Challanges

There are, however, challenges and obstacles in their way - urbanization, getting rich at any cost, de-culturisation, due to proselytizing by foreign funded Christian missionaries, insurgency in neighboring states, inter-community strife, gradual proliferation of drug trafficking and addiction. The infiltration of anti-cultural ideas is creating disharmony in the traditional society. Insurgency, if it starts on a large scale, will disrupt peace as Arunachal is mountainous region with a long international border. This serious challenge of national dimension needs to be met with the support of the whole nation.

Major Threats-

Christianity and Westernization: The Christian Baptist Mission and the Catholic mission, over the years, have been making concerted efforts to introduce alien faith and culture into the traditional society of Arunachal Pradesh. Missionary activities were very marginal, or almost nil, till 1962 in the state. However, these anti-national and divisive forces, in different names and forms, have been working through various agencies in Assam, Aruanchal Pradesh border. Gradually and stealthily, they gained entry into Arunachal Pradesh with the help of the few local Arunachales students who had studied in Christian Missionary schools in Assam and Meghalyas and got converted there.

By 1970, almost 8% of the people along the Assam, Arunahchal Border had got converted to christianity. However, they could not very actively engage in proselytizing Arunachal Pradesh in a big way due to the inner line permit restrictions on entry for outsiders imposed by government. But a sizeable number of simple people of Arunachal had been lured away into Christian fold, in many cases, through material temptations including offer of money and threats. The church has also engaged a number of local people as paid agents to carry on pro-Christian propaganda through various means, fair and foul. The infiltration of such alien idea has created disharmony in the traditional society. For one thing, the pea and order that used to prevail among the Arunachl communities have been disturbed because of conversion of sections of people into the foreign faith. It has resulted in a rift among the local communities and set converted one against the traditional - the converted group adopted an alien culture, looking down upon the traditional values and life in the society.

Secondly, conversion of locals into Christianity through subversive methods has resulted in the people losing their moorings with in the area and morals - drugs and drinks are becoming rampant. These activities are undoubtedly anti-social and , to a large extent, anti-national. The people of Arunachal are greatly concerned with this problem and they have been urging the government to take some stern measures to curb the activities of the Christian missionaries inside Arunachal and to preserve the promotion of their traditional culture and the spiritual faith of the local people.

However, the political climate in the country could not help to protect the people of Arunachal. In fact after the statehood was conferred in 1987, the missionaries were officially permitted to work in Arunachal. Since the, the population of Christianity has risen from 8% to 30 % in 10 year.

Another dimension to the already existing Christian conversion is the large scale influx of Bangladeshi Muslims in to Assam and Meghalaya. This has had its impact on Arunachal also. Bye the cascading effect of infiltration, Bangladeshi Muslims has found their way into Arunachal in recent years as cultivators and household servants. They are given shelter as labours by traders and contractores. These infiltrators in due course get in touch with local tribals and then enter into weblock with local girls and gain permanent stays. Mosques, which were hitherto unkonwn in Arunachal , have already come up in some the district headquaters on the land given by the local tribles. The impact of the dangerous trend can be easily understood.