Chapters (53)
- Cover
- Title page
- Prologue
- Part One
- One
- Two
- Three
- Four
- Five
- Six
- Seven
- Eight
- Nine
- Ten
- Part Two
- One
- Two
- Three
- Four
- Five
- Six
- Seven
- Eight
- Nine
- Ten
- Eleven
- Twelve
- Thirteen
- Fourteen
- Fifteen
- Sixteen
- Seventeen
- Eighteen
- Nineteen
- Twenty
- Twenty-one
- Twenty-two
- Twenty-three
- Twenty-four
- Part Three
- One
- Two
- Three
- Four
- Five
- Six
- Seven
- Eight
- Nine
- Ten
- Eleven
- Twelve
- Author’s Note and Acknowledgements
At that time, all the posts in the western sector of the India-China border were being overrun by the Chinese army.
Thirteen
Thirteen
About 200 women and children – families of men belonging to the Assam Rifles – made a long and arduous trek back to safety from the forward areas in NEFA, according to UNI’s special correspondent with the Indian forces in NEFA.
They began moving back when the posts in the forward areas came under massive assault by the Chinese. Assam rifles personnel are allowed to have their families even in these areas.
In small batches, these women and children walked about seventy-five miles from Lumpu to Jang via Tawang. Some of the women carried their babies on their backs. They could bring very few of their belongings with them and had to go practically without food on their hazardous trek to safety. They are now lodged at a camp near Misamari, about sixteen miles from Tezpur.
They are being given rations as well as financial and medical assistance.
In the jungle, some of the children were separated from their mothers but most of them were reunited in the camp.
‘People will get angrier now,’ Yiu Yi’s father commented with a sigh.
Nobody reacted. The silent room became heavy with the sighs of sadness and frustration.
Everything was quiet in Mok Min’s shop nowadays. The sound of the Mahjong dice had been silenced. Only the elders sat quietly, looking worried and despondent. A few Chinese people came to listen to the newspapers read by someone and to find out what was happening.
Today, like other days, people had come to listen to the newspapers being read out. Mok Min was also there. He looked gloomy. Chow Chi Yong began to read again.
‘The answer to the three-point proposal of ceasefire sent by Chow En Lai to Nehru on the fourth of November was handed over to China’s Charge d’Affaires in Delhi after ten days, where it is said that the McMahon Line cannot be the issue of deliberation. All the Latin American countries have responded favourably to India’s appeal for support in the Sino-Indian war. Offering aid to India, some of these countries have condemned China’s actions. Argentina has even offered to send volunteers. Brazil is the lone country whose stand is not clear. Brazil has expressed hope of a peaceful settlement. Cuba has not expressed her stand either. The response of the Eastern European countries is positive. Except Yugoslavia and Albania, the others have reflected the Soviet standpoint. They have not promised anything except hope of an early solution to this problem through discussion.’
‘What is the use of reading all this?’ Ho Wang said irritably. ‘Read what is written about us.’
Leafing through the pages, Yiu Yi’s father said, ‘Yesterday there was a long discussion about our issues in the Parliament. Lal Bahadur Shastri –’
‘Who is Lal Bahadur Shastri?’ Ho Wang asked.