Dear Malini,

Are you saying that the Jarawa have a voice or that they are wildlife?
Both seem problematic constructs.

Edwin

2008/11/30 Malini Shankar <malini@...>

> Hello Arnab,
> Violating terrain is anethma I agree, but atleast the human beings have a
> voice in this kind of an internet raveged democratic sovciety, but the
> wildlife do not have a voice, much less a vote.
>
> I agree that Sariska was a bit of a big scam because there was not even
> authentic data whether there were 14 - 16 tigers in Sariska or 22 at the
> time of the so called Sariska slaughter. The scam can be traced to the fact
> that the pugmark method of tiger census was redundant, and the forest staff
> were indeed relieved to get acquiescence that policing the tiger was futile
> because they had no sovereign custody of the lands where the tigers roamed,
> worse they were expected to turn a blind eye to people violating forest
> conservation laws in the heart of tiger terrain.
> Malini
> (c)
> The information contained in this e-mail is confidential and may
> be subject to legal privilege.The pictures and multimedia files attached
> herewith are meant for one time publication / broadcast alongwith the
> articles
> submitted by this journalist / photographer. Reprinting or republication in
> any form calls for written permission of the photographer.
> All content, and attachments with this e mail are copyright protected. This
> e-mail is privileged and confidential. If you are not the
> intended recipient please delete the message and notify the sender.
> Any views or opinions presented are solely those of the author.
> Malini Shankar
> CEO
> Weltanschauung Worldview Media Centre
> # 1 / 1 Amrutha (New # 3) Police Station Road,
> Basavanagudi
> Bangalore 560 004
> India
> Tel: +91 80 2667 7090
> Cellphone: +91 0 944 805 5645
> mailto: malini@... <malini%40wwmcindia.com>
> www.wwmcindia.com
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Arnab Sen
> To: andamanicobar@... <andamanicobar%40yahoogroups.co.in>
> Sent: Friday, November 28, 2008 3:28 PM
> Subject: Re: [andamanicobar] One Killed in Jarawa Attack
>
> As an anthropologist who works in advertising, on strategies for brands in
> postindustrial urbanity, and who has lived and worked among PTGs or call
> them what you will, I cannot but exclaim in utter amazement how basic
> issues
> of identity, homeland and security, including food security can be
> appropriated in a totalizing discourse of citizenship and nation state. To
> any sensible Jarawa the people who build roads through their land and fish
> in their waters is a brutal colonizer, and the sooner we realize it the
> better it is for us "Indians" and for the Jarawa; only the soonest possible
> might be too late for the Jarawa, attacked by land on the Andaman Trunk
> Road
> and now attacked by water on fishing boats. Come on, guys, let's try
> understand that it takes many points of view to make the world and to
> priviledge Western neoclassical, or Indian national or any such view of the
> dominant mainstream when talking about the Jarawa is insane! The issue is
> not that the Jarawas do not know they are Indian or whatever, it is that
> "Indian" is a cultural construction that has no relevance to the Jarawa.
>
> On the issue of wildlife and indigenous people, the people responsible for
> the destruction of forest and biodiversity in India are, in that order:
>
> 1. The Indian state with its myopic forest policies, monoculturation,
> forced conversion of swidden croppers to settled cultivation, dams and
> waterworks
> 2. The mining and other industriesincluding state owned steel and other
> plansts and now, the global corporates acquiring mining rights in Jharkhand
> and Chattisgarh
> 3. The timber mafia
>
> More often than not, indigenous people have their culturally determined
> mechanisms for protecting biodiversity. So an adivasi hunting an animal is
> likely doing much less harm to wildlife than a government official who
> gives
> a final approval to build a big dam. Sariska (I have been there and know)
> is
> a big scam of the Rajasthan Government and the Government of India.
>
> Arnab Sen
> Flat # 1024 Sector C Pocket 1
> Vasant Kunj
> New Delhi 110070 INDIA
> Phone: (+91) 9811004308, (+91 11) 26124928
>
> On Fri, Nov 28, 2008 at 11:17 AM, Malini Shankar
<malini@...<malini%40wwmcindia.com>
> >wrote:
>
> > Hi,
> > It is perfectly realistic that the Jarawas, Onges, Shompens, Sentinalese,
> > Great Andamanese do not know that they are either Indians or PTGs. If you
> > read the Andaman Gazetteer by Kiran Dingra you will understand and
> > appreciate atleast the anthropological roots of these PTGs. One will also
> > understand the futility of an elaborate State and its inefficacy in the
> > context of the ANI as well its its sociological repercussions. The point
> is
> > we must somehow ensure that they realise that they are are our brethren,
> > that there is a system to protect them. But is there one? And is it
> > effective? Can we please come together, pool our thoughts and think of a
> way
> > to mainstream the indigenous people atleast by removing their
> > marginalisatuion and alienation? That is ofcourse if they want it. But
> how
> > do we know if they want it or not?
> >
> > I can think of one option: By documenting trough the Media and gazette,
> > their best practices and worst practices, we can perhaps offer a sounding
> > board to the tribes themselves about the need for upliftment from the
> brutal
> > conditions of poverty, and inadequate sanitation they suffer from...
> There
> > are also instances of malnutrition, inbreeding. I am not saying we must
> > introduce clinical standards of sanitation or western style flushing
> > toilets, ... by documenting their best practices of health and
> sanitation,
> > they not only get a sense of integration, but we can definitely benefit
> from
> > their traditional and sustainable best practices.
> >
> > Their traditional knowledge regarding response to natural calamities in
> > earthquake prone ANI will be of enormous utility to the USGS, GSI Tsunami
> > Warning systems etc. By studying diligently their best practices and
> > traditional knowledge they get a sense of mutual respect and fairplay and
> it
> > also effectively mitigates animosity and decrease their mistrust, and who
> > knows how it will develop further? Personally I feel very - very hurt to
> see
> > anyone beggging bananas even on the city streets in Mumbai, Chennai,
> > Bangalore or Delhi and am speechless about Jarawas being prevented from
> > boarding that rickety bus from Rangat to Port Blair, there are actually
> > boards on the Baratang Island to say do not give fruits and eatables to
> > Jarawas. Does that mean that even if they beg for food we should turn a
> > blind eye? I almost got tears when I saw that board after entering
> Baratang
> > from Uttara Creek jetty. I dream of providing an equal opportunity to
> less
> > fortunate people so that they can live with as much dignity as I do.
> >
> > The Soligas live in BRTWLS in Karnataka. I am more familiar with the
> > Soligas than with the indigenous clans of the ANI. The Soligas use bamboo
> > fibre to sever the umbilical chord of the new born infant, similarly
> their
> > best practise regarding post natal maternity care can teach us a lesson
> or
> > two in post natal nutrition and non sedantary habbits. For a detailed
> study
> > / read you can log onto my article on
> > http://www.indiatogether.org/2008/oct/env-tribals.htm. It is part of my
> > present series Tiger the Lost Emperor.
> >
> > Being a wildlife journalist I have repreatedly pointed fingers at the
> > hostile villagers living in and around Sariska, and I honestly grudge
> them
> > their temerity to annihilate wildlife so wantonly. Yet these same
> villagers
> > call me and ask me to provide them opportunities to be part of my
> shooting
> > crew. They ask to be trained for media production one guy said "Didi I
> too
> > want to go with you across the country, I too want to use a laptop etc".
> I
> > felt so honoured honestly. I have now made a blueprint to utilise the
> > serivices of indigenous people in media production. We from the Media,
> > especially the film making crews are hardy enough to practise what we
> > preach, in doing so we provide opportunities for 'inclusive economic
> > growth'. The fact that the Sariska Gujjars are willing to listen to my
> > lectures even in my Latfatta broken Hindi speaks volumes of how much they
> > are yearning to be part of the mainstream that too when I mince no words
> > about my sympathy for the cause of wildlife. Human rapport based on
> > communication can defy the limits of linguistic abilities.
> >
> > 60 years after independence if a whole section of indigenous people are
> > suffering from appalling standards of health and hygiene, nutrition
> poverty
> > education etc doesnt it speak volumes of the dichotomy in our governance
> > system?. Sure the indigenous folk have no use for either our standards of
> > human development index or for our perception of higher standard of
> living.
> > Not that we have achieved great strides in becoming more civilised and
> > rudite! All the same wretched poverty is definitely their bane too?
> > Suffering is after all universal, the emotional pain caused by mternal
> > mortality is the same even if it is in Andamanese, or Assamese society.
> > regards
> >
> > Malini
> > (c)
> > The information contained in this e-mail is confidential and may
> > be subject to legal privilege.The pictures and multimedia files attached
> > herewith are meant for one time publication / broadcast alongwith the
> > articles
> > submitted by this journalist / photographer. Reprinting or republication
> in
> > any form calls for written permission of the photographer.
> > All content, and attachments with this e mail are copyright protected.
> This
> > e-mail is privileged and confidential. If you are not the
> > intended recipient please delete the message and notify the sender.
> > Any views or opinions presented are solely those of the author.
> > Malini Shankar
> > CEO
> > Weltanschauung Worldview Media Centre
> > # 1 / 1 Amrutha (New # 3) Police Station Road,
> > Basavanagudi
> > Bangalore 560 004
> > India
> > Tel: +91 80 2667 7090
> > Cellphone: +91 0 944 805 5645
> > mailto: malini@... <malini%40wwmcindia.com> <malini%
> 40wwmcindia.com>
> > www.wwmcindia.com
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: Sharbendu De
> > To: andamanicobar@...
<andamanicobar%40yahoogroups.co.in><andamanicobar%
> 40yahoogroups.co.in>
> > Sent: Thursday, November 27, 2008 4:04 PM
> > Subject: Re: [andamanicobar] One Killed in Jarawa Attack
> >
> > Dear Malini,
> >
> > I'm glad that you wrote further explaining your point. I was kind of
> hoping
> > a discussion on this. Just to briefly introduce myself though am quite an
> > old memeber here: I am a Development Consultant who works for the social
> > sector but is also writer and photographer. I have been writing on the
> > issues of Andaman Islands including travel, tribes, environment and
> > development issues for quite some time now.
> >
> > Now coming back to the discussion, I find your response coming from the
> > same patriarchical point. Yes, it's quite true that murder is an extreme
> > form of social conflict, but are you talking about 'conflict within a
> > society' or 'conflict within two societies'. We might very much wish to
> > romanticise and call our soceity and that of the PTGs as one, but the
> fact
> > say it's not. I'll give a very subtle example for this from the
> liguistics
> > aspect of the Nicobari tribe who reside in the Southern part of A&N
> > archipelago with small habitations in Little Andaman and mainstreaming in
> > the mainland oriented society in Port Blair and other places. In nicobari
> > language, they call their own people as 'tarik' which going by literal
> > translation means 'man'; quite interesting they call outsiders like us as
> > 'taun' - the literal translation of this (if I'm not wrong) means an
> alien
> > (meaning someone who doesn't belong to our own society).
> >
> > Going by this premise, your comment on the soceital confllict would have
> > been very pertinent in the case of the Jarawas, had there been a case of
> > burder within their society. If am not wrong, such events have never
> > occured.
> >
> > Secondly, your inference that murder can have retaliation is quite true.
> > Any act of violence towards a community or an individual bearing
> allegiance
> > to some community/society will have a retaliation from individual of the
> > homogeneous background. It's about protecting their identities and thus
> the
> > violence. However, I wish to strongly disagree with your interpretation
> that
> > 'taking law into one's own hands by PTGs make them more vulnerable'.
> Please
> > understand that they are largely tolerant in nature, but do run over the
> > edge when we push them way too hard. We are fighting over the greed of
> > resources and dominance; they are fighting for their identity. This and
> > similar incidents should be seen in the light of 'identity and violence'.
> > But you're quite right that they're vulnerable, and that's perhaps
> because
> > they do not enjoy the brute technological force. They are vulnerable. But
> > since we're not, we need to be more tolerant and responsible for our
> acts.
> > With great power comes great responsibilities.
> >
> > Law is the 'law of the land'. If we take this as another premise, then
> the
> > lands are seperate and thus not obligatory on the Jarawas or any
> community
> > who do not belong to that particular land. They have their own laws of
> their
> > land, and those laws don't seem to be violated by them. Their acts of
> > violence are sheer evidence of their efforts to protect their territories
> > and resources, and thereby their identities. It is us mainlanders
> > (non-tribals) who have encroached their alnd and resources and confined
> them
> > to a very restricted land spot. Haven't we violated their laws of the
> land?
> > What should be our punishment then? Shouldn't the Jarawas have come out
> and
> > shot spears into all ur chests?
> >
> > Regards
> > Sharbendu
> >
> > ________________________________
> > From: Malini Shankar <malini@... <malini%40wwmcindia.com><malini%
> 40wwmcindia.com>>
> > To: andamanicobar@...
<andamanicobar%40yahoogroups.co.in><andamanicobar%
> 40yahoogroups.co.in>
> > Sent: Thursday, November 27, 2008 2:03:43 PM
> > Subject: Re: [andamanicobar] One Killed in Jarawa Attack
> >
> > Dear Dr. Fernandes,
> > I was not by any chance saying the tribes threaten wildlife or any such
> > thing; neither do I mean to impose laws on tribes. but murder is an
> extreme
> > form of social conflict and in this instance it deprives oinvestigators
> of
> > leads. Besides, as news is just trickling in that these fisherfolk were
> > perhaps poachers, it could also be prudent to to know that these poachers
> > might have been depleting the food resources for the Jarawas. Practically
> > speaking it is indeed difficult to expect tribes to go and ask for
> > protection from the patriarchal state... nevertheless murder can lead to
> > retaliation etc. Taking the law into one's own hands by PTGs makes them
> more
> > vulnerable.
> > Malini
> > (c)
> > The information contained in this e-mail is confidential and may
> > be subject to legal privilege.The pictures and multimedia files attached
> > herewith are meant for one time publication / broadcast alongwith the
> > articles
> > submitted by this journalist / photographer. Reprinting or republication
> in
> > any form calls for written permission of the photographer.
> > All content, and attachments with this e mail are copyright protected.
> This
> > e-mail is privileged and confidential. If you are not the
> > intended recipient please delete the message and notify the sender.
> > Any views or opinions presented are solely those of the author.
> > Malini Shankar
> > CEO
> > Weltanschauung Worldview Media Centre
> > # 1 / 1 Amrutha (New # 3) Police Station Road,
> > Basavanagudi
> > Bangalore 560 004
> > India
> > Tel: +91 80 2667 7090
> > Cellphone: +91 0 944 805 5645
> > mailto: malini@wwmcindia. com
> > www.wwmcindia. com
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: Dr. Walter Fernandes
> > To: andamanicobar@ yahoogroups. co.in
> > Sent: Thursday, November 27, 2008 9:17 AM
> > Subject: Re: [andamanicobar] One Killed in Jarawa Attack
> >
> > Dear Malini
> >
> > I would be careful not to take such a drastic view of hunting by the
> > tribals. Today it has become a problem because of the shortage caused by
> > outsiders interfering with their livelihood. I believe that one should
> take
> > a middle path of beginning with the right of human (especially tribal)
> > communities to a life with dignity. Ways have to found of putting the
> rights
> > of both of them together. Without it there is no way one can save either
> the
> > tribal or the wildlife rights.
> >
> > Walter
> >
> > Dr Walter Fernandes
> > Director, North Eastern Social Research Centre
> > 110 Kharghuli Road (1st floor)
> > Guwahati 781004
> > Assam, India
> > Tel (91-361) 2602819
> > Email: nesrcghy@gmail. com
> > www.creighton. edu/Collaborativ eMinistry/ NESRC
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: Malini Shankar
> > To: andamanicobar@ yahoogroups. co.in
> > Sent: Wednesday, November 26, 2008 2:04 PM
> > Subject: Re: [andamanicobar] One Killed in Jarawa Attack
> >
> > This debate about civilised and uncivilised ethnic group has been going
> on.
> >
> > PTGs and other indigenous have secured legal immunity / or justify
> > wildlife crime under the alibi of ritual hunting. I am a wildlife
> > journalist and am more prone to using this line of arguement in defense
> of
> > voteless voiceless wild animals, nevertheless killing a human being just
> on
> >
> > the grounds of unauthorised entry is a crime, ... even in tribal society.
> > We, the erudite internet class of people think that democratic principles
> > are not applicable to indigeous clans. But crimes against
> > women, crimes like murder, are murders in all societies be they Amazonian
> > tribes or Andamanese tribes or even Andhra society. The point is a crime
> is
> >
> > a crime, the essence of legislating democratic principles can be traced
> to
> > a
> > sociological / historical sense of fair play which can and ought to be
> > traced to the platonic evolution of man. It is when this evolution cannot
> > be
> > confomed to, that laws are rendered somewhat alien to the society,
> > and becomes impossible to implement. The point and purpose of legislation
> > is to protect the victims in all societies, why do we keep forgetting
> that
> > in this day and age?
> > Malini
> >
> > (c)
> > The information contained in this e-mail is confidential and may
> > be subject to legal privilege.The pictures and multimedia files attached
> > herewith are meant for one time publication / broadcast alongwith the
> > articles
> > submitted by this journalist / photographer. Reprinting or republication
> in
> > any form calls for written permission of the photographer.
> > All content, and attachments with this e mail are copyright protected.
> This
> > e-mail is privileged and confidential. If you are not the
> > intended recipient please delete the message and notify the sender.
> > Any views or opinions presented are solely those of the author.
> > Malini Shankar
> > CEO
> > Weltanschauung Worldview Media Centre
> > # 1 / 1 Amrutha (New # 3) Police Station Road,
> > Basavanagudi
> > Bangalore 560 004
> > India
> > Tel: +91 80 2667 7090
> > Cellphone: +91 0 944 805 5645
> > mailto: malini@wwmcindia. com
> > www.wwmcindia. com
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: K.Narayanan
> > To: andamanicobar@ yahoogroups. co.in
> > Sent: Tuesday, November 25, 2008 10:38 AM
> > Subject: Re: [andamanicobar] One Killed in Jarawa Attack
> >
> > Dear All,
> > I saw the mail just now (25th) circulated in this forum, even though
> > incident happened on 19th ..
> > It raises a few disturbing questions.
> > How can the fishermen halt at a tribal reserve area ? It seems that,
> going
> > by the statement, this halting is more regular than rare.
> > Can you apply the same laws that is there for citizens of the country to
> > the
> > primitive tribes, like charging them under Murder etc.,?
> > How reasonable it is for us to expect the tribes to behave and respond
> > like other citizens ?
> > If the tribes have to be left alone, they need to be left alone, simple
> > is it not ?.
> > At most, this can be classified as a unfortunate incident..
> > Narayan.
> > denisgiles wrote:
> >
> > >
> > > Andaman Chronicle: Friday 21st November 2008
> > >
> > > Jarawa attacks local fishermen
> > >
> > > One Killed, Three Injured Badly at Mahua Tekri near Kadamtala
> > >
> > > Port Blair, Nov. 20: One fisherman was killed on the spot while three
> > > others badly injured by the Jarawa tribe at Mahua Tekri near Kadamtala,
> > > Middle Andaman yesterday 19th Nov. 2008. The team of fishermen was
> > > returning from Diglipur to Port Blair after their catch and halted at
> > > Mahua Tekri, which comes under the Jarawa Reserve.
> > >
> > > According to the report registered at PS Chatham, Port Blair, the
> > > fishermen while passing through the area found no Jarawa at Mahua Tekri
> > > and anchored their boat in the creek. Few got down from the boat while
> > > one D. Eariah along with three others stayed back to cook food.
> > >
> > > But all of a sudden a team of Jarawa consisting of 14-15 of them
> > > including men, women and children reached the shore from their huts
> > > situated 100 meters away from the boat. The Jarawa expressed that they
> > > were starving and wanted something to eat. But instead of lending food
> > > to the Jarawa, Eariah who was seated over an Ice Box placed on the boat
> > > challenged the tribe. As the tide was low, the entire group of Jarawa
> > > managed to enter inside the boat. Eariah along with the three others
> > > revolted but in the process one of the Jarawa men pulled out an arrow
> > > and stabbed Eariah who succumbed to his injuries on the spot.
> > >
> > > Finding Eariah dead, the other three fishermen named Jogga Rao, Kurma
> > > Rao and Christy tried to fight back but were again stabbed badly.
> > > Noticing the clash, the remaining fishermen immediately jumped in the
> > > water and swam away from the boat. The Jarawa then collected rice,
> other
> > > eatables, dah and whatever they could find and returned back to the
> > > forest.
> > >
> > > Noticing tribe vanish inside the forest, the remaining fishermen swam
> > > back to the boat and fled away carrying the dead and the injured
> > > members. But instead of proceeding towards Kadamtala which was just
> > > couple of hours from the spot, they proceeded towards Port Blair
> fearing
> > > that they might be booked under Law for entering inside Jarawa Reserve
> > > by the Police at Kadamtala. On their way made a call using mobile phone
> > > to the owner of the boat named Vallav Rao. The owner then informed the
> > > matter to the Police Station, Aberdeen and asked the fishermen to
> return
> > > to Chatham Jetty.
> > >
> > > The report also adds that Eariah and the three were new to the area
> > > while the others who managed to escape the attack had been regularly
> > > visiting the place `Mahua Tekri'.
> > >
> > > Finally after seven long hours of travel, the boat reached Chatham at
> > > around 2.00 am on 20th Nov. 2008 carrying the body of Eariah and three
> > > injured.
> > >
> > > The body of Eariah was taken for Post Mortem by the Police and was
> > > handed over to the family members while the three injured have been
> > > admitted in G.B. Pant Hospital.
> > >
> > > After recording the statement from the surviving fishermen, a case has
> > > been registered against the Jarawa for murdering, attempt to murder,
> > > theft etc. at PS Chatham under various sections of the Indian Penal
> > > Code. The case has now been handed over to PS Kadamtala for further
> > > investigation.
> > >
> > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
> > >
> > >
> >
> > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
> >
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