The whole state, along with the family of Miram Taron breathed a sigh of relief on Monday as he returned to his village in Tuting in Upper Siang district. Miram had been abducted by China’s PLA on 18 January from Lungta Jor area in Upper Siang district when he was on a hunting trip with his friend Johny Yaying, who managed to escape from the scene and report the matter to the authorities. He was handed over to the Indian Army by the PLA on 27 January at Kibithu. Even though he has returned safely, it raises a serious question over the repeated incidents of abduction of Arunachalee citizens by the PLA in the LAC area.
The LAC no longer seems safe for the indigenous tribal communities. Since time immemorial, people have hunted in these jungles and have lived in these areas. Before the international boundary had been drawn, the tribesmen and women used to have trade relations with Tibet. There used to be a barter system between the people living along the LAC. The repeated act of intrusion inside Indian territory in Arunachal Pradesh has created a fear psychosis among the people living near the McMahon Line. It is time the government of India and the state government took initiative to bring back confidence among the people. The road and telecommunication infrastructure should be upgraded. The security measure should also be beefed up along the LAC. If people living near the LAC are not safe, then it will be a serious security threat for the entire country.