Disputed Territories between Nepal and India: The Cases of Kalapani, Limpiyadhura and Lipulekh and Susta
Description
Nepal shares border with India in the east, west and south that extends 1,808 km long border as per the article 5 of the Sugauli treaty of March 4, 1816. Nepal also shares 1,414 km. long disputeless border between China and Nepal mainly because of the Himalayas. Though for 200 years since the Sugauli treaty, no border dispute surfaced between Nepal and India, dispute are becoming too frequent from 1962 after Indian transfixed military station at Kalapani after the Sino-India war. Few rivers’ courses extending up to 326 km long, serve as the international border between Nepal and India. Along the Nepal-India border, poor manmade pillars, frequently changing river courses in Susta of Nawalparasi district and Dodhara-Chadani of Kanchanpur district coupled with poor institutional border records have made the border disputes even harder to resolve. Nepal covers a total area of 147,181 sq. km., but in reality, the territory of Nepal is gradually shrinking. Until today, India has encroached Nepal’s 605 sq. km area in over 71 places of 21 districts out of 77 districts of Nepal. Nepal’s government has failed to make firm stands regarding border disputes on several occasions, such as the military transfixed in Kalapani since 1962, where there is barely any presence of Nepal. Many controversial views have been raised regarding the Kalapani’s military transfix by India. One of such claims is the verbal green node from King Mahendra in kind favor for India’s clandestine silence of King Mahendra’s action of dismissing the elected government of B. P. Koirala in 1961 within 1.5 years of its five years term. One of the Nepal’s foreign ministers in 2015 stated that King Mahendra traded this area with India in 3 quintals of gold. As a result, King Mahendra remained silent about Kalapani military installment by India while removing other 17 Indian military check-posts in 1969 that were installed along the Nepal-China border in 1952 as per the Indian PM Nehru’s doctrine. However, none of the blames on King Mahendra has been justified with any institutional records as of today. A review of 1816, 1819, 1827, 1830, 1834, 1835, 1837, 1846, 1856, 1860, 1879, and 1880 maps prepared by the Survey of British India clearly revealed that the Kali River bordering NepalIndia border in the west originates from Limpiadhura (30.4186580 N, 80.5677450 E). This river flows east via Parvati Kunda (30.3550470 N, 80.6568720 E), Kuthi Village (30.3079480 N, 80.7601610 E), Navi Village (30.207760 N, 80.8386340 E), and Gunji Village (30.1793130 N, 80.8589020 E). Kali River joins Tinkar Khola at Chhangru Village (30.1267800 N, 80.8761130 E). This Tinker Khola originates from the Lipulekh Pass (30.2328080 N, 80.9211590 E) and flows west via Kali Temple (30.2224540 N, 80.9106580 E). Kali River with its tributaries meets Mahakali River below Chhangru Village and flows south forming Nepal-India’s western border. As per the Sugauli treaty, Kali and Mahakali rivers make the westernmost border between Nepal and India. The Lipulekh Pass makes the tri-juncture point of Nepal, China and India within the Nepali territory. In 2015, India and China signed a bilateral agreement to establish Lipulekh Pass as the trading entreport between China and India without the permission of Nepal. Despite having clear evidence from the British Raj that both Kali and Mahakali Rivers form the international borders between Nepal and India and Lipulekh being an integral part of Nepal, India has been ignoring these facts. This paper provides a detail account of Nepal-India international border disputes. Though the border issues have been very serious for the integrity of Nepal, there are no options other than following diplomatic courses to resolve these crises.
Disputed Territories between Nepal and India: The Cases of Kalapani, Limpiyadhura and Lipulekh and Susta
Nepal shares border with India in the east, west and south that extends 1,808 km long border as per the article 5 of the Sugauli treaty of March 4, 1816. Nepal also shares 1,414 km. long disputeless border between China and Nepal mainly because of the Himalayas. Though for 200 years since the Sugauli treaty, no border dispute surfaced between Nepal and India, dispute are becoming too frequent from 1962 after Indian transfixed military station at Kalapani after the Sino-India war. Few rivers’ courses extending up to 326 km long, serve as the international border between Nepal and India. Along the Nepal-India border, poor manmade pillars, frequently changing river courses in Susta of Nawalparasi district and Dodhara-Chadani of Kanchanpur district coupled with poor institutional border records have made the border disputes even harder to resolve. Nepal covers a total area of 147,181 sq. km., but in reality, the territory of Nepal is gradually shrinking. Until today, India has encroached Nepal’s 605 sq. km area in over 71 places of 21 districts out of 77 districts of Nepal. Nepal’s government has failed to make firm stands regarding border disputes on several occasions, such as the military transfixed in Kalapani since 1962, where there is barely any presence of Nepal. Many controversial views have been raised regarding the Kalapani’s military transfix by India. One of such claims is the verbal green node from King Mahendra in kind favor for India’s clandestine silence of King Mahendra’s action of dismissing the elected government of B. P. Koirala in 1961 within 1.5 years of its five years term. One of the Nepal’s foreign ministers in 2015 stated that King Mahendra traded this area with India in 3 quintals of gold. As a result, King Mahendra remained silent about Kalapani military installment by India while removing other 17 Indian military check-posts in 1969 that were installed along the Nepal-China border in 1952 as per the Indian PM Nehru’s doctrine. However, none of the blames on King Mahendra has been justified with any institutional records as of today. A review of 1816, 1819, 1827, 1830, 1834, 1835, 1837, 1846, 1856, 1860, 1879, and 1880 maps prepared by the Survey of British India clearly revealed that the Kali River bordering NepalIndia border in the west originates from Limpiadhura (30.4186580 N, 80.5677450 E). This river flows east via Parvati Kunda (30.3550470 N, 80.6568720 E), Kuthi Village (30.3079480 N, 80.7601610 E), Navi Village (30.207760 N, 80.8386340 E), and Gunji Village (30.1793130 N, 80.8589020 E). Kali River joins Tinkar Khola at Chhangru Village (30.1267800 N, 80.8761130 E). This Tinker Khola originates from the Lipulekh Pass (30.2328080 N, 80.9211590 E) and flows west via Kali Temple (30.2224540 N, 80.9106580 E). Kali River with its tributaries meets Mahakali River below Chhangru Village and flows south forming Nepal-India’s western border. As per the Sugauli treaty, Kali and Mahakali rivers make the westernmost border between Nepal and India. The Lipulekh Pass makes the tri-juncture point of Nepal, China and India within the Nepali territory. In 2015, India and China signed a bilateral agreement to establish Lipulekh Pass as the trading entreport between China and India without the permission of Nepal. Despite having clear evidence from the British Raj that both Kali and Mahakali Rivers form the international borders between Nepal and India and Lipulekh being an integral part of Nepal, India has been ignoring these facts. This paper provides a detail account of Nepal-India international border disputes. Though the border issues have been very serious for the integrity of Nepal, there are no options other than following diplomatic courses to resolve these crises.