From
THE LIGHT OF ANDAMANS,
Vol 31, Issue 19
April 29, 2006




Tirur - The Last Post Of Western Front

by Govind Raju



As we took a left turn from GAT Road at Tusonabad junction, old settlement
villages of Manpur, Colinpur, Temple Myo, Herbertabad and Tirur started
unfolding one by one. These are small villages with scattered homesteads.
Hobdypur lies on a southward branch road from Tusonabad. All these villages fall
under Tusonabad Panchayat. Agriculture is the main occupation of the people
although a large number of villagers now depend on government jobs for their
livelihood. The newly constructed houses and the number of automobiles in the
area speak of the general prosperity in the area.

Compressed between Choulunga Hills and Mount Chatterton in a narrow valley
about forty kilometres west of Port Blair; Tirur is the last village smack at
the heart of Jarawa tribe's water reserve. The valley extends northward a little
beyond the revenue village of Tirur; but not much.

Being in the valley it is the main source of water for the tribes as well as the
villagers. That might be the main reason the tribes can't do without Tirur even
if they wish to. In summer months when other sources dry up, they are forced to
look for water in Tirur-Herbertabad Temple Myo villages.

A narrow creek runs from Constance Bay to Herbertabad that is the only corridor
for the fishermen of the area to approach the sea for fishing. Through this
creek only tsunami water had flooded the paddy fields of the area. On the west,
off Mt. Chatterton is the massive Westcoast Hills, a reserve forest that is the
primary abode of Jarawas.

Three villages; Temple Myo, Herberabad and Tirur lie on the
narrowest strip of land that is very fertile. These are small villages with a
population of approximately 250, 500 and 400 respectively. Colinpur and Temple
Myo were Burmese villages till they were repatriated. Two main occupations of
Burmese were hunting and fishing. They were the major suppliers of deer, wild
boar, crab, prawn and fish to Port Blair market. Dogs were their main ally in
these ventures, particularly in hunting wild boars. With the departure of the
Burmese people the Island society has lost a wonderful dimension of its social
and cultural structure.

Bengali settlers had, for sometime, followed in footsteps of the Burmese. But,
since they are not cut out for the job physically and temperamentally, they
switched over to what they knew best; agriculture and horticulture. Fishing
though continues to be the occupation of a large section of the people.

The soil of Tirur is not clayey as in most part of the island. It is
loamy, appears off white and dresses to a fine finish. The agricultural produce
is traditional one. The road runs along the foot of Choulunga Hills in the east.
But strangely the settlement is on the foot of Mt. Chatterton on the western
side of the valley. There is no road running along the settlement area.

People of Tirur had to contend with the Jarawa menace throughout the
history of the village. Till the Jarawas had a large area at their disposal and
there were no threat from the west coast, they did not bother the villagers
much. But with the increase in the greed of the civilized people and constant
threat from poachers on the west coast, they had no option but to look towards
the village.

Jarawas attacking the village and killing people was a phenomenon
not unexpected in the area till a few years back. It is a different matter that
villagers would not admit where they had transgressed the rights and hurt the
ego or sentiments of the Jarawas to provoke such an attack.

However, it needs immense courage, determination and a lion's heart
to live under a constant shadow of death. Hats of to the people of Tirur and
adjacent villages!

There is a Police Outpost at Tirur. We had expected it to be at the
end of the village. But it is in the middle, safe from a direct attack by the
tribes. However it was a pleasure to see a government building well maintained.
NGOs were also seen active in the area. UNICEF has set up a children's Park.

There is a shanty housing a tea stall run by an 'Akka' at the dead-end of the
road where the bus turns back. She had some vadas, bhajjis, etc and readymade
tea in a flask. We just had had our tea at the Pradhan's place. But just to
keep the 'akka' in good chhers went ahead and ordered a round of tea for the
team followed by pan. "What business do you expect here?" we asked. "The bus
passengers come and take tea. Sometime tourists also come" she informed. She did
not fail to mention that when the Jarawas descend, she packs up everything other
than tea and pan.

The Pradhan was also bitter about Jarawas. "Earlier they used to come and kill
people but once in years. Now it is a constant pain in the neck." He was highly
critical about Andaman Adim Janjati Vikas Samiti. "What they do sitting in their
office?" Nobody ever bothers to do something about the tribes. "Sometimes the
Jarawas come with a couple of crabs and force it on us in exchange for something
they need . We don't have a choice. Even if we don't feel like having crab, we
have to take and give whatever they demand in return" said the Pradhan.

The Policemen also used to enjoy themselves till 'The Light of Andamans' came
out with the report of Jarawa killed by crocodile, the Pradhan had told us. All
the senior officers had descended on the scene and since then they are a little
alert. "Jarawas have to cross two creeks; one small and the other over 15 meters
wide. Both the creeks have crocs. They are killed regularly. Only thing is,
nobody comes to know of it" informed Mohammed Basheer, who was accompanying us.

Lalit Bepari, a local villager was acrimonious, critical and exasperated. They
come and stay here for a fortnight to a month. Uninvited guests! They have a hut
too for themselves. He informed. It was getting dark. We left the Jarawa hut for
some other time.

"They come like kings and collect whatever they like; banana, coconut, jackfruit
and anything else they take a fancy to" said Lalit Bepari.

Yes, I thought. They were the kings. All the islands in Andaman archipelago was
their fiefdom. All its resources were at their disposal. We encroached upon
their land, we stole their food and we pushed them to the brink of extinction.
They should be complaining not we.

We are the usurpers. They are the inheritors. They did not deserve the plight
they find themselves in. But it is beyond Lalit Bepari's comprehension.



Note: The author, who is also the editor of the newspaper can be contacted at
Email: gezira_ani@...
Tel: 03192 - 230863

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