Anthony Mascarenhas
Neville Anthony Mascarenhas (10 July 1928 – 3 December 1986) was a
Personal life
Mascarenhas was born into a Goan Catholic family in Belgaum (then part of the Bombay Presidency), just over 100 kilometres away from Portuguese-ruled Goa, and educated in Karachi.[3] He and his wife Yvonne Mascarenhas together had five children. He died in 1986.[4]
Career
Mascarenhas was a journalist who was the assistant editor at The Morning News (Karachi).[5]
Genocide
In March 1971, a civil war erupted in East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) between Bengali nationalists and the Pakistani military government. Anthony Mascarenhas was a respected Pakistani journalist based in Karachi. When the conflict began, the Pakistani military brought a group of journalists on a 10-day guided tour of East Pakistan to show them how they had successfully quelled the 'freedom fighters.'[2]
Mascarenhas was one of the eight Pakistani reporters given permission to report from the war zone in East Pakistan. This was likely due to his good reputation and contacts within Pakistan's ruling elite. Foreign journalists had already been banned from the region. The military aimed to use the reporters to publish propaganda that promoted their narrative of events.[2]
However, Mascarenhas was horrified by what he witnessed during the tightly controlled tour in 1971. He saw the aftermath of brutal mass killings and heard army officers describe large-scale atrocities. The officers even spoke casually about their 'kill counts' from that day's rampages.[2]
Realizing he could not report this news from within Pakistan due to strict censorship, Mascarenhas fled to London with his family. He informed Sunday Times editor Harold Evans of an organized "genocide" by Pakistani forces. His explosive eyewitness account detailed 'kill and burn missions' against Bengalis, and the devastation of villages by 'punitive action.'[2]
By publishing Mascarenhas' piece, the Sunday Times exposed the violence and refuted Pakistan's official line. This coverage was pivotal in turning world opinion against Pakistan's actions, strengthening the Bangladesh nationalist cause.[6]
Later on, he worked for 14 years with The Sunday Times. Afterwards, he was a freelance writer.[citation needed]
Recognition
In 1972, he was awarded the
The BBC writes: "There is little doubt that Mascarenhas' reportage played its part in ending the war. It helped turn world opinion against Pakistan and encouraged India to play a decisive role."[8] Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi stating that Mascarenhas' article led her "to prepare the ground for India's armed intervention".[8]
The Bangladeshi government honoured Mascarenhas's contribution to the nation during the 1971 liberation war by preparing an official list of names.[9]
Works
- —— (1971). The Rape of Bangla Desh. Delhi: Vikas Publications. ISBN 0-7069-0148-7.
- —— (1986). ISBN 0-340-39420-X.
References
- ^ Singh, Brig RP; VSM (13 June 2021). "How Mascarenhas's report changed Bangladesh's Liberation War". The Daily Star. Retrieved 17 December 2023.
- ^ a b c d e "Bangladesh war: The article that changed history". BBC News. 15 December 2011. Retrieved 17 December 2023.
- ^ Sarwar, Beena (16 July 2011). "Pakistani Journalists: Standing Tall". Economic & Political Weekly. Retrieved 24 April 2013.
- ^ "Mr Anthony Mascarenhas". The Times (Obituary). London. 8 December 1986. p. 14.
- ^ Ehsan, Muhammad Ali (25 November 2012). "Must we apologise?". Pakistan Observer. Archived from the original on 7 April 2014. Retrieved 19 July 2020.
- ^ Jack, Ian (21 May 2011). "It's not the arithmetic of genocide that's important. It's that we pay attention". The Guardian. Retrieved 24 April 2013.
- ISBN 90-247-1779-5.
- ^ a b c "Bangladesh war: The article that changed history". BBC News website. 16 December 2011. Retrieved 19 July 2020.
- ^ "Bangladesh: Foreigners to be honoured for contribution to Liberation War". Right Vision News. 26 March 2010.