www.diepresse.com --29.12.2005 - Politics / international

India: Barrier against the terror

BY CHRISTIAN ZWITTNIG

At present India at the border builds to Bangladesh at a 4000 kilometers long protective wall against Muslim terrorists.

While the public directed its attention toward the wall in the West Jordan territory, India, nearly unnoticed, began with the building of its own, much longer protective wall.

Four meters highly, with floodlight lit and in parts under river set, the stacheldrahtzaun will draw itself by five Indian Federal States. At present somewhat more than half of the border attachment is posed. But India advances that 870 million euro project ever faster.

Already in the spring 2006 the wall is to stand. Then the barrier at 4000 kilometers than the Chinese wall will be only about 1000 kilometers shorter. And also the troops at the border are supplemented: Of 45.000 to 53.000.

Terror as reason

As principal reason for the building India indicates the fear of Muslim terror from Bangladesh. Extremists have there recently try a God state to establish and committed a series of assassination attempts. The government in Bangladesh denies that Muslim fundamentalists commits notices in India. But also in India gave it repeats collisions between Muslims and the hinduistischen majority.

A side effect of the border barrier welcome for India is the decrease of the illegal immigrants. If there was one decade ago still 65,000 humans, then there now only more is 10,000 annual. According to estimations live at present however already approximately 20 million fearing for load ski illegaly in India.

Bangladesh and 30 times the larger India divide the longest border into south Asia. And although India had supported the independence fight former west Pakistan, the relations between the two states worsened in the last years clearly.

100,000 humans in the no man's land

Refusal the border barrier encounters with the Indian living in the no man's land. After old agreements none of the two countries defense mechanisms may establish 30 years within the border strip, in which training, temples and mosques and whole villages lie.

The there living Indian would be after the completion on the wrong side of the fence and thus without Indian military or police protection. They are afraid therefore in the future increase encroachments by fearing for load ski.