Kibithu a melting point of Indo-China friendship

Guwahati, Nov 13: After Nathu La in Sikkim, Kibithu, the tiny village of Arunachal Pradesh's Lohit district, is emerging fast to be a new melting point of Indo-China friendship.

Senior defence sources here said that two days before the maiden visit of Chinese President Hu Jintao in India on November 20, India and Chinese troops for the first time will asemble in a Border Personnel Meeting (BPM) at Kibithu, signaling the new beginning of Indo-China relationship.

Unlike Bumla in the Tawang sector, Kibithu offers relatively easy travel up to Chinese side and the Indian army was highly optimistic about the new development.

The Kibithu is controlled from Tezu, the Brigade headquarters of the 4 corps and the senior officers from nearby post of Walong are joining the troops of Kibithu in the November 18 talks.

In the entire Indo-China border, the BPMs take place only at Nathu La and Bumla, also in Arunachal Pradesh, and now Kibithu will be the third point to have border talks between the neighbouring soldiers.

The defence sources, however, could not confirm whether the BPM will be held in the Indian terriroty or in Chinese side. The Lohit river, one of the three main originating tributaries of the Brahmaputra, is flowing by the side of Kibithu.

Kibithu is supported from nearest civilian and military adminsitrative post Walong. Walong is a small cantonment and administrative town in the Anjaw district.

Anjaw was curved out of Lohit District in 2004. North of the border lies the Tibetan trading town of Rima. Illegal crossing by the Tibetans to visit relatives are very common there. Walong is about 180 km by road from the district headquarters town of Tezu.

There is an operational helipad. The town is connected to Tezu by a thrice-weekly bus.

In autumn of 1962 Walong was the scene of the "Battle of Walong" when the outnumbered Indian Army 11th Infantry Brigade blocked the thrust of the invading Chinese Red Army. The Brigade put up a valiant and tenacious defence between October 22 and November 16, 1962 until it was reduced to pitiful remnants, and then withdrew down the valley to Hayuliang. The Chinese, who had suffered large casualties, did not follow up beyond Changwinty.

However the defence sources reminded that there was no such hostility any longer and Kibithu can provide much easier and better road access to Tibet for future trading. The nearest civilian airport is Dibrugarh and with a very hard drive, one can reach Walong or Kibithu same day traveling around 350 kilometers from Dibrugarh.

Recently Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Gegong Apang had visited the areas to explore the possibilities for border trade between the two neighbours.

UNI