1962 war and trade losses

Gangtok, Sikkim: It may be only a small step, but it has brought hope to second generation Nathu-la traders.

Sikkimese businessmen have sought Rs 20 crore as compensation from China for losses suffered by them after trading through the 14,400-ft border outpost was stopped in 1962 following the Chinese aggression.

The Chinese have agreed to look into the matter.

Many of these traders had family businesses at Yatung and other areas of the Chinese-occupied Tibet in the 1950s. They had been given 48 hours to wind up their trade, failing which they would have been arrested. About 100 traders from Sikkim and another 100 from Kalimpong fled China at that time. Nathu-la was sealed and remained shut for more than 40 years till it reopened on July 6, 2006.

The issue came up for discussion when the president of the Sikkim Chamber of Commerce, S.K. Sarda, paid a courtesy call on the Chinese delegation led by Bu Jianguo, the minister counsellor and deputy chief of mission of the Chinese embassy in New Delhi. The team was on a recce of Nathu-la last week.

“When I told them about the losses suffered by the Indian traders, the delegation assured me that since they wanted to further the relationship between the two countries, they wanted the ill-will to be resolved once and for all,” said Sarda. He has been asked to submit documentary evidence of his claims so that the Chinese representatives could take it up with Beijing.

“Most of the traders had to leave their stocks behind and come back without even withdrawing a single penny from the Bank of China. The losses could add up to around Rs 20 crore,” the businessman said.

Sarda’s father P.C. Sarda, who owned the famous General Stores in Yatung then, was one of those who had lost his business to the 1962 war.

Motilal Lakhotia, one of the earlier generation traders, recounted having to leave behind his Indo-Tibet Trading Company. “All that I have now are old documents and bank account papers,” said the 84-year-old man.

Source: The Telegraph