The Hindu : Front Page : India-China celebration of freedom and friendship

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Aug 16, 2006

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Front Page

India-China celebration of freedom and friendship

Sushanta Talukdar

BONHOMIE: Indian and Chinese armymen at the celebration of India's Independence Day at Bumla in Arunachal Pradesh on Tuesday. — Photo: Ritu Raj Konwar

BUMLA (INDIA-CHINA BORDER): The traditional Assamese drums were beaten, buffalo horns were blown and the colourful Bihu dance was performed on Tuesday morning at this frontier post at an altitude of 15,500 feet above sea level on the Line of Actual Control (LAC) along the India-China border. Only, this time round the ritual was to welcome not the new Assamese calendar year but a visiting delegation of China's People Liberation Army who joined hands with the Indian Army to celebrate the Indian Independence Day.

Assamese youth had the Chinese delegation spellbound with a spectacular presentation of the traditional Bihu dance. Colonel Li Ming, who headed the Chinese delegation, the PLA officers, their wives and children applauded the performance.

As Brigadier Sanjay Kulkarni hoisted the Tricolour with a pipe band of the Army playing the National Anthem, Colonel Ming took position along with two other Staff Officers of the PLA, Colonel Lalit Rai, deputy leader of the Indian delegation, and two other staff officers to salute the Indian flag. Bumla, 37 km off the border town of Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh, fell to China during the Sino-India conflict in 1962.

Although no note, address or e-mail was exchanged in strict adherence to the do's and don'ts issued by the Army, currencies and coins were exchanged towards the end of the two-and-a-half-hour bonhomie-filled session. Family members as well as officers and soldiers from both sides posed with each other for photographs. Children from both sides posed for photographs with toys and other gifts presented to them by the Army and the PLA.

In their formal closing addresses, Brigadier Kulkarni and Colonel Ming expressed the hope that such interaction on important events was a step forward in improving relations, peace and friendship between the two countries.

The Chinese delegation was given a warm send-off at the Heap of Stones on the McMahon line. Immediately after the flag hoisting, the two delegations had a Border Personnel Meeting to discuss border issues. The next BPM will take place on October 1 when PLA observes the Chinese National Day.

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