Arunachal Pradesh History
May 8, 2009
Arunachal Pradesh is India’s easternmost state, bordering the countries of Burma/Myanmar to the east, Tibet to the north and Bhutan towards the west. When viewed on a map, the state seems to be disconnected from the country, connected only by the flimsiest of land. Due to the fact that it is the easternmost portion of India, it is sometimes known as the “land of the rising sun” and “land of the dawn lit mountains”, which is actually the meaning of the state’s name.
There are practically no definitive records that relate to the history of Arunachal Pradesh except, apparently for some oral literature and several historical ruins that are mainly found in the foothills that date back to the early Christian era. What is known, however, is that the first ancestors of the tribal groups that populate the area now migrated there from Tibet during the prehistoric period and were later joined by their Thai-Burmese counterparts. The earliest references to the state can be found in the texts of Ramayana, Mahabharata and the other Vedic legends.
Only the Ahom chronicles during the 16th century provide recorded history for the state, although recent excavations of Hindu temple ruins have shed new light about the ancient history of Arunachal Pradesh. The 14th Malinithan located at the foot of the Siang Hills on West Siang have paintings of Hindu gods as well as altars that haven’t been touched by humans in years. Another temple, the heritage site Tawang monastery, which is 400 years old, also provides evidence that Buddhist tribal peoples have lived in the area. The tribal kingdoms of Monpa and Sherdukpen, the former of which flourished between 500 BC and AD 600, are recorded to have controlled the area during their times. The Ahom and the Assamese controlled a big part of the state until India was annexed by the British empire in 1858.
Parts of the state have been claimed by mainland China, Tibet and Bhutan as parts of their territory. In 1913-1914, representatives of China, Britain and Tibet negotiated the Simla Accord, whose objective was to define the borders between Inner Tibet, Outer Tiber and British India. The British administrator at that time, Sir Henry McMahon, drew up the McMahon Line, an 890 kilometer border that serves to separate British India and Outer Tibet. This line ceded Tawang as well as other Tibetan areas to the British. While there was no issue between the three representatives regarding this border, the Chinese representative had issues regarding Inner and Outer Tibet and as a consequence, China walked out of the agreement. Since then, China’s position has been that since it has sovereignty over Tibet, the line was invalid without Chinese agreement.
When Chinese power in Tibet collapsed, any serious challenges to the line disappeared and no new maps of the region were published until 1935. In 1937, the Survey of India published a map that showed the McMahon Line as the official boundary between the two countries and in 1938, the Simla Convention was published, meant to be a bilateral accord. The 1938 Survey of India showed Tawang as part of the British India. In 1944, the British established administrations in the area, but Tibet altered its position of the McMahon Line in 1947, claiming Tawang as part of their territory. This was developed further as India gained its independence and the People’s Republic of China was established late in the 1940s. With the threat of China taking over Tibet, India declared the McMahon Line to be the boundary of its lands in 1950, forcing the last remnants of Tibetan administration out of Tawang.
The North East Frontier Agency (NEFA) was finally established in 1950 in what would become Arunachal Pradesh and the relationship between the Chinese and Indians were cordial until the eruption of the Sino-Indian War of 1962, when China captured most of NEFA. However, China declared victory and voluntarily drew back to the McMahon Line in 1963 and returned Indian prisoners, although the war resulted in the termination of the barter trade with Tibet.
Arunachal Pradesh continued to be known as NEFA until 1972, when it was constituted as Union territory and was later renamed to Arunachal Pradesh. On February 20, 1987, Arunachal Pradesh became the 24th state of the Indian Union.
Namdapha National Park
May 8, 2009
Namdapha National Park is a large (1,985.23 square kilometers) national park and tiger reserve located in Arunachal Pradesh. It has a very large number of different kinds of animals and plants living there, making it well worth a visit. This wide range of animals and plants is due to its location in Arunachal Pradesh, and also the fact that there is a huge variation in altitude across the park. At its highest point, the park is 4,500 meters above sea level while at its lowest point it is just 200 meters above seal level.
A scheme to create a national park was already proposed in 1947, when Arunachal Pradesh was still known as North East Frontier Agency or NEFA. The valley of the Diyan or the Noah-Dehing River and its catchment area was chosen as the site for the project, whose aim was to establish a national park for public recreation as well as the research and study of wildlife in their natural habitat. However, as a result of some controversy, the project became pending and didn’t take off.
After the Sino-Indian War happened in 1962, papers pertaining to the project could not be traced until 1969. At that time interest for the project was revitalized and an area that extended up to the Patkai range and Dapha Bum range was proposed. The Deupty Commissioner of Khonsa proposed to the Director of the Forestry Department that since the area is situated in the inter-district boundary between Lohit and Tirap, it would be more suitable to rename it Namdapha Reserved Forest. It was eventually declared as such under the Assam Forest Regulation in 1970. It was eventually proposed to be turned into a wildlife sanctuary and, eventually, in 1972, it became one after persistent follow-ups from the Forestry Department. In 1983, Namdapha Reserved Forest was declared as a National Park. In the same year, under the Project Tiger scheme of the Government of India, it was declared a Tiger Reserve.
The park is largely mountainous and is drained by three rivers: the Namdapha River, the Deab River and the Noah-Dehing River. The habitat changes according to altitude. In the lower altitudes, tropical rain forests with huge hollock and mekong trees abound. The mid-altitude has deciduous forests while higher still, oak, pine and betula trees are found. Namdapha National Park is a botanical haven, with over 150 species of trees and flowers are found, including the Blue Vanda, the rarest of orchids. The major fauna include more than 425 species of birds while mammal-lovers can be amazed by at least seven species of non-human primates and at least four species of large cats, including the leopard, the snow leopard, the clouded leopard and the famous tigers as well as lesser cats; in fact it is the only park in the world to have those four in one area.
The park is located in the Changlang district of Arunachal Pradesh, between the Dapha Bum range of the Mishmi Hills and the Patkai range. The park can be reached by air via the nearest airport at Mohanbari. Via railway, it can be reached either through the Tinsukia Railway Station or the Margherita Railway Station. There is also a good road that connects up to Miao, which is the entry point of Namdapha.
Police Foil NSCN-IM’s Plan to Rob Bank
May 8, 2009
Police state they intercepted a plan by the NSCN’s Isak-Muivah faction to rob the Rural Bank at Kamba. Yomjum Gongo, a member of the separatist group, was found carrying a M20 pistol on him.
Gongo admitted that he and four other members of the NSCN-IM were planning to rob the Bank, which is located about 20km from Aalo, West Siang District. The police have observed that many youths from West Siang are being recruited and trained at Camp Hebron, which is the general headquarters of the NSCN.
An extract from an article in The Telegraph states:
Former Arunachal Pradesh chief minister Mukut Mithi cautioned New Delhi that if the activities of the Isak-Muivah group, which is under a ceasefire agreement with the Centre, were not checked, the peaceful state would turn into a haven for the Naga militant outfit.
There have been reports that the NSCN imposes extortion demands on businesses and villagers. In 2001, stated-owned Oil India Ltd shut down its operations at the Khumsai oil well after the NSCN served an extortion notice of Rs 6 million.
More Women Than Men Voting in Arunachal Pradesh
May 6, 2009
In Arunachal Pradesh, more women than men are casting their votes in India’s 15th general election. The Business Standard reports that:
According to Papum Pare District Election Officer, Bidol Tayeng, out of a total 8,379 votes cast in 36 polling stations at Sagalee, 4,040 were by males and 4,379 by females.
The election officials here said this pattern had been reflected in other segments also, but could not provide the statistics.
Bear in mind that according to the 2001 census, the State’s ratio is 901 females per 1000 males.
In separate news, The Times of India reports that the BJP is demanding a repoll in 65 of the voting booths in Arunachal Pradesh. These booths produced “more than 100%” voting.
It will be interesting to see what transpires next.
Upcoming Post
May 5, 2009
This is an upcoming post.