Lisu Society Leadership at Crossroads

It’s been a couple of years now that I have been sensing a serious leadership crisis in our community but I did not have firsthand experience yet. Since I returned to Miao, I have been observing about it. I learned that at the community level, we don’t have “willing” key leadership to represent our case/ambitions/crisis. I will share two incidents to mention what I mean.

TWO CASES

First: I heard from reliable source that at the Shapawng Yawng Manau Poi, the Indian Singpho community festival, held on 12 – 14 February 2014, displayed several of our Lisu traditional handicrafts as their own. The chey (cross-bow with quiver), hajo (basket), and nokho (small carrying basket) were asserted as theirs own during the fashion show and in other display areas.

In a separate incident, a friend taught some persons from their tribe to teach them the basket making. While in the middle of the progress, they said this is our traditional handicraft. That friend felt bad and stopped teaching.

But my point is when I reported this to two top leadership persons, they were not willing to take responsibility to raise objections.

Second: The MV road construction has been going on and all of us were silent spectators. When tenders were given we did nothing. After the tenders were allocated, there were conflicts between the contractors and the local people, they made our people get involve in their fight.

In this process, there is high probability that this road will not complete well but we are not ready to raise our voice. I encouraged several of our leaders to make public rallies, write to authorities, block constructions to request that this road project be given to the BRO and like companies. But nothing happen!

CLOSING NOTE

I look forward for a change of this crisis situation or the rise of new leadership, a leadership that is less interested in politics and more on the development of our community to its highest potential.

For the current leadership, I will not expect much. I will be just happy to share ideas and knowledge. I will not expect “action” from their side nor responsibilities because they have become masters of running away from responsibilities.

Letter to AP Times on MV Road

This letter was sent to the Editor of Arunachal Times on 9 Feb 2014 but it was not published (Liahey).

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Dear Editor,

Its been almost a year since the foundation stone for Miao – Vijoynagar Road (MV Road) was laid at Miao by the Union Rural Minister, Jairam Ramesh, but nothing have happen on the ground – no construction, although the fund had been allocated under PMGSY scheme. So the 5,000 people of Vijoynagar Circle still walk on foot every day without much hope for future.

As I arrived at Miao I inquired people around as to why the construction has not begun. I learned the basic people – competition between contractors. One contractor is not allowing the other to initiate the work. Our people had been too quite, silent. The politicians and those in power have not looked at the plight of the people without road, rather have aimed for making a profit out of this road.

I appealed our local MLA, Kamlung Mossang, and the Chief Minister to kindly intervene on this deadlock. Let not the work be given to any contractor. Rather give to BRO or GREF to construct because clearly we know contractors will not deliver but the companies will because they have equipment and reputation to complete.

Liahey

Constructors of the MV Road

At least three departments have worked on the Miao – Vijoynagar Road (MV Road): The CPWD, PWD and RWD.

The CPWD (Central Public Works Department) made their entry in the 1970s and completed a kacha version in 1976. Hundreds of our people were also employed as manual workers; hundreds of others from other parts of Arunachal, Assam and Bihar came and worked. Stones were not laid, bridges were only wood materials. The road after a year went out of use. Only the then Governor General KAA Raja came to Vijoynagar on jeeps along with his fleet of eight. Since then no other vehicles ever rode on it again. No further maintenance were done.

Later when Arunachal Pradesh gained statehood, the Public Works Department (PWD) took up the responsibility. No major repairs were done; never comprehensive repairs. Perhaps their biggest contribution on the MV Road was the iron bridge over the Burman nala and on the 27th Mile. Other than that I don’t know of their concrete and last work they have done. They did some road clearing, minor repairs.

In between in 2011 a Tinsukia-based contractor worked and the December of 2011 and Jan 2012, several vehicles passed through our road. But as in the 1970 case, no concrete flooring was done. Hence, it is out of use again after that till now.

Now in 2014, the Rural Works Department (RWD) has taken up the road. Tenders are now allotted to five different contractors, each allotted to a phase. Each phase is to be completed first, starting from Miao, then the next phase.

An Itanagar contractor, people called him Nyishi got for the Miao to 6th Mile phase. He just started doing the work last week. But today I heard he was chased away by the local people. I don’t know the reason. But the local people, after doing that,have sought the Yobin’s opinion about their action. It is very strange that only after the incident they are trying to involve us. Where were they went the plans for tender/contracts were discussed?

My impression is that this Phase 1 incident is just a preview of the things to come.

What do we do? Are we supposed to be silent spectators when it meant life line to us?

MV Road as of March 2014

There has a long silence on MV Road since the foundation stone was laid at Miao in August 2013. No updates from official sources – the Public Works Department – as to how the project is in progress.

I arrived at Miao in January this year. On the ground, nothing has begun. But I heard the planning for its construction and contest for tender (contract) is going on.

The road is planned to construct in five phases:

· Phase 1: Miao to M’pen (6th Mile)

· Phase 2: M’pen to Deban (17th Mile)

· Phase 3: Deban to Burma Nala (40th Mile)

· Phase 4: Burma Nala to 80th Mile

· Phase 5: 80th Mile to Vijoynagar

Each of these phases is given as contract to different contractors. But none of the Lisu people have got any part in it. Neither is there any say from the Lisu or the Settler community in this construction. The decision has been unilaterally taken by the PWD and public leaders outside of Vijoynagar. The actual people who will be directly affected by the road are left out of the picture.

Last week when I visited M’pen, the initial gather of stones for the construction started. I saw some JCB machines at work and few workers clearing the road. For Phase 3, I heard there are controversies for because the other contestant for the tender learned that it was given to a non-Arunachal person. No news yet whether that is clear now.

I am very skeptical about the whole practice of giving to private contractors. The people who have obtained this contract are the same people who have control over other projects in Miao and around. They are not known bringing good result.

I wish this is given to companies like the BRO, GREF that have the reputation and expertise to complete this kind of project.

Some of our people were quite excited when they were told of the process involved for PMGSY project that there are third party must approve whether the road is upto the standard. May I point out several of the PMGSY road between Miao and Kharsang? They are hardly motorable.

Now the tender/contracts have been assigned. There is hardly anything we can do; we had been too silent. But I think our people must be prepared to raise “proper” voice if construction is not done well.