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11/5/1946 - The Tribal Area’s Underlying Problem; the “Pathan” Race by Richard Morse

No FOR American Embassy New Delhi India written Amritsar November I4 Dear Mr Rogers The reason I delayed reporting visit Frontier Phil Talbot I trying various factors which contributed complexity aituation Nehru visit R Apparently within months tribal become arena India political struggle tensions India politics almost dominate local scene Nehru stated purpose making visit investigate extra Indian problem With establishing policy Instead unfortunately nature political partly because purpose clear tribespe0ple themselves partly because opposition encouraged 1uslim League In short mission could postponed until settled atmosphere prevailed center which Muslim L eague might supported participated results would satisfactory But statement merely platitude Congress uslim League still failed reach agreement principle fundamental cooperation I I capable detecting evaluating conflicting political activities parties Frontier I shall instead describe underlying problem tribal would faced united central government India That problem itself serious political struggle abandoned Rising sharply bleakly along entire northwest plain Indus River rocky mountain ranges river passes Swat Kabul Khyber Kurrum Tochi Gomal which Kindu Kush Afghan plateau through plains Indus Before advent attack these mountai barriers passes strategic threats India Today their military significance Economically square miles inviting Cultivation grains successful along rivers their branches where level gated endangered irregularity rainfall Which sometimes provides torrential spates bridges crops topsoil other times leaves reservoirs canals empty months Experts found mineral resources A large export product lumber slopes being timbered quota established British forests completely stripped Potatoes mazri dwarf Palm migratory sheep herds remaining sources income whole support inhabitant These tribespeoples themselves Pathan Racially people their neighboring Pathans Afghanistan legally separated artificial Afghanistan boundary established Like these Afghans their ancestors early converts Islam speak Pushto language Except north tribal where three strong tribal monarchies preserve stable relatively peaceful order Pathans earned reputation dominated blood inter tribal conflict which precarious affair necessitate armed vigil which everybody drove their mountains They sturdy proud meeting outsider handshake owning domination By nature hospitable proved enormous provided headman necessity suspicious strsn jealous their sovereigmt Within tribes themselves outsiders isolated Hindu shopkeepers village generations considered almost slaves tribe tribal valued women monetary worth Pathan menfolk Little wonder Pathans contemptuously opposed slightest threat Hindu Raj During forty years British established relations these Pathans through alternate periods involving bloody campaigns subdue rebels peace instituted treaties tribes Such treaties lally erved independence tribes They recognized maliks headmen leaders spokesmen They permitted tribesmen control their internal affairs called interference existing tribal justice which rather crude appar ently effective Therefore tribes consider themselves parties inter national treaty We independent Americans supposed But treaties allowed British extend their salients further mountains erect military installations build costly roads which demanded great engineering skill labor The understanding attained pleasant tribesmen money their agree monte peace labor tribesmen recruited guards items contracts awarded maliks The result present state equilibrium The British military salients effectively domimate entire region money tribes large tigtly administrative staff British Political Agents their native subordinates maintain relations tribespeople through their maliks It admitted cases these British officials earned respect affection maliks tribespeople Occasionally British settle tribal dispute which cannot agree regard British guardians supporters tribe Many their heavy labor their loyal service guards escorts fully earned money cases confidence ofthe British But among people little accomplished educating civilized living suspects str6nger maliks greater gainers tribespeople themselves Furthermore tribes really depended friends minority Actually despite assertions tribesmen independent ultimately controlled policy which expressed Pathan proverb Carry stick gu__r sweets other During drives throughWaziristan certainly stick operation I never armed might during peacetime We drove behind Nehru ringthe Road Op Day established eighty Razmak Miran Shah Tanks sniper lorries armed escorded convoy Riflemen mortar crews fixed trenches along small blockhouses manned watchful pickets dominated scene every hilltop brown forts dusty alley floors And special protection merely NehrU twice these troops called safeguard convoys winding roads forvrd units To establishment seemed totally proportion number raids kidnappings reported Political Agents prejudice against military means probably judgment suspect In troops bases maintained punitive raids which occasionally necessary tribes their place It understand After seeing barren hillsides accept estimate British official third economic support tribes British subsi which served basis tribal population increases cannot sustained unless fundamental economic development replaces present unproductive money revenues British India deficit region But resulting human situation serious One would hardly expect policy based alternatives force money could serve stimulus improved morality these rather primitive extremely clever peoples On contrary encouraged policy adopt subtle tactics extorting consider tribute British threats raids hostility which withheld receipt funds A degeneration ethics result rather increase civilized methods standards should The independence these recalcitrant tribes ismerely anarchical right lawless untamed Upon departure British India Indian Government faced tribes openly hostile unruly others relatively peaceful fearfully jealous consider their political independence absolutely dependent continued economic support outside though cDnsciously realized What policy Were hostiles would possible military force through exceptional patience persuade friendlyltribes accept education development economic resources Even program would limited paucity present resources would necessitate large immediate expenditures might produce results program reforestation construction started The economic feasibility scheme apparently explored But hostiles still barrier peaceful progress Actually problem hostiles tribal areas serious problem among Pathan settled Frontier Province British India which adjoins tribal territory There blood abduction seduction women raids property continue The murder among population equal Chicago three regular police additional wartime police patrol country roads streets In fields roads individuals armed protection their fellow Pathans The cities spacious British cantonments surrounded barbed barrier night leaves protection venture forth dangerous roads Law other words successful order established Perhaps statistics situation blacker really But basic capaign against crime essential Frontier elsewhere India Such movement which captures imagination actually started twenty years Abdul Ghaffar Khan Frontier Gandhi formed Ghudai Khidmatgars Red Shirts emissaries goodwill religious missionary RM No Page Four crusade propagandizing harmonious civilized living people Abdul Ghaffar still preaches method himself became politician teacher This weakened crippled force crusade happens crusades become dominated political tactics individual rivalries between former crusaders their political opponents Nevertheless Lhudai Khidmatgars still impressive society I attended their rally Nehru Peshawar Neatly attired their forms posted every fifty yards along sixteen miles their headquarters formed colorful escort Nehru party Unarmed sturdy manly armed Pathans patrols mingled among along seemed hopeful symbol humanity themselves Pathan feuders converted theory least violence It moral resuscitation India world badly moment I hopeful about arrival unless leaders forget their conflicts start concentrating fundamental principles Well I sermonizing investigation Yours sincerely