The massive explosion of popular discontent in East Pakistan which has claimed the lives of many Bengali workers, peasants and students, has highlighted once again the political and economic subjugation which has been the lot of citizens of East Pakistan ever since the Partition of the sub-continent in 1947.
It shows very clearly the total inability of the West Pakistani ruling class to solve any of the problems of the 70 million people of East Pakistan who represent a majority of the total population of the country. The last desperate resort of the West Pakistani bourgeoisie was to use the army to maintain its privileges in the East, but the magnificent resistance of the East Bengali nation has retarded this process. The continuous general strike has shown the depth of feeling on the national question which has determined the politics of virtually all the political organisations of East Bengal.
Bengal has a great historic past: it was in the vanguard of the struggle against British Imperialism, a struggle which gave birth to a strong and vigorous revolutionary nationalist tradition.
It is this which has made Bengal the best indicator of the future of the entire indo-Pakistan sub-continent. The uprising in East Bengal is therefore only the first spark of a struggle which will ultimately transcend the political boundaries of both East and West Bengal and have revolutionary repercussions throughout India.
The United Secretariat of the Fourth International declares its complete solidarity with the heroic struggle of the Bengali people in their fight against national oppression.
Self-determination for East Pakistan!
For an independent, socialist, East Bengal!
Self-determination for the whole Bengali people!
For a United Socialist Bengali Republic!
March 22, 1971 The United Secretariat of the Fourth International