Dear Sumant,

There are quite some major points that you have pointed out and as I have
explained in the previous mail that only if all of you agree, we will organize
this seminar cum workshop.

Community Tourism that we practice is very simple, tourism by the local
communities, who do it for their sustainable living and in the process preserve
their local nature & culture, tourism which is not dominated or dictated by
people outside the community.

Regarding visits to the tribal communities & being in the wrong forum, I must
bring to your notice that tourism is all about visiting destinations be it
natural or tribal or rural or urban. Are we in a position to decide the movement
of tourists to any area?Can we really stop the tourists from visiting A & N?I
believe we can atleast force the administration formulates policies through
which the benefits of tourism reach the local communities living in the area.

It has been the quality of human beings to change for the better (which is a
very relative term) and from living in caves, we have changed to live in
concrete jungles and I am sure you are no exception. Sumant, I do not know where
you stay, but your views reflect that you are from some urban area. You also
nurture your thoughts and build your dreams for better living. Better living
differs from human to human, but through ages sustainable means of living
without changing the surrounding God gifted inputs is better living is what I
believe.If people did not long for better living, we wouldn’t have given away
with our traditional Sati system.If for you better living means the world of
idiot box or concrete jungles, I cannot help. For me better living is quitting
the bad superstitions, education for everyone, right to balanced nutrition and
basic medical facilities etc. Do you have any idea to how many tribals in India
suffer from malnutrition and due to their lack of education how they are being
thrown away from their homes in the name conservation? Can you imagine that when
you are busy with your computer, cricket or career, there is a large population
of the tribal community who are striving for survival?

I have not been to Phuket and cannot afford to. If I could, I would have visited
to find where things went wrong and confirmed you that we would not repeat the
mistake. It is unfortunate that after spending 40 years with the rural people of
East & Northeast India, including the tribal people, I have only been able to
initiate community tourism in some villages of the region where some of the
people atleast have developed a pride for where they live and what they do. As
you say that the tribals do not need us but today I am proud of the NGOs from
the urban areas are fighting for the rights of the tribals and have managed to
save their land and home in the protected areas.

Regarding educating my tourists, it is we who are the tourists and it takes
generations to create a responsible tourist. It has to be contributed by the
parents, followed by the teachers and then by the travel trade to actually to
develop a responsible tourist community. Just formulating dos & donts would be
of no help.

Regards,
Raj Basu
www.actnowornever.org



Dear Mr Basu,

There are a few points you have brought up. Firstly, community
tourism. I wonder what that means. I hope it doesn't mean visits to
the tribals communities. If so this is the wrong forum to say so. You
might get a lot of flak. Secondly, I wonder what you mean by "we
cannot deny their right to a better living and say that they should
stay as they are". What IS better living? They seem to be happy the
way they are. In fact we have no right to ask them to change to our
life style. If someone thinks that our world of the idiot box,
concrete jungles constitutes "better living" I don't know what to
say. Consider this, these people have been living here for maybe
60,000 years and they haven't caused an iota of damage to the
environment. We, the so called 'civilised' humans, in 200 years have
destroyed a large part. Whose land is it anyway? Who are we to come
here and dictate. By all means, visit, enjoy nature swim in the water
etc. etc. and then LEAVE. Please look at Phuket, you might think they
are a tourism success story, but very few people know the enormous
ecological and social costs they have paid and are paying. It is
politicians who are killing this place. I think everyone agrees that
it is inevitable that these tribals will join the main stream
sometime in the future. The fact is that past attempts
at "civilising" them have reduced there numbers drastically (between
4000 and 8000 to just around 450). Therefore it is only fair that we
give them the choice as to when and how they want to join us. The way
the world is going, God forbid we may have to join them!! In the
meanwhile I suggest no, request earnestly, that you educate your
tourists about environmental protection and and formulate a list of
dos and donts for them. I have seen tourists here who dump garbage on
the beach while admiring the crystal clear water.

The tribals don't need us, "maybe it is we who need them".

Sumant


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