VOICE OF HUMANISM FROM PONDICHERRY : SAVE CHINESE POW

38 YEARS AFTER WAR TWO CHINESE PRISONERS WAIT FOR FREEDOM

The Indian Express

[Late city Edition New Delhi 31 July 2000]

 Fifty-nine year old Yung Chialung sits in the portico of the library of Central Institute of Psychiatry, Asia's oldest mental asylum. Memories of a war and forty years of silence are mirrored in his eyes. It has been a long wait, perhaps an endless one for him, a Chinese Prisoner of War (POW) of 1962.

Yung is one of the two Chinese prisoners of 1962 war lodged in the mental asylum, considered hell even by Bihar standards, ignored by Beijing and New Delhi. Almost four decades and several summits and discussions after the war, these two remain prisoners of solitude and negligence.

Clad in a beige colored kurta and sky-blue pyjama, Yung looks straight into your eyes and smiles. Perhaps, he is in the cusp of memory and forgetfulness after tortuous years of isolation. He has not talked a whole sentence to any one in the last 38 years to any one of the hospital staff as he does not know their language.

This former Chinese soldier has been a prisoner within the high walls of the asylum since 1962. Doctors at the institute say that Yung had recovered from a mild attack of schizophrenia in 1963. But  since he is a POW of the Indo-China War, there is no one to take him out of the asylum.

In fact, ever since he was brought to the asylum, on December 14, 1962, the hospital authorities have not received any correspondence from either the Government or Army on the prisoner. His only comfort perhaps is in the fact that he shares a room with a person with whom he can communicate. M.A.Siblong, 62, was imprisoned by the Indian Army during the war and admitted to this asylum on December 8, 1962. At the Kreplin ward of the government run institute, they have spent 38 years talking to each other and no one else. They are no longer ill but don't have anywhere to go.

The hospital authorities do not entertain questions on their official status and refuse to show any documents on them. They however don't mind speaking about the life style of the two unusual inmates. Their room is clean. So are their clothes, bed sheets, mattresses and pillows. A nurse who attends on them said 'Both of then behave gentlemanly and like rice, milk and biscuits" Try talking to them, the answer is just a smile to any question.

"Since they don't understand Hindi or English, we converse with them with symbols and gestures, she added. Samlomg however knows two Hindi words cha(tea) and biskoot. both of them are aging but agile. while Yung walked briefly, Samlong limped. He had slipped and injured his right leg. said the nurse while hospital director D.Ram nodded. The Two prisoners of a forgotten war, who would not have even come to know about the death of Mao and Deng, wait for Beijing's call while Ranchi's nightmarish asylum waits for help from anyone..

Manoj Prasad, a reporter with conscience filed this story from Ranchi. It came as top story in front page of Indian Express in capital. By chance Dravida Peravai General Secretary N.Nandhivarman was in New Delhi. He came back to his hometown Pondicherry and called for an all party meeting to discuss this issue. Ten political parties met at the Dravida peravai party headquarters. They resolved to make an appeal to then President of India Thiru.K.R.Narayanan.

In a letter dated 7.08.2000

PONDICHERRY POLITICAL PARTIES JOINT MEMORANDUM TO PRESIDENT OF INDIA SEEKING THE RELEASE OF TWO CHINESE PRISONERS OF WAR AND DEPORTATION TO THEIR MOTHER LAND

Prisoners of War are not criminals and the motive behind their activity is love for their motherland and as military men obeying the orders of higher ups they have landed themselves into captivity. Unless specific charges exist, just because they are in our net, no civilized country will keep Prisoners of War under detention till they become rotten eggs. Here is a story of two Chinese Prisoners of War about whom the representative of free press into India, namely THE INDIAN EXPRESS dated 31 st July 2000 in its Late City Edition of New Delhi had reported in the top slot of its front page. (Report is enclosed)

We the political parties of Pondicherry hereby jointly appeal to you to intervene in this matter and ensure the release of Mr.Yung Chilang and Mr.M.A.Siblong and return them to their motherland. These two prisoners of war are languishing in the Asia's oldest mental asylum at Ranchi in the newly emerging state of Vanachal. 38 years of confinement had mentally retarded them and there is no justification, reason or necessity to continue to keep them in captivity. They should be set free and sent back to China, we, on behalf of all human right activists in this country, urge you to use your good offices.

C.P.Thirunavukkarasu.M.P { Whip of DMK Parliamentary Party}

N.Nandhivarman General Secretary Dravida Peravai

S.Muthu Ex MLA State President MDMK

P.Sankaran Vice President PMK

V.Balaji MLA State Vice president Tamil maanila Congress

M.Elanko Ex MLA State President Janata Dal (Secular)

J.C.Mancha State President Samata party

Sulai C.Mani State General Secretary Janta Party

A.Maheswaran State Secretary CPI(ML)

M.A.Kuppusamy General Secretary Tamilar Dravidar Kazhagam

[This was reported by Pondicherry based media. News was sent to Xincua news agency of China]

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