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Fingering the ‘Finger Area’
4. Various reports have indicated that over the past six months, soldiers of China’s People’s Liberation Army as well as ‘wood cutters’ have intruded at least one kilometer into Indian territory in the so called ‘Finger Area’ in at least 60 to 70 separate incidents. Indian troops eventually resorted to stopping these intrusions by hand held ‘human chains’.
5. In 2003, during the then Prime Minister Mr. Atal Bihati Vajpayee’s visit to Beijing, a PLA patrol came as far as about 16 kms into Indian territory and intimidated an intelligence agency’s detachment, claiming that the latter was on Chinese territory.
6. In 2004, China quietly released a map showing ‘Sikkim State of India’. It has however never issued a statement stating that it has accepted that Sikkim is a part of India.
The events as stated above suggest that China is not happy with the way things are at present with regard to the international border even though it is earning a lot through trade and commerce with India. The border issue, through the passage of time has always opened the ear of Indians but the latest claim on the ‘Finger Area’ in Sikkim is of great significance.
We can not deny the fact that with democracy coming into Nepal and with China now directly bordering the northern side of Nepal, the former hasgained considerable influence over the latter. Well connected roads allegedly for military movement in case of necessity have already been built by China. China is eyeing Nepal. The integration may not be political but may come about through economy and strategy which suits the geo – political needs of China.
It is this new development in Nepal which has compelled China to label Sikkim as a disputed territory and this necessitates a high diplomatic solution by the government of India. The Indian Government can not afford to close its eyes and say that everything with China is ship shape.
According to BJP MP Kiren Rijiju who claimed on March 2007 that China had moved 20 kms into Indian Territory amounting to 900 sq km, “It has been continuing for a long time… I have written to the Government of India and raised the issue in Parliament. The government is not accepting the intrusion openly. But the defense personnel do acknowledge that this is happening and the Chinese are occupying our land.”
The claim of Mr. Kiren Rijiju MP from Arunachal Pradesh was well covered in the press and electronic media and it is not known what the government intends to tell the people of India. Silence is not accepted as a mode of diplomatic strategy. The government must build confidence in the minds of the people.
China which is fast emerging as an economic power has vested interests in the region which are purely economical.
The annexation of Tibet by China was also on similar lines. Tibet is the largest source of water supply to all major river systems of North India. Tibet remains the hub of China’s nuclear research and its nuclear arsenal, threatening every part of India. Because of this, the environmental damage in Tibet is also having an adverse effect on India.
China has signed an agreement of Peace and tranquility along the Line of Control between India and China on the 7th of September 1993 which has failed and China has continued to play its game of ‘not too well disguised agendas.’
The people of the region are sensitive to the extent that recently, four Chinese engineers who visited Arunachal Pradesh to help oil companies with exploration are to be deported back to China by the government due to widespread public demand.
Not only does the Government of India have to read the mind of China in the light of recent political developments, it also needs to equip itself to fight tooth and nail with China in the worst case scenario. It is only when our border infrastructure and our military is strengthened that we will be able to keep a check on these Chinese activities. Is the Government listening?
