Not for the first time, reports about China’s PLA establishing camps deep inside Indian territory in Arunachal Pradesh, stirred up a storm on social media.
A local paper Arunachal Observer, cited a letter from the president of an NGO in remote Taksing, which is located on the McMahon Line in Upper Subansiri district. Important to note that China does not recognise the McMahon Line drawn at the 1914 Shimla Convention involving British India and Tibet.
To cut a long story short, the letter claimed that the PLA had occupied several areas traditionally used by local communities and had built roads, bridges and military camps over the past five years.
The occupied areas were identified as Oying (2445) in the Asaphila area, Paniar, Marpan, Potrang Lake and Tindingtang. It also claimed these sites were “firmly within Indian territory” before 2020 and included ancestral grazing lands, hunting grounds and local pilgrimage sites.
“The present activities of the Chinese PLA at the Taksing area are very alarming and a matter of grave concern for us,” the letter went.
The letter urged immediate action, indicating that while while it had faith in the Indian Army, current efforts were “not enough” to stop the alleged encroachment. Photographs were submitted that claimed to show Chinese military activity in these areas.
But the army has dismissed these reports as “incorrect” and “without any basis.” A thread by Nature Desai on X showed the areas as under Chinese occupation for many decades (https://x.com/NatureDesai/status/2071572752444920049/photo/1).
Such controversies come up periodically and often, given the unforgiving terrain and the contradictory nature of claims, counterclaims and maps. It also underscores the need to come to a settlement on the boundary but China has not so far shown any inclination to settle this issue.
