Influencers on Lisu Society: Rtd Major General A. S. Guraya

Rtd Major General A. S. Guraya (Photo: assamrifles.gov.in).

This General fascinated me, not because of his contribution to Lisu society but because he is significant to Dawodi history. He chased Lisu away from home villages, resettled 200 Nepali ex-army, renamed two villages, discovered Vijoynagar under his leadership and so on. So this is a short attempt to know this man who changed Dawodi history forever after 1961.

Older Lisu villagers know him by the name “Nawahla” (big ear), because he wore a hat like those of cowboys in the west. Some at best called him “Guliya” (for there is no R sound in Lisu). They remember Guraya used to come on horseback with a hat. None of them knew his actual name. Only very recent I learned his complete name – Ajit Singh Guraya!

Below are few sketch of Rtd Major General A. S. Guraya:

• He was son of Subedar Thakur Singh, an officer of M.C. Order of British India.
• Functioned as the Vice Chairman of Assam Rifles Multi-purpose Co-operative Society Limited between 1987 – 89.
• He filed the Government of India and received the verdict on May 1, 1989. The objective was to obtain the promise: “allotment of land, grant of title deeds in respect of the allotted land, facilities for movement by air to and from Mohanbari, freedom to develop the allotted areas, grant of advance by way of loans, provision of marketing facilities for disposal of surplus”. The govt filed counter-affidavits and most of the allegations were denied.
• Visited Vijoynagar around November 1961 (Maitra 1993) as second Chaukan expedition.
• Renamed Daodi as Vijoynagar after his only son, Vijay, and Yibedi as Pritnagar after his only daughter, Priti.
• In office as the Major General of the Assam Rifles between 01 Feb 1958 – 14 Dec 1965.
• During his tenure, he settled 200 families of the ex-service personnel.
• Looks like he tried to get an allotment of land for him in Vijoynagar. Later in 1989 before the Supreme Court that he was not interested to have land for him.
• He was awarded AVSM (Ati Vishisht Seva Medal) for expeditions in Vijoynagar (Year?).  AVSM is a military award given to recognize “distinguished service of an exceptional order” to all ranks of the armed forces.
• Around 1993, he sought permission to visit Vijoynagar but was denied by the then Chief Secretary of Arunachal Pradesh, Mr. Taka Limbu, who later became a member of the North East Council.

Our perception for this General is summarized well in this quote:

“To some people especially the Nazis and his followers, Hitler was a hero figure. However, to many Jews and the mankind he was a dictator and a destroyer. Similarly, to the aboriginal tribal inhabitants of Dawodi valley (presently Vijoynagar) A.S. Guraya was a dictator and a destroyer, who was responsible in forcing the indigenous Yobin dwellers to vacate their own cultivated land at gunpoint to make room for a new bunch of settlers into their land. A few years back there was a time when inner line pass was denied to Mr. A.S. Guraya and his children to enter and visit Dawodi valley (presently Vijoynagar), certainly there were some reasons the Arunachal Government had to consider.”

— Mr. R. Yobin commented (Readers’ Forum of AP Times, 10 March 2013).

References:

Maitra, Asim. 1993. Profile of a Little-Known Tribe: An Ethnographic Study of Lisus of Arunachal Pradesh. New Delhi: Mittal Publications. Page 9.

http://www.assamrifles.gov.in/leadership.aspx

Readers’ Forum of Arunachal Times (arunachaltimes.in).

God our Refuge

Psalms 9: 9 – 10 in Lisu

Three days ago we read Psalms chapter 9. The verse 9 and 10 captured our attention:

The Lord is a shelter for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble.

Those who know your name trust in you, for you, O Lord, do not abandon those who search for you. – New Living Translation.

The word “oppressed” is very familiar to us. The Lisu/Yobin tribe of India has been (let me use multiple words) marginalized, oppressed, misrepresented, pushed around. A few examples would just suffice.

• Removed Indian citizenship and branded a refugee from 1980 – 1994. Still Scheduled Tribe status has not been restored till today.
• Chased away from our homeland and settled ex-army families at gun point.
• Our only road to town, Miao-Vijoynagar Road has been abandoned since its construction till recently. Still we cannot reach home.
• Our villages – Nibodi, Yibidi and Miphutu – were burnt down by forest officials and administrators in the 1970s.

As a result we have much difficulties and negative consequences.

• I have to travel 10 days from Bangalore to Shidi.
• Less than 1% of Lisu people are employed in government offices.
• Many people die due to malaria, dysentery. Forget the people who die of serious diseases; no use of talking about them.
• Rarely anyone pass matriculation from our high school. There is nothing to learn – no teachers.

In this context, I am greatly encouraged by the words from Psalms. The words “shelter” (hwapheu) and “oppressed” (nyizi) communicate better. Hwapheu is victory center or source of victory. God is the source and he ensures even those who are wedged in between.

May our people never forget the God we and our fathers worship. He doesn’t and cannot forget His children.

The Old Elephant Route (2001) – a review

The Old Elephant Route (DVD Cover).

Last year a friend from Nibodi village told me about a group of wildlife people that camped outskirt of their village along with their elephants 10 years ago. After watching this film “The Old Elephant Route” I linked the travelers on this film with the people my friend had mentioned. The travelers stayed overnight at Nibodi with their elephants and interviewed the Gaon Bora, Late Chamedwe.

This team of travelers were actually a research team from Aane Mane Foundation (Bangalore), spear headed by their researchers, Prajna Chowta and Surendra Varma. They came to study “the past and present migration of wild elephants on the border area between Burma and north-eastern India as well as the viability of this corridor as a migratory route in a region which is located at the geographic heart of the elephant habitat in Asia.”

Though this film primarily focuses on elephants, they have given us good documentation of matters interest to us. Very vivid state of Miao-Vijoynagar road is covered in detail. They captured the initial days when Nibodi village was just beginning to resettle after a gap of about 40 years. They also bring historical perspectives – the bombing of WWII and use of elephants during those days.

It’s sad they had to travel twice – the first on three elephants up to 52 Miles and then start all over again from Miao with 9 porters! Altogether they trekked 30 days (Between February and early April 2000), daring rainy days, flood and muddy roads. Unfortunately, they did not reach Chaukan Pass, mainly because they employed Chakma and other porters, who have not been there.

My Nibodi friend told me “those wildlife people have written very bad things against us.” I wondered what could be the content. As I watched there are few references to the Lisu such as, “…a tribe of questionable reputation, originating from Yunnan in China. The Conservator of Namdapha National Park, where we are now, has warned us the land encroachment and poachers performed by the Lisus. They have reportedly burned the forest and threatened the lives of forest guards… probably, because they have come illegally from China and Burma.”

I thought those are exact words the Namdapha Authorities say when describing the Lisu people. Interestingly, the researchers interviewed only two Lisu people, not even one from Shidi which is very interesting to me. One day I hope to write an article, “Why only Lisu people are blamed for killing animals and clearing forest while nothing is mentioned about the activities of other communities living around the Namdapha?

Whatever the side comments on Lisu, I treasure this document. There has not been any such documentary I have come across so far. This adventurous team has contributed to the world and to us a documentation that tells our stories by footnote.

For anyone who has further interest may want to visit Aane Mane Foundation website and read stories of this film or if you like to buy it.

Photos of Yobin/Lisu People Taken by Various People

Recently several people put up photographs on different occasions. I have compiled from some of those published ones.

Namdapha Eco-Cultural Festival: This yearly celebration of tribes is also an occasion for taking photos. Sir Ashok Captain(or “Lifurupha”) took in 2011, and a host of other collection available for sale at KeyImagery.com, Clipdealer.com, 123rf.com and visualphotos.com. I have shown some of them below.

Namdapha Eco Cultural Festival (Courtesy: Visual Photos).

Namdapha Eco-Cultural Festival (Courtesy: Agefotostock).

By Ashok Captain (See more of his photos at Flickr.com).

 

Tsapu (Courtesy: keyimagery.com)

 

Nokhu (Courtesy: clipdealer.com).