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the-south-asian.com February 2003 |
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FEBRUARY 2003 Contents Music Cello in
Indian
In News South Asian voice at Siblings - achievers
Serialisation
of 'Knock at every alien Events Cricket World Cup Lehngas - a limited collection Books
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Page 1 of 4
JARAWA of ANDAMAN ISLANDS - The Supreme Court of India protects their rights to their land and forests
The Government of India had initially set aside an area for the Jarawa but the size of this reserve gradually reduced as more of their land came under construction for roads and settling migrants from the mainland – forcing the Jarawa deeper into the forest – into smaller areas. Survival - a worldwide organisation supporting tribal peoples - focused on trying to get the road through Jarawa land closed and the settlers removed. In May 2002, the Indian Supreme Court in a landmark decision ordered the road closed, the settlers be removed from Jarawa land, and banned all logging. Survival is now trying to ensure the implementation of the court order The Jarawa, who live in The Andaman Islands belonging to India, are the First Citizens of their habitat – they are the original Forest beings – people who understand and respect their environment as no other ‘progressive’ and ‘civilized’ group does. Their numbers are fast dwindling and with them will die the superior knowledge of their flora and fauna, their spiritual traditions, rituals, ceremonies, their social order, their expertise in indigenous medicine, and of course their language. The Jarawa are one of the four tribes in the Andamans – a group of islands [belonging to India] in the Indian Ocean. The Jarawa are hunters and gatherers and live on the two large islands. They number between 200-400 – a large number when compared to the 28 members of ‘Great Andamanese’ tribe [near extinction as a result of their exposure to diseases such as influenza, measles and syphilis during the time that British administered the islands], and 100 Onge who work on local plantations. The ‘Sentinelese’ also number about 100. The Government of India had initially set aside an area for the Jarawa but the size of this reserve gradually reduced as more of their land came under construction for roads and settling migrants from the mainland – forcing the Jarawa deeper into the forest – into smaller areas. They have survived waves of migrants and colonists but fallen prey to Government policies which looked upon them as ‘primitive’ and in dire need of ‘development’. The development policy of the Government meant encroaching on their traditional hunting grounds, clearing the forests to settle thousands of migrants , relocating the indigenous people to ‘settlements’, splitting communities that had always lived together, and introducing them to an alien way of life, language and religion. Such changes have impacted their physical and mental health. Contact with non-indigenous people exposed these groups to diseases to which they had no resistance. An epidemic of measles in 1999 wiped away ten percent of the Jarawa population. [There are only 300-400 Jarawas ]. Alcoholism, obesity, diabetes, and depression, are other ailments, which are now appearing among those who have been ‘relocated’ to ‘civilisation’. The main threat to the Jarawa was the building of a road through their lands and forest in 1970. Survival - a worldwide organisation supporting tribal peoples - focused on trying to get the road through Jarawa land closed and the settlers removed. In May 2002, the Indian Supreme Court in a landmark decision ordered the road closed, the settlers be removed from Jarawa land, and banned all logging. Survival is now trying to ensure the implementation of the court order. Most indigenous societies are highly evolved groups, that have, over thousands of years, developed a symbiotic relationship with their environment and live in close harmony with nature. Land is sacred. Jarawa, who have lived in their rainforest home forever, hunt wild pigs, monitor lizards, fish and gather fruits and berries. Their lives are synchronised with their environment. More they do not need. Indigenous tribes are our heritage to be treasured and it remains our responsibility to help them sustain themselves in environments they have always lived in and not turn them into objects of tourist curiosity.
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