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03/27/2006: "The Remote Area Permit (Rap) and deportation a first hand experience"

The Remote Area Permit (Rap) and deportation.
The above extract was a direct result of my recent trip to Nagaland. It was published the day after I was deported.

I am an Englishman who had the good fortune to marry a Naga. We had our first child last year and decided that it was now time for our son to meet his Naga kin. My wife and son travelled to the NE in February and I was to meet up with them in April, when after a short period we would return to the UK together. However, in March my son was taken ill and as a result was admitted to hospital. Therefore I made the decision to travel to the NE asap so as to assist my wife and bring them both home early. Unfortunately I did not have my Restricted Area Permit (now called a Protected Area Permit apparently, but protected from what?). The application for the RAP that covered my April visit was currently in Delhi awaiting approval.
I arrived in Calcutta and checked into the Nagaland House hotel. I wanted to explain my situation to the Assistant Resident Commissioner who was based there. Unfortunately I was told that in order to get a RAP I would have to apply to Delhi. I tried the British High Commission and was given the same answer. The fact that a RAP application takes at least a month meant that this was not an option. I explained the situation to my wife who was still in the NE and after several options were explored I was advised to fly into Dimapur, where I would be escorted to the Assam border by the police. At the time this seemed like a good idea opposed to flying into Assam and then making my way (on my own) to the state border.
On my arrival in Dimapur I was met by my sister-in-law and taken to the police station by the airport staff (who I assume were immigration representatives of some sort). I was then told I was being officially deported to Assam. I was taken by armed guard (6 in total) to the Deputy Commissioners office for yet more red tape and was eventually taken to the Assam/Nagaland checkpost. I was met by my wife and other family members and taken to a house in Assam where I was given refuge. My wife and son stayed with me for 1 night but as my son was still not 100% I advised my wife to go back to Nagaland and check into a hotel and keep the boy safe. I intended to meet her a week later when they were both well rested and we could start our journey back to the UK. It was not the ideal solution but under the circumstances it seemed the best thing to do. The following night my wife came for me. She had made a few arrangements and the next thing I knew I was sitting in a hotel in Nagaland with my wife, son and some other family members. For the next 5 days I was literally under a self imposed room arrest. The hotel staff had no idea I was there. When it came time to leave we were driven from the hotel to Jorhat airport in Assam where we flew to Calcutta and after a couple of days we were back in London.
In retrospect I should have never flown into Dimapur. My brother-in-law, who spoke to the police before my arrival was unaware that I would be officially deported. The Superintendent of Police, Bidhu Shekhar, who released the above statement will no doubt get a pat on the back for his 'sterling' work.
So what does the future hold? Will I be allowed to return to India, let alone the NE? How would I attend an emergency if the need arose again. Can I never attend a family funeral? I think the process for the RAP/PAP application needs to be revised. There should be a fast track application for such emergencies, maybe not related to tourists but at the very least people who have relatives in the region. If the existing process is not updated then it will only result in other people 'bypassing' the current laws, which in turn will no doubt result in more problems.
Just so you know my son is now 100% fit and looking forward to his 1 year birthday in a couple of weeks time.

Regards.
David Lock
Obtaining restricted area permits Nagaland Post
DIMAPUR: The Dimapur police today issued a handout on the necessity of foreigners visiting the state to obtain Restricted Area Permits (RAP).
The handout issued by the SP office, Dimapur said the confusions following local people inviting foreigners to Nagaland without the knowledge that a foreign Passport Holder requires an RAP to visit the state had necessitated the issuance of the detailed instructions for obtaining the permit.
To avoid such confusions and embarrassments in the future, Dimapur police has advised all concerned citizens desirous of inviting foreigners to the state to first obtain their RAPs from the competent authorities before actually asking them to come to the state.
The handout said foreigners traveling in a group of four or more, or who are married couples, should obtain their RAPs from the Home Commissioner, Nagaland or the Resident Commissioner, Nagaland House, 29, Aurangzeb Road, New Delhi. The RAP so obtained will be valid only when all persons mentioned in the permit are traveling together or otherwise specifically mentioned.
If the number of foreigners is three or less and there are no married couples, then RAP should be obtained from the Ministry of Home Affairs (Foreigners' Division), Government of India, New Delhi, all Indian Missions abroad, and the FRRO Delhi, Calcutta and Mumbai. Also, the RAP application should be submitted about four to six weeks in advance as the Government of India conducts certain verifications which take time, the police handout said.
RAPs are valid only for the specific tourist circuit route and definite exit points. They should visit no area other than the ones indicated and not stay in the restricted/protected areas after the expiry of the permit. Also, RAP holders were requested to keep sufficient number of permit photocopies with them which may be required for depositing at each point of entry/exit.
Travel Agencies/Tour Operators should ensure that tourist groups sponsored by them are in possession of valid restricted/protected area permits and that they do not visit places other than the permitted ones or stay there after the expiry of the valid period.
Owners of Quest Houses/Hotels should also ensure that only foreigners with valid restricted/protected area permits stay with them.
It is mandatory for the Guest Houses/Hotels or individuals, if any foreigners stay with them, to inform the police about their arrival/departure within 24 hours failing which action would be initiated against them under the Foreigners' Act, 1946.
A foreign tourist group on entry to Nagaland should also ensure that they are accompanied by a Liason Officer/Tourist Guide approved by the state's Tourism Department and Travel Agents/Tour Operators/Individuals etc, arranging for the travel of foreign tourists should contact the same.
The police handout also informed that PIO (Persons of Indian Origin) cards were not valid for Protected/Restricted areas and hence, such card holders should also obtain the RAP if they desired to visit Nagaland.
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