) We declared our independence on March 26, 1971.

Thereafter regardless or whether Pakistan recognized us as a free sovereign
state or not, all Pakistani military personnel on our soil fell under the
definition of "occupying forces". All territories of Bangladesh that were 
under Pakistani control became known as occupied Bangladeshi territory.

We launched an operation to liberate our Motherland from the occupying
Pakistani forces. These forces, although about 100,000 in number, with their
sophisticated weapons were able to continue their occupation of a country
of 75 million people. The process of elimination or removal of occupying
forces to free our country was referred to as "liberation". 

To exercise control over a nation and deny them their freedom and human
rights does not necessarily require the occupier to be larger in number than
the occupied. You can see this in the West Bank and Gaza. A minuscle but
superiorly equipped army can occupy and take away the freedom of a large
population. Likewise in Bangladesh, even though we were the majority we
were held hostage by a minority.

Our valiant Mukti Bahini and the Allied Forces of Bangladesh and India did
liberate our motherland and set us free from bondage!

Any comments from the linguists on the net on the interpretation of the
word "liberation" as applied to the War of 1971?

One word that bothers/angers me is the word "gondogol" to describe the
events of 1971. Fortunately not too many people use it in the context of 
1971. I also don't like our War of Independence or Liberation War to be
referred to as a civil war or a rebellion since we were the majority trying
to rid ourselves of an occupation by a minority.

Shubhechhante,
Wasif
(was@lcuxlp.att.com)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.bangladesh