04-24-2007, 01:23 AM
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--><b>Chinese claim over Arunachal</b>
â Dr Jyotirmoy Das Chowdhury
China apart from claiming and retaining a huge portion of the western and
central sector of the country has been demanding only a State of India as her
own territory. It is unfortunate that India failed to stand on her toes and
convey to the Chinese that their act of claiming the territory of a sovereign
country is unjustified. Ahead of President Hu Jintaoâs New Delhi visit, they
floated the claim over Arunachal Pradesh and made Tawang an emotional and
historical issue to fulfil their expansionist design and advance further south.
It was in 1873 that the British introduced âInner Lineâ to protect NEFA, what is
now known as Arunachal Pradesh. The âOuter Lineâ was created to demarcate
Indiaâs boundary with Tibet. Taking advantage of the Tibetan revolt against the
Manchu dynasty, China established effective control over the Tibetan region by
1910 and strategically challenged Britain to play a long political game with
Tibet. In 1914, India and Tibet delineated the boundary popularly known as Mc
Mahon Line during the Simla Convention. Surprisingly, keeping hidden strategy
undisclosed, Chinese representative at the last moment withdrew from the
convention and refused to sign the agreement. It is to be noted that China was
never our neighbour until in 1950 when she suddenly grabbed Tibet and entered
into our doorstep. Within twelve years, she invaded India and after another 45
years renewed her illogical claim over whole of Arunachal Pradesh as her
territory.
The Chinese argue that the Indian definition of boundary is what âBritish
imperialism had fabricated covertly but never dared to put forwardâ They further
add that âtheir boundary history was replete with boundaries unilaterally
imposed by stronger countries and with foreign arrogance and powerâ. As such,
based on spurious interpretation of history, she swallowed Tibet,
demographically outnumbered the autochthonous Tibetans, and brushed aside the
historic Mc Mahon Line and exercised all possible craftsmanship to invade
Arunachal as her âSouthern Tibetâ territory.
The Chinese, as it seems, follow an aggressive national socialistic dictatorship
run by a coterie of fanatic leaders who feel that it is their right to occupy
another sovereign countryâs territory. Their technique is such that they first
publish maps encompassing parts of other countries as her territory. If there
comes any protest, she instantly apologises for the mistake, but keep the
problem unresolved. After a gap of long years, she terms that territory as
âdisputedâ and with the passage of time that territory tacitly becomes â
undefinedâ. The Chinese rulers are so obstinate in boundary issue that they even
refuse to recognise historical treaties on the pretext that they were imposed by
imperialist powers. Their motive, as Peopleâs Daily wrote, âThe Chinese people
are morally prepared to fight with all their forces for the return of lost
territories which at one time belonged to Chinaâ.
Chinaâs expansionist design is not limited to the invasion of Tibet or waging a
war against India. She also invaded Vietnam, tried to subvert Indonesia,
threatened to invade Taiwan, attacked even another Communist country Soviet
Union in 1969 and forcibly occupied Parcel Islands in the coast of Vietnam. Now
on the basis of birthplace of 6th Dalai Lama (1683), she claims Arunachal
Pradesh and more precisely Tawang region as a part of China.
India has 4057 km long frontier with China of which Mc Mahon Line is 1140 km. It
continues from Namkha Valley in the trijunction of India, Tibet and Bhutan and
continues up to Talu Pass near Myanmar border. This line, which is not
demarcated, passes through high crest and watershed on the maps, but seldom
coincides with the realities on the surface. Now, arrogant China is purposefully
keeping it unsettled only to keep India under strategic pressure. Her motive was
clear when China refused to sign the Simla Convention even in 1914. She settled
her boundary problem with Burma and Nepal in 1961, with Afghanistan and Mongolia in 1962, with Pakistan in 1963 and with Russia in 1981 but kept it unresolved only with India. This has naturally cropped up apprehension and distrust as to what is the real motive of China.
Since historic past, the frontier with Tibet acted as a buffer where two
opposite forces functioned to resist one another. But China, after overrunning
Tibet, indulged in perpetuating her ethnic distinctiveness south of her border
for which she cleverly echoed her future right to occupy Arunachal. Indiaâs soft
posture, her over enthusiasm to develop special relations with China makes her
suspicious of Indiaâs sincere desire and as a result China has taken an
unyielding stand on the future of Arunachal Pradesh.
Now, what would be Indiaâs policy to contain China? Beijing follows the dictum
of recovering âevery territorial claim of earliest Chinese governmentsâ. Her
open declaration of Arunachal as her territory evoked international repercussion
and also a sense of danger and uncertainty among the inhabitants of this part of
India. Prolonged failure on our part to refute Chinese claim would tantamount to
tacit acceptance of her demand over Arunachal. Furthermore, an ambiguous
decision on our part would place our armed forces to an extremely
disadvantageous position.
The former Defence Minister Menon said, âThe policy of the Government of India
to eject the Chinese from NEFA, whether it takes one day, a hundred days or a
thousand days and to fight out in Ladakh to the last man, the last gunâ.
Considering the indecisiveness of UPA government, would India pursue this policy
or search for a compromising formula with the Chinese? The consummate architect
of modern India Pandit Nehru wrote. âThis is a claim which is quite impossible
for India or almost any Indian to admit, whatever the consequences... The
Himalayas being handed over to them ...this is a thing whether India exists or
does not exist, cannot be agreed.â
At this critical juncture, the international community is curiously waiting to
see how nuclear India reacts to Panditjiâs unequivocal words who trusted China
from his heart but stabbed in the back. Today, economically, China is a
lucrative asset, but politically, she is a horrendous threat to India. Even
though, Sino-Indian bilateral relations indicate tremendous improvement, China
had not bulged an inch from her rigid stand on Indian territory, rather becoming
more unflinching to encroach it or even to go to war to invade it.
Some of her neighbours are experiencing her imperialistic attitude. She is now
flexing her muscles, searching for modern technology, working for military
self-sufficiency, more than doubled her defence budget compared to India and at
the same time generating huge economic progress just to keep control of her
adversaries. Chinaâs 17.8 per cent increase in military budget forced to divert
her hard earn currency India to defence sector neglecting other priority areas.
On so many occasions, India insisted China to abide by the Simla Convention of
1914. But he responded with repeated claim over Indian territory. She knows very
well that physical terrain would act a stumbling block for India to mount any
offensive against her. Moreover, in any event of war, apart from balancing
Pakistan in the west, India had to prepare for multi-front war, where it would
be difficult for her to resist massive military and logistical onslaught from
China. Calculating exactly the same, she is now projecting a multidimensional
military power and wherewithal to devastate any country including India. She
wants to become a superpower. Humiliating India in 1962, she becomes the
undisputed power in Asia, now China wants to settle her score either forcing
Taiwan to submission or occupying Indiaâs territory by invasion. If the
succeeds, no one is there to stop her from acquiring superpower status. It is
high time for India to stand up and show a spontaneous and
sincere respect for her territorial integrity. At the same time, the government
should come forward with substantial financial assistance for infrastructural
and logistical development of Arunachal Pradesh. Moreover, if we have any sense
of dignity, we should refrain from any further boundary negotiation with China
without fortifying our border. Furthermore, there should be a public awareness
platfrom on the backdrop of perceived Chinese threat. This will bring national
integration and also convince the Arunachalese that they are not isolated.
(<i>The write teaches Geography in Jagiroad College) Assam Tribune Editorial
23.04.07</i>
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
â Dr Jyotirmoy Das Chowdhury
China apart from claiming and retaining a huge portion of the western and
central sector of the country has been demanding only a State of India as her
own territory. It is unfortunate that India failed to stand on her toes and
convey to the Chinese that their act of claiming the territory of a sovereign
country is unjustified. Ahead of President Hu Jintaoâs New Delhi visit, they
floated the claim over Arunachal Pradesh and made Tawang an emotional and
historical issue to fulfil their expansionist design and advance further south.
It was in 1873 that the British introduced âInner Lineâ to protect NEFA, what is
now known as Arunachal Pradesh. The âOuter Lineâ was created to demarcate
Indiaâs boundary with Tibet. Taking advantage of the Tibetan revolt against the
Manchu dynasty, China established effective control over the Tibetan region by
1910 and strategically challenged Britain to play a long political game with
Tibet. In 1914, India and Tibet delineated the boundary popularly known as Mc
Mahon Line during the Simla Convention. Surprisingly, keeping hidden strategy
undisclosed, Chinese representative at the last moment withdrew from the
convention and refused to sign the agreement. It is to be noted that China was
never our neighbour until in 1950 when she suddenly grabbed Tibet and entered
into our doorstep. Within twelve years, she invaded India and after another 45
years renewed her illogical claim over whole of Arunachal Pradesh as her
territory.
The Chinese argue that the Indian definition of boundary is what âBritish
imperialism had fabricated covertly but never dared to put forwardâ They further
add that âtheir boundary history was replete with boundaries unilaterally
imposed by stronger countries and with foreign arrogance and powerâ. As such,
based on spurious interpretation of history, she swallowed Tibet,
demographically outnumbered the autochthonous Tibetans, and brushed aside the
historic Mc Mahon Line and exercised all possible craftsmanship to invade
Arunachal as her âSouthern Tibetâ territory.
The Chinese, as it seems, follow an aggressive national socialistic dictatorship
run by a coterie of fanatic leaders who feel that it is their right to occupy
another sovereign countryâs territory. Their technique is such that they first
publish maps encompassing parts of other countries as her territory. If there
comes any protest, she instantly apologises for the mistake, but keep the
problem unresolved. After a gap of long years, she terms that territory as
âdisputedâ and with the passage of time that territory tacitly becomes â
undefinedâ. The Chinese rulers are so obstinate in boundary issue that they even
refuse to recognise historical treaties on the pretext that they were imposed by
imperialist powers. Their motive, as Peopleâs Daily wrote, âThe Chinese people
are morally prepared to fight with all their forces for the return of lost
territories which at one time belonged to Chinaâ.
Chinaâs expansionist design is not limited to the invasion of Tibet or waging a
war against India. She also invaded Vietnam, tried to subvert Indonesia,
threatened to invade Taiwan, attacked even another Communist country Soviet
Union in 1969 and forcibly occupied Parcel Islands in the coast of Vietnam. Now
on the basis of birthplace of 6th Dalai Lama (1683), she claims Arunachal
Pradesh and more precisely Tawang region as a part of China.
India has 4057 km long frontier with China of which Mc Mahon Line is 1140 km. It
continues from Namkha Valley in the trijunction of India, Tibet and Bhutan and
continues up to Talu Pass near Myanmar border. This line, which is not
demarcated, passes through high crest and watershed on the maps, but seldom
coincides with the realities on the surface. Now, arrogant China is purposefully
keeping it unsettled only to keep India under strategic pressure. Her motive was
clear when China refused to sign the Simla Convention even in 1914. She settled
her boundary problem with Burma and Nepal in 1961, with Afghanistan and Mongolia in 1962, with Pakistan in 1963 and with Russia in 1981 but kept it unresolved only with India. This has naturally cropped up apprehension and distrust as to what is the real motive of China.
Since historic past, the frontier with Tibet acted as a buffer where two
opposite forces functioned to resist one another. But China, after overrunning
Tibet, indulged in perpetuating her ethnic distinctiveness south of her border
for which she cleverly echoed her future right to occupy Arunachal. Indiaâs soft
posture, her over enthusiasm to develop special relations with China makes her
suspicious of Indiaâs sincere desire and as a result China has taken an
unyielding stand on the future of Arunachal Pradesh.
Now, what would be Indiaâs policy to contain China? Beijing follows the dictum
of recovering âevery territorial claim of earliest Chinese governmentsâ. Her
open declaration of Arunachal as her territory evoked international repercussion
and also a sense of danger and uncertainty among the inhabitants of this part of
India. Prolonged failure on our part to refute Chinese claim would tantamount to
tacit acceptance of her demand over Arunachal. Furthermore, an ambiguous
decision on our part would place our armed forces to an extremely
disadvantageous position.
The former Defence Minister Menon said, âThe policy of the Government of India
to eject the Chinese from NEFA, whether it takes one day, a hundred days or a
thousand days and to fight out in Ladakh to the last man, the last gunâ.
Considering the indecisiveness of UPA government, would India pursue this policy
or search for a compromising formula with the Chinese? The consummate architect
of modern India Pandit Nehru wrote. âThis is a claim which is quite impossible
for India or almost any Indian to admit, whatever the consequences... The
Himalayas being handed over to them ...this is a thing whether India exists or
does not exist, cannot be agreed.â
At this critical juncture, the international community is curiously waiting to
see how nuclear India reacts to Panditjiâs unequivocal words who trusted China
from his heart but stabbed in the back. Today, economically, China is a
lucrative asset, but politically, she is a horrendous threat to India. Even
though, Sino-Indian bilateral relations indicate tremendous improvement, China
had not bulged an inch from her rigid stand on Indian territory, rather becoming
more unflinching to encroach it or even to go to war to invade it.
Some of her neighbours are experiencing her imperialistic attitude. She is now
flexing her muscles, searching for modern technology, working for military
self-sufficiency, more than doubled her defence budget compared to India and at
the same time generating huge economic progress just to keep control of her
adversaries. Chinaâs 17.8 per cent increase in military budget forced to divert
her hard earn currency India to defence sector neglecting other priority areas.
On so many occasions, India insisted China to abide by the Simla Convention of
1914. But he responded with repeated claim over Indian territory. She knows very
well that physical terrain would act a stumbling block for India to mount any
offensive against her. Moreover, in any event of war, apart from balancing
Pakistan in the west, India had to prepare for multi-front war, where it would
be difficult for her to resist massive military and logistical onslaught from
China. Calculating exactly the same, she is now projecting a multidimensional
military power and wherewithal to devastate any country including India. She
wants to become a superpower. Humiliating India in 1962, she becomes the
undisputed power in Asia, now China wants to settle her score either forcing
Taiwan to submission or occupying Indiaâs territory by invasion. If the
succeeds, no one is there to stop her from acquiring superpower status. It is
high time for India to stand up and show a spontaneous and
sincere respect for her territorial integrity. At the same time, the government
should come forward with substantial financial assistance for infrastructural
and logistical development of Arunachal Pradesh. Moreover, if we have any sense
of dignity, we should refrain from any further boundary negotiation with China
without fortifying our border. Furthermore, there should be a public awareness
platfrom on the backdrop of perceived Chinese threat. This will bring national
integration and also convince the Arunachalese that they are not isolated.
(<i>The write teaches Geography in Jagiroad College) Assam Tribune Editorial
23.04.07</i>
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->