Great Game East

A unique novel tackles the global, political and social importance of a beleaguered country

BY \ ~ l / CHITRA SUDARSHAN

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In the old colonial days, the 'Great Game' was a reference to the rivalry between Russia and the Britis h co lonialists in India, over Afghanistan

Later, the 'New Great Game' was the moniker given co the conflict between the \Xie.stern powers and Russia and China over Central Asia's o il and natural resources. Across tl1e Himalayas, in the east, another great game has been on for some rime now between the two A~ian giams - India and China. The fight began over Tibet and now includes Northeast India, Myanmar, Bangladesh and the lndian Oceanone that will significantly impact the course of global politics, according co Bertil Llnmer, and be calls it the 'Great Game East'. Lintner has even devoted o ne chapter to lndoBangladesh relations in his b ook.

Strategically located at the crossroads of tl1e Indian subcontinent, China and Southeast Asia, tbe nordi-eastern states of lndia and the continuing armed sa:ife in that sector ho ld me key to unde rstanding the crue complexity of die hostilities and political ambitions that Asia's two giants harbour. In the Great Game East: India. Cbi11a and the Stmgg/efo r Asir1 s Most Vol,,tile Frontier. (Harper Collins, India) Berti) Linmer

- acknowledged as one of the foremost expercs o n insurgencies in the region - unpacks the layers and layers o f complex political intrigues a nd spy networks di at define the Grear Game East, and looks at the geopolitics of that region. The defining rivalry is the India -China one, which saw a border war i n l 962, and an uneasy peace since. Spies and agents from bodi c ountries have been stirring up trouble.in tbe \70)acile frontier areas all these years. Besides, intelligence agencies of various other countries (the United States and Pakistan, among them) have also been keeping a sharp eye on the develop ments in d1e region. Lintner believes chat at the core. of China's covert interference in the region is the Indian Ocean which the country wants to penetrate for sa·ategic gains, wid1out India's interfere.nee.

China's role in north-eastern

Bercil Lintner

lndia is not to create, but ' maintain instability' because it wants to keep India out o f Myanmar, says Bertil Linmer. The intricate net of intrigues has kept tl1e game going, d1e writer says.

"ln 1950, China invaded Tibet after which the Ameticans began to support the cause of an independent Tibet. In 1959, the Dalai Lama Bed co India and China was angry. In a few years, China attacked Inclia resulting in the border war of 1962 and by the mid1960s, China decided to support d1e rebel movement in the nord1east. Pakistan was also i nterested Difficult games are being played in the region," says Llntner.

Myanmar wim its ed1nic groups along the border was in die crosshairs. Lintner says, '1t is difficult for Myanmar ro lessen i rs dependence on China; d1ey can't do it. China will always be there

As for Myanmar's ethnic con flicts, they will always b e there. These conflicts ha\7 e existed for hundreds of years - star ring with Myanmar's ancient warrior kings waging their wars against the non-Myanrnarese nationalities and continuing to dli s day - and are not likely to go away any tinie soon".

Lintne r, who is recognised as an e.,-..:perr o n :Myanmarese issues as well as on South Asia, was one of tbe first outsiders to reach i'v[yanmar's isolated northern-he.Id rebel areas; and reach China from India's nordieast after a 2,275- km

''China's rol e in north-eastern In dia is not to create, but 'maintain instability' because it wants to keep India out of Myanmar, says ' ' Berti/ Lintner overland trek in 1985. Lintner has been the FEER correspondent for Southeast Asia for 20 year s, and has written several books on :Myanmar, die Go lden Triangle, South East Asia, Ch.in.a and Korea. Thi s book needed co be written - as few com prehend or appreciate the myriad of co mplexities or the significance of that region better d1an Lintner. The book has an entire chapter on die relation sbi p between Assam and Banglades h , and it will surprise the reader: tbe massive migration from Bangladesh and tbe conflicting separatist movements and the struggle for land. This is a mustread for anyone who wishes to gain an understanding of d1e political fun1te of a continent, or tbe world.

Travel Between December & March

Delhi AUD 1181

Mumbai AUD 1079

Bangalore AUD 1084

Kathmandu

Chennai AUD 1067

Dhaka AUD I 133

Colombo AUD 1 I 07

AUD 1194

Delhi AUD 1115

Mumbai AUD 1060

Bangalore AUD 1065

Delh i AUD 1127

Mumbai AUD 1071

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Chennai AUD 11 58

Dhaka AUD 1058

Colombo AUD 1178

Chennai Dhaka AUD 1138 AUD 1156

Colombo AUD 1091

Opinion

Spare more than a thought

Christmas is the season of g iving, so let's be generous in word and deed to those less fortunate than us care and sol ace from the many philancropic organisations in the USA. They were set 1p by s u per-rich p e ople like Ford , Ca rn egie, Bill an d Melinda Gates, a nd B uffet. P residen t O b itma i n h is v ic tory speech , rightly tol d a cheering a udience, "Wlc believe in a genero , ,s America, in a c ompassio n ate America "

Chrism1as is a u nive rsal festival in a country li ke Australia Sch ools and wo r kp laces have their own Xmas parties. Children, no matter of what religious d enomination, expect to receive presents a t C hrisrmas-time and tO s h ow those gifts to th eir friends Shopping centres play C h ristmas songs an d are well-decorated at Yu letide and thus, one cannot escape a permeation of cbe Xmas spirit in the atmosph ere.

At a time of s uch festivities, we n eed to pon d e r on those families which h ave been d ealt a sud den shoc k, such as b y H urricane Sand y when n umerous people were affe c te d Some h ave h a d partial ltJsses such as the

Li kewise, talented young Americans w h o arc hit by the b urdens of recess ion can exp ect, in a non-d isc.rim inarory atmosph e re, to be helped a long. Obama continued his speech , " in a tolerant America open to the dreams o f an im migrant's da ughter w h o studies in o ur sch ools an d p le d ges ro our flag, to the young boy o n the so u th side of Chicago w h o secs a li fe b eyond the ne ares t street corn e r, to the furniture worker's child in Nortl1 Carolina who wants

''It would be hoped that the super - rich in Australia would set up ph i lanthropic foundations as the super-rich Americans have done ' ' seen incredi ble des tr uction by th e force of waves and by fire, such as a long th e w a terfrom in Man ha ttan. loss of c hi ldre n's coys, w h ilst tJth crs v ir tually lost everything. Severa.I neig h bo urh oods have

I Ierc i n A us trali a, we have been spared such devastation . I Ioweve r, there have been other shocks In recent weeks and month s, n ume rous work e rs, s uc h as in manufacturing in d ustries, have s ud d enly bee n mad e re d u nd a nt; their families cann ot celebrate as th ey would normally d o E arly November saw the loss of 400 m an ufacturing jobs i n V ictoria alo n e.

The Australian l\fanufact uring Wo rker s Union (AMWU) mlldc a cas h donation to h elp sup port the h omeless wi tl1 eme rgency a ccommodatio n Some of tl1ese eou ld actually be memb ers tJf the u n ion who n ow face hard ship. to b ecome a doc tor o r a scien ti st, a n engineer or an e n trepre neur, a diplomat or even a president " Ob a ma 's po ignant words apply to all countries, par ticularly tl1ose which a re doing well like A ,,stralia and w hic h take: p r ide i n being co n sid ered as d emocratic. They app ly to I n d ia as well, a nd they en capsulate the teac hi ngs of Maham,a Gand h i.

I n dian r eaders can take time-hono m e d concep tS of Indian philosop h y to d raw a roadmap (mnrga) for tl1e fut ure. Tha t is why CJu jscmas and New Year is considered as a good time fo r ma ki ng resolutions.

Those who are we ll -off can reach o , ,t to tl1osc w h o a rc sufferi n g (dukha) and give th em solace (da11) w hich m ay o r may not be material help; there is n o s u bstitute fo r sym path y which is si ncerely given T h e term dan is akin to the French donne r and English donation Giving can be material or emotional.

Those wh o are d oin g well

Those who are welloff can reach out to those who are suffering ( dukha) and give them solace s h ould refrai n from the greed (tnh11a) of co n stan tl y acq ui1·ing mor e. They m ay a lso do T he m uc h - loved D arrell L ea confectione rs arc expecte d to close stores and reduce prod uctio n while cu tti n g some 160 jobs. There are th ousan ds of jo bs be ing lost well by refraining to Aaun t their wcaltlJ o r ind ulgi n g themsel ves excessively in the pursuit of sens ual p leasures (k.oma /1111/Ja), w hil st those around them s uffer for want (dan) '' in the motor ca r ind ustry, i.n pharmaceutica ls a nd in Q antas

The pain s u ffere d b y wo rkers an d thcir families gets exacerba te d when com p any managem e nt gets rewarde d w ith high e r pa ys and bonuses, d esp ite t heir workers getting retrench ed.

It is s itua tions li ke tl1esc that p u t heavier pressure on charitable o rg a nisations like th e S alvation Army. I t wou.ld be h oped that the supe r-rich i n Australia would se t up philantl1ropic fo , mdatio n s as the sup e r- ric h Americans have d one.

I lowcver, th e stare of Vi ctoria has bee n said to h ave quietly gained some 13 ,000 m anufaem.ring jobs i n the private sect or (Ian Po r te r, Fai1·fa.x Medi a) One would wish s nch enterprises every s uccess

Those who arc suffe ri ng th e aftc rmatl1 of I [ urri ca n c San d y can exp ect to receive some of tl1c mere b a si c s.

Those who moan tha t the Indian community in A ustralia h as numero us associations based on d iffe rcm languages and religions s h o u ld cons id er that at times Li.k c Christmas they m ight actuall )' be a s trength, because th e y may be the bes t plac ed to provide companionsh ip and solace to those mem bers of their comm un i ties w h o feel distressed an d lonely.

L et me cl ose witl1 tl1e following li nes from R abi nd ranath Tagor e's celeb rated Geetmyali: 117/Jn·c the 111it1d i1 J11itho11t.fear and thr bead is held h(gh; IV/Jere k,110111/edge is ji'e.e;

IP-here the world bas 110! bee11 hrokm 1tp t//!o.frag111ml.r ~'J' 11a1r01v rkit11estic 111al/J; 11110 that hea11e-11 efJreedot11 , ll!J Father, let 11!)' co11nhy al/lake (Geetmyali, B engali 1910, Engli sh 1 920) w ww. in d ia n li nk.co m.au ij