In 1826 India and China gained a common border, including the area of what is now called Myanmar, following British annexations in the Anglo-Burmese Wars. In 1913, representatives of Great Britain, China and Tibet attended a conference in Simla regarding the borders between Tibet, China and India. Whilst all three representatives initialed the agreement, Beijing later objected to the proposed boundary between the regions of Outer Tibet and Inner Tibet and did not ratify it. The details of the Indo-Tibetan boundary was not revealed to China at the time.The foreign secretary of the Indian government, Henry McMahon, who drew up the proposal, decided to bypass the Chinese (although instructed not to by his superiors) and settle the border bilaterally by negotiating directly with Tibet. According to later Indian claims, this border was intended to run through the highest ridges of the Himalayas, as the areas south of the Himalayas were traditionally Indian. However, the McMahon Line lay south of the boundary India claims. India's government held the view that the Himalayas were the ancient boundaries of the Indian subcontinent, and thus should be the modern boundaries of India while it is the position of the Chinese government that the disputed area in the Himalayas have been geographically and culturally part of Tibet since ancient times[
RE:What is MacMohan Line.
by off side on Dec 22, 2007 03:13 AM Permalink
Excellent perspectives from Mr. Chavda. Folks like PKN need to be made aware of Chinese arguments.
Chinese do not bring in Marxian mumbo-jumbo to butress their claims, they do so on the basis of Chinese history. Sovreign India is the legal inheritor of British India and it is legal for Indian Govt to abide by all British agreements. China does not accept British treaties on Tibet and has deployed force or threatened to do so.
Tibet is the fountainhead of most of water flowing into India. China are fast acquiring capability to dam and alter the water flow pattern. Reestoring the rights of Tibet to be atleast autonomous is a great Indian imperative.
RE:What is MacMohan Line.
by PKN on Dec 21, 2007 05:18 PM Permalink
Your knowledge of history is wonderful ! But still like all primary school history teachers you have merely restated the obvious. History is History. While it can give some directions it cannot be a solution to how we conduct ourselves today. If the world were to use historical references to redraw national boundaries we would have global choas along with global warming threatening mankind. Using history we could reclaim for India most of Pakistan and what is today called afghanisation. Using history Tamilnadu could make logical claims on large parts of Bali , Cambodia etc. The problem with the Mc Mohan Line was that Henry McMohon drew it not only unilaterally but also on a two- dimesional map without caring to even know the terrain. Result : There are little or no natural elements to firmly identify the line on actaul ground zero. Even streams identified by the line change course seasonally. Reality is that China and India are two giants in Asia . One of them has to emerge at the big brother and the other logically the smaller brother. Border disputes , China's moving closer to Pakistan , India's moving slowly into the US Camp are all posturing in this conflict for supremacy. The solution lies in working out the problems . But be assured that a solution doesnot lie in going back to historical elements during the reign of Chandra Gupta Maurya !
RE:RE:What is MacMohan Line.
by Major Sassy on Dec 21, 2007 05:55 PM Permalink
you work with solutions with those who are interested in solutions and as you say even McMohan line is history so how can you escape history?
RE:RE:RE:What is MacMohan Line.
by off side on Dec 22, 2007 03:20 AM Permalink
You escape history, by knowing history! As Toynbee once said, --Those Who Forget the Lessons of History Are Doomed To Repeat It--
We need to pursue all efforts to make it simply unaffordable for China to hold on illegally to Tibet. For that we need wise market oriented economic and technology policies in India first.
RE:What is MacMohan Line.
by super success on Dec 21, 2007 05:06 PM Permalink
ashok chavda is talking like what pakistan is talking since 60 years to claim kashmir.as we will not give up kashmir and china will not give up tibet now bringing this informations is useless
