DEVELOPMENT IN INDIA'S NORTHEAST STATE OF ARUNACHAL PRADESH

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 KOLKATA 000098 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPT PLEASE PASS USAID E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PHUM PREF PREL EAGR EAID SENV SNAR CH IN SUBJECT: DEVELOPMENT IN INDIA'S NORTHEAST STATE OF ARUNACHAL PRADESH TO COUNTER CHINA THREATENS LOCAL CULTURE AND ENVIRONMENT REF: KOLKATA 0050 KOLKATA 00000098 001.2 OF 004 ¶1. (SBU) March 4-11, ConGen visited the remote northeastern Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh (AP) to assess the area's regional security, social and economic development issues. India continues to dispute China's claims to AP and is now seeking to develop the state's infrastructure to integrate it with the rest of India. However, the GOI's development efforts threaten the many indigenous tribes' distinct cultures and communities. In addition, little consideration has been given by the GOI and state planners as to preserving the environment in this unique bio-diversity hotspot of the eastern Himalayan foothills. Rather, development plans reflect the GOI's broader strategic interest and the corrupt local politicians' aspirations for more graft. The GOI's large infrastructure development plans will likely accelerate the erosion of local tribal cultures and the environmental degradation, with only marginal improvements in the overall quality of life for the local people of Arunachal Pradesh. Post will seek to leverage its limited resources to support initiatives in preserving local culture and the environment. End Summary. -------------- Background -------------- ¶2. (U) AP is located at the easternmost corner of India and shares borders with China's Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR), Bhutan and Burma. The state stretches from the Himalayan ranges in the north to the plains of the Brahmaputra river valley in the south, and has five major rivers - Kameng, Subansiri, Siang, Lohit and Tirap. With an area of 83,743 square km and a population of 1.1 million, it has the lowest population density in India. The state's 26 tribes, all with distinct cultural traditions, range in characteristics from the more Tibetan Monpas in the west to the Burmese-influenced Nagas in the east. The tribes constitute about 70 percent of the population and a steady influx of outsiders, many from Assam and Bangladesh, make up the remaining approximately 30 percent. -------------- Conflict With China -------------- ¶3. (U) China neither formally recognizes AP's status as an Indian state nor accepts the "McMahon Line" set by the British with the Tibetans in 1914 as the 1,030 km. international border between India and Tibet. Chinese troops crossed the McMahon Line on August 1959, and captured an Indian outpost at Longju, a few miles south of the line. They abandoned it in 1961 but in October 1962 attacked again in the Indo-Chinese War and seized much of the state. The Chinese later agreed to withdraw approximately to the McMahon Line and in 1963 returned Indian prisoners of war. In 1986, tension again flared up with Indian and Chinese forces clashing in the Sumdorong Chu valley over the Chinese construction of a helipad in the valley. ¶4. (U) In 2003, Beijing gave up its territorial claim over the Himalayan Indian state of Sikkim, but continues to assert that a vast stretch of Arunachal Pradesh - 90,000 sq.kms. - belongs to China. The AP government has from time to time warned the GOI about Chinese troops making regular forays across the highly sensitive international borders. -------------- Development, Not Just a Buffer -------------- ¶5. (U) Until recently, the GOI maintained a policy of keeping the state undeveloped to create a buffer with China and to preserve to some extent the indigenous cultures. India's first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru on the advice of noted British anthropologist Dr. Verrier Elwin opposed "over-administering" the area to limit outside influences on the tribal communities. As a result, basic social indicators, such as literacy, health and life expectancy are very low. Infrastructure was not developed because of the anxiety over possible Chinese intrusion into the state and so it is impossible to travel by road from east to west in the state. All east-west travel by road must go through neighboring Assam. ¶6. (U) AP legislators have noted in Parliament that lack of infrastructure has in fact made access to the Chinese border KOLKATA 00000098 002.2 OF 004 very difficult from the Indian side, while the Chinese have built infrastructure to facilitate movement for their military and people. Marking a significant change in policy in January, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh went to AP for the first Prime Ministerial tour of the state in a decade and announced series of development plans valued at around USD 2.5 billion (reftel). The trip was notable, coming just two weeks after Singh's visit to Beijing, possibly reflecting difficult border negotiations with the Chinese. Singh announced plans for a 1,840-kilometer, four-lane trans-Arunachal highway connecting the district headquarters in the state; a new airport for the state capital Itanagar; the reopening of four non-operational airports at Tezu, Pasighat, Daporijo and Along; and the connecting of Itanagar to the nearest railhead at Harmuti in Assam. Singh also laid the foundation stone of the National Hydro-Electric Power Corporation's 3,000 megawatt Dibang Multipurpose Project and the North Eastern Electric Power Corporation's 110 megawatt Pare Hydroelectric project. (Note: Arunachal has five major rivers with the potential to generate 50,000 megawatts of power. End Note.) For social development, he outlined an "electricity-for-every-home" scheme and flood relief initiatives. ¶7. (SBU) Former Chief of Army Staff and newly-appointed AP Governor J.J. Singh told ConGen that his priority was to ensure progress on the proposed infrastructure and development projects. Singh also observed that what is generally termed as "incursions" by the Chinese into Indian territory is a result of "difference in perception." He said that there was no clear demarcated border and sometimes, for example, India may regard one side of a mountain ridge as the border while the Chinese may think the other side of the ridge is the dividing line. On the issue of Chinese claims over AP, Singh felt that perhaps eventually Aksai Chin on India's western border might go to China but not Tawang, the area close to Tibet that China most desires in AP. -------------- Corrosive Social Problems -------------- ¶8. (SBU) The GOI's development plans have raised concerns about the broader social and environmental implications. Because the tribal communities are primarily agrarian and unwilling to do the manual labor on the road and hydro-power projects, much of the labor has been brought in from other parts of India, primarily Assam and according to locals, the Assamese are in fact often Bangladeshis with false documents. The influx of outsiders has resulted in a demographic shift and they now constitute a third of the state population and appear to be growing. Resentment against the outsiders has increased among the tribal groups. The tribal Nyishi student group has posted signs throughout Itanagar, including in front of the state Secretariat, calling for "Bangladeshis" to leave the state. SIPDIS ¶9. (U) According to the Executive Director of the Center for Cultural Research and Documentation (CCRD) Moji Riba, tribal communities are seeing a steady erosion of their traditions due to outside influences. ConGen saw this while participating in a local animist Donyi Polo (Sun and Moon worship) ceremony, which had adopted many Christian aspects, with new prayer books and a temple modeled on some of the Baptist and evangelical churches that have made inroads into the local communities. Christian missionaries from Nagaland and Mizoram have been especially active in AP. ¶10. (U) In the eastern districts of Lohit, Changlang, and Tirap, bordering Nagaland, traditional use of opium has given way to expanded cultivation of poppy for production of illicit opium. According to Speaker Setong Sena and former Home Minister L. Wanglat, who come from AP's eastern region, the opium is produced extensively throughout those districts and is sold to Assamese middle-men, who then move the product to New Delhi and beyond. Secretary of the National Alliance of Women Jarjum Ete told ConGen that opium addiction among young men in the Lohit district has increased to alarming levels. ¶11. (SBU) Violence from Naga separatists has also become a problem in the eastern districts. Wanglat noted that in KOLKATA 00000098 003.2 OF 004 December 2007 his cousin, former Member of Parliament Wangsha Rajkumar was shot dead while he was playing badminton. Wanglat said he believed that the National Socialist Council of Nagaland - Isak Muivah (NSCN-IM) killed his cousin for his opposition to their activities. Wanglat and others said that NSCN-IM operates extensively in the Naga-dominated eastern districts, extorting money, killing opposition, kidnapping and recruiting youth. NSCN-IM hopes to include the Naga AP districts into a greater independent Nagaland. ¶12. (U) Another persistent issue is the presence of about 50,000 Buddhist Chakma refugees, who settled in the state over three decades ago after being displaced from Bangladesh due to the flooding of their land by the Kaptai Dam reservoir in the Chittagong Hill Tracts. Arunachalees, particulary student unions, demand that the refugees be relocated elsewhere to preserve the ethnic identity of local people, but the refugees are demanding citizenship rights. Jarjum Ete and other local NGO representatives blame USAID's assistance in financing the Kaptai Dam project in 1964 for the exodus of the Chakmas to Arunachal Pradesh. The Supreme Court of India has ruled against relocating the Chakmas elsewhere, but Arunachalese leaders and agitators insist that their sometimes violent anti-Chakma campaign will continue. The GOI has appointed a committee to review the situation but facing local opposition to granting any resident status, the Chakmas will likely remain indefinitely in legal limbo as refugees. -------------- Environmental Impact -------------- ¶13. (U) Executive Director of the sustainable development NGO Future Generations Dr. Tage Kanno commented to ConGen that announced plans for new roads and large hydro-power project will also have a significant impact on the state's unique biodiversity. AP is home to over 5,000 plant species, 85 terrestrial mammals and over 500 birds. It has four major cats, including the tiger, leopard, clouded leopard and the snow leopard as well as the lesser cats such as the golden, leopard and marbled cats. Forests include five broad forest types and a sixth secondary forest. The state's biodiversity results from it being at the junction of the Paloearctic, Indo-Chinese and Indo-Malayan bio-geographic regions. 80 percent of the state, according to the state government is forested. ¶14. (SBU) Kanno related problems with the one completed hydro-power project in the state, 405 Megawatt (MW) Ranganadi Hydro Electric Project State I, commissioned in 2002. According to Kanno and others, water flows from the dam have been erratic with periods of dry spells, killing the fish stocks, and sudden floods, which have washed away downstream farm fields and animals. ConGen saw the dam site and extensive staff housing and cleared areas. Local NGO's have been concerned that no environmental impact has been done for the planned 3,000 MW Dibang multi-purpose project for which PM laid the foundation stone on January 31. Kanno and Asia Development Bank Consultant Geoff Mills commented in separate conversations that rather than large mega-hydro power projects, the GOI should fund numerous smaller hydro-power projects. The smaller projects collectively could generate the same levels of power as the large projects, but would have less environmental impact, be easier to maintain and have wider benefit. However, they and even local Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) said that the state government officials were keen to have the larger projects as they represented greater opportunities for graft and corruption. -------------- Rampant Corruption -------------- ¶15. (SBU) Rampant corruption is a significant impediment to effectively managing the state's development. ConGen visited the home of several local state assembly MLAs, which were palatial in comparison to the rustic homes of most villagers. MLA Kipababu (protect) openly related to ConGen how the Chief Ministers have maintained support and party loyalty by using public project funds to distribute to MLA's for their votes. He said that the CM "might get a 40 crore (USD 10 million) project; KOLKATA 00000098 004.2 OF 004 he'll take some of it and then give about 2 crore each to the MLA's and have them sign a paper saying that they support his government." Deputy Commissioner Sadhana Deori (protect) commented that the authorities of the Public Distribution System (PDS) for basic food staples intended for the state's poor have made millions of dollars along with state Youth Congress President Likha Saya, a contractor appointed to distribute food in remote areas. Rations were diverted and sold on the black market. Flaunting his new found wealth, Saya has been seen driving around Itanagar's narrow and potholed streets in a convertible Jaguar sports car. -------------- Consulate's Efforts -------------- ¶16. (U) To help in efforts for cultural and environmental preservation, the Consulate has used its limited resources to promote local initiatives. For instance, it has recommended key local contacts for the International Visitor Program (IVP) to look at Native American communities in the United States to see approaches that they have taken for retaining their culture and creating economic opportunity. IVs from AP include Chairman NEFA Indigenous Human Rights Organization Tado Karlo, President of Northeast Students' Organization Gumjum Haider, Congress MLA (former Union Minister) Omak Apang, Secretary of National Women's Alliance Jarjun Ete and Editor of Dawnlit Post Gabriel Wangtsu. In addition, Post's Foreign Commercial Service (FCS) office hosted a delegation of renewable power companies to Kolkata in January and arranged for hydro-power business representatives to talk to AP officials about U.S. hydro-power technologies that could help the state's environment. Post is also now in contact with community colleges in the U.S. to identify institutions serving tribal communities which could cooperate with educational institutions in AP and share efforts at providing culturally sensitive curriculum. Post will also seek possible proposals in the state to nominate for the Ambassador's Fund for Cultural Preservation. -------------- COMMENT -------------- ¶17. (SBU) Arunachal Pradesh is a region in transition. Long a quiet corner of India, the country's general economic and geo-political rise is bringing greater attention to the state. As India seeks to better mark its turf in the face of China consolidating its hold in TAR, more money and people will be funneled into Arunachal Pradesh to develop its infrastructure and to integrate it with the rest of India. However, the GOI and local officials' apparent failure to consider the social and environmental impact of their development plans will likely undermine the unique local tribal cultures and the state's biodiversity. JARDINE