"It is not right to leave them as is. They should realise their
surroundings - that a human race exists around them. .we will deal with them
anthropologically."???

I wish people read their histories before making such outlandish statements!
The people on the Andaman Islands have been "in touch" with the so called
"human race" for centuries- there are instances that have been recorded
since the 16 or 17th C of them being captured & taken into slavery to the
Orient.
The British who attempted to bring them into what they called "civilization"
regretted the grave mistake, moreso after the syphilitic epidemic spread.
Soon after India's independence, came some anthropologists from
Calcutta(kolkata) who stated that since they(the andaman islanders) fell
into the hunting & gathering category- only certain amt of land should be
alloted to them for their "activities" & the rest of the virgin forests to
be utilized for lumber activities!- based on an anthropologist who had
studied them, worked with them, etc..

Yes one cannot go & leave them as is, but simultaneously one cannot barge
into their lives & dress them into what we want "tourists" to see them as.
Till today so little is still know of them, their contact with the so called
civilization has only helped to bring their nos. down & die a slow death. &
moreover, we saying things about what not to do will not help them. We have
to come together to bring in a step by step solution-wherein they can live
with dignity the way they choose & the tourists can have their heaven on
earth spots without wanting to see " specimens" as part of their itiniary. &
we can do this. A series of articles about the history of the island, the
early interactions, the mistakes, the primitive solutons offered, should
first be made available & maybe then within this scenario- a solution can be
offered to Mr. Oram.
For eg. clothing them without teaching them hygiene will not save them from
disease, specially since their own way of keeping clean was so different-
covering themselves with the clay/ soil of the land, that helped keep the
mosqs at bay & also their own body clean. If one understands this then
before handing out a Tshirt to cover themselves up, one will think twice
about giving them something we think is beneficial but later will only be
harmful. These small so "cultural" understandings will go a long way in
everyone's interaction with them & thinking about their future too!

-----Original Message-----
From: rosalindad1@... [mailto:rosalindad1@...]
Sent: Saturday, November 08, 2003 2:11 PM
To: andamanicobar@...
Subject: Re: [andamanicobar] Fwd: Re: Oram wants to mainstream A&N
tribals in seven years


This gets interesting folks!
If 'benefits' of 'development' is any indication of what is happening to the
Onge's and the Jarawas then I totally agree with Samir Acharya, this plan
should be shelved post haste.
Yes!and who decides the tribal 's cause??? Meeting an Onge in his own land
one is dumbfounded as there is no common languge that we share? What is his
worldview? Bangoleees!! Pigs!!?? Do we know what he thinks of his other
tribal cousins in the island??How can we then decide for him? Oram or any
other??
Alternately where can one get a copy of the Tourism plan for A& N Islands?

Regards,
Lima
----- Original Message -----
From: <radhakamath@...>
To: <andamanicobar@...>
Sent: Sunday, November 02, 2003 10:40 PM
Subject: Re: [andamanicobar] Fwd: Re: Oram wants to mainstream A&N tribals
in seven years


This is worse case scenario. Can we approach the supreme court/NHRC on this.

Radha

----- Original Message -----
From: Pankaj Sekhsaria <pankajandaman@...>
Date: Sunday, November 2, 2003 4:10 pm
Subject: [andamanicobar] Fwd: Re: Oram wants to mainstream A&N tribals in
seven years

>
>
> disgusting_100 <disgusting_100@...> wrote:Date: Sat, 01
> Nov 2003 14:09:38 -0000
> From: "disgusting_100"
> To: andamanicobar-owner@...
> Subject: Re: Oram wants to mainstream A&N tribals in seven years
>
> Its a very interesting perspective.
> A political leader wants his ethnic group to mainstream and an NGO
> thinks it shouldnt happen
>
> Lots of value judgements happening here
> Fundamentally - why should an ethnic group remain in the way it had
> for millenia when the world around them is changing
>
> And who decides to exclude them from the "benefits" of "development"
> (I guess I also mean who defines "benefits" and "development")
> Who indeed decides the tribal "cause"?
>
> Hmmmmm
>
> Sugato
>
>
> --- In andamanicobar@..., "pankajandaman"
>
> wrote:
> >
> > Dear Friends,
> > Hindustantimes.com is running a special series of five articles on
> the
> > situation on the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The third article
> that
> > was
> > posted today, quotes the Tribal Welfare Minister and his plans for
> > mainstreaming the A&N tribals in the next seven years.
> > A worse fate for these tribal people could not have been conceived.
> > The story is pasted below and so is the link, which will help you
> > access the
> > other stories as well give you an oppurtunity to post your opinion
> in
> > the
> > matter
> > Pankaj Sekhsaria
> > (Kalpavriksh)
> >
> > Minister pokes stuffy nose in tribal matter
> > Shailesh Shekhar | Friday, October 31, 2003
> >
> > http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/specials/andaman/jualoram.html
> >
> >
> > If Union Tribal Welfare Minister Jual Oram has his way, by 2009 no
> > tribal of
> > the Andaman and Nicobar Islands will anymore be part of the
> Primitive
> > Tribe
> > Groups.
> > Since 2002, his ministry has been working steadfastly to "reform
> the
> > tribals
> > and assimilate them with the mainstream." This is despite a court
> > order,
> > stopping all attempts to interfere either with the tribals or
> their
> > ways of
> > life and living.
> > Minus the Nicobarese, the Jarawas, the Sentinalese, the Shompens,
> the
> > Onges
> > and the Great Andamanese are currently classified under the
> Primitive
> > Tribe
> > Group (PTG) by the tribal affairs ministry. (Indeed, this is the
> > first time
> > the Government of India has a separate ministry on Tribal Affairs
> and
> > a
> > Cabinet rank minister to head it.)
> > The minister says the PTG development has been a focus area for the
> > ministry. In 2002, the ministry drafted a seven-year plan to take
> the
> > category tribes out of the group. Currently, 75 tribes in India
> are
> > part of
> > the PTG.
> > The minister says earlier efforts "proved disastrous" because of
> the
> > gap
> > between the plans and their implementation at every level -
> > economically,
> > culturally and socially. "This time, we are engaging with NGOs
> such as
> > Ramakrishna Mission, and our Project Officers are going to be in
> > constant
> > touch with the tribes to take care in every possible manner."
> > The minister, of course, has assured himself that his plan neither
> > violates
> > court orders and nor interferes with tribal life. ".we just want
> to
> > know
> > about them. It is not right to leave them as is. They should
> realise
> > their
> > surroundings - that a human race exists around them.
> > .we will deal with them anthropologically. People only offer
> > suggestions, we
> > want solutions."
> > On whether the Government of India has formulated any guidelines
> for
> > the
> > local administration vis-à-vis the handling of the tribals, he
> > says, "we
> > have asked them not to make the life of tribals difficult."
> >
> > Mr Oram is also certain that the Tourism Ministry plans for
> Andaman
> > and
> > Nicobar Islands must be implemented. "Tourism should happen. It
> will
> > not
> > disturb the tribals. They are a little away. Moreover, we will have
> > restrictions."
> > Incidentally, the minister is not part of the nodal group which
> has
> > drafted
> > the grand plan for tourism in the Bay of Bengal archipelago
> >
> > Samir Acharya of Society for Andaman & Nicobar Society (SANE),
> which
> > has
> > been working overtime for the tribals' cause, says the ministry's
> > plan need
> > to be shelved immediately.
> >
> > "It is the worst possible plan. They will never get away with it.
> > They have
> > almost finished the Andamanese and the Onges under the guise of
> > ameliorating
> > their living conditions. This plan should not be touched with a
> 20-
> > feet-long
> > pole."
> >
> >
> >
> > Kalpavriksh
> > Apt. 5, Sri Dutta Krupa,
> > 908 Deccan Gymkhana
> > Pune 411004
> > India
> > Tel: + 91 20 5654239 / 5675450
> > Fax: 5654239
> > Email: kvriksh@v...
>
>
>
> Yahoo! India Matrimony: Find your partner online.Post your profile.
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>
>
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