「国境」からみた中国内モンゴル自治区エゼネ旗の60 年

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to rethink the meanings of the boundary for local people who have been at the mercy of international relationships, using a case study of Ejina banner, Inner Mongolia, China. Ejene banner is located in the western-most area of Inner Mongolia, and it has the longest boundary with Mongolia. During the year water from snow and rain in the Qilian mountains flows into Ejene banner, forming an oasis in the vast gobi. Ejene oasis has been an important point for transportation and military purposes. There are many Khalkh Mongols in Ejene because they fled from oppression in Mongolia during the 1930s, after revolution. The geographical boundary is meant to guarantee their existence. In 1936, the spy unit (tewu) of the Kwantung Army established an office in Ejene and constructed an airfield. However, in 1937 members of the spy unit were arrested and executed by the Chinese nationalist government. Consequently, it can be said that the influence of the Chinese nationalist government in Ejene banner grew stronger. After the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949, Ejene remained very important for the military, and in 1958 the Chinese government established a military base in Ejene banner. For that purpose 197 families and one Tibetan Buddhism temple were forced to migrate from the hometown. In the 1960s, as a result of the Sino-Soviet dispute the boundary was completely blocked and many soldiers were stationed in Ejene banner. During the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976), many Mongolians who originated from Khalkh were persecuted on a charge of being Mongolian spies and so on. Ironically, the meaning of the boundary changed from securing their existence to the cause of resisting persecution, and it has become a political symbol. When the boundary started to open after the Sino-Soviet détente, it became the window to trade. A number of people came from Mongolia. They sold their livestock and livestock products, and bought various goods. Now, because there are mines, to the north of Ejene, in Mongolia, Ejene is the gateway for the import of mineral resources. The railroad is used for the transportation of coals from Ejene to the big cities. Coal mining has also brought many workers to Ejene. Ejene banner is developing remarkably. On the other hand, under environmental policy to prevent further desertification, Mongolian pastoralists are forced to migrate and change their community and own cultures. This history and present situation show that local people who live near the boundary are always at the mercy of military, political, economic and international relationship realities.