And finally this the last abstract of the last of the four papers on the
islands that were presented at the BNHS Seminar.
pankaj

Andaman's Tribal Reserves: India's finest protected areas
By
Pankaj Sekhsaria
(Kalpavriksh)
The Andaman & Nicobar Islands in the Bay of Bengal are an internationally
recognised hot spot for biological diversity, with over 3552 species of
flowering plants (223 species endemic), 5,100 species of animals (100
freshwater, 2847 terrestrial, 503 endemic) and 4508 marine species (220
endemic), 52 species of mammals (33 endemic), 244 species of birds (96
endemic) and 111 species of amphibians and reptiles (66 endemic).
In an effort to protect and conserve the rich forests and species diversity
a large number of protected areas - 95 sanctuaries and seven national parks
have been created in the Andamans under the Wildlife Protection Act (WLPA)
1972. The total area under the PA system is about 1000 sq, kms., 50% of
which are the marine national parks. The land area, therefore, protected is
roughly 500 sq. kms., which is about 8% of the 6000 sq. kms of the total
landmass of the Andamans. The largest single contiguous area within this is
the 133 sq, kms Interview Island Sanctuary. Significantly, a substantial
portion of this protected area network, Interview Island included, has been
logged for timber at some point in the last 100 odd years of continued
timber extraction operations in the islands.
The tribal reserves here, then, present a rather contrasting picture. The
Andamans has four tribal reserves, one each in the name of its four negrito
communities: the Great Andamanese, the Onge, the Jarawa and the Sentinelese.
They were created under the Andaman and Nicobar Protection of Aboriginal
Tribes Regulation (ANPATR) - 1956, and cover an area of nearly 1500 sq,
kms.; 25% of the Andaman islands. The largest chunk here is the 700 sq, kms
Jarawa Reserve followed by the 520 sq. kms Onge Reserve on Little Andaman
Island. Additionally, three to five kms of the sea adjoining these land
areas, too have been protected as tribal reserves: marine protected areas
that are yet to be measured, but could easily be a couple of 1000 sq kms.
Significantly and unlike PAs such as Interview Island the forests of the
tribal reserves have never ever been subjected to any kind of extractive,
exploitative or destructive activity. The sole inhabitants of these reserves
are the hunter-gatherer, forest dwelling communities that have lived in
complete harmony and equilibrium with these forests for 1000s of years.
If indeed, undisturbed, large pristine areas are crucial for long term
conservation and the maintenance of viable gene pools, the importance of
these Tribal Reserves cannot be emphasised enough.
What is critical to understand in this context however, is that the survival
of these communities is as critically dependant on the forests, as the
forests themselves are dependant on the indigenous communities. These tribal
cultures and societies are intricately linked with the forests and it is
they who have ensured the complete protection and conservation of the
forests and the biodiversity found therein.
Unfortunately, however, these communities continue to be victims of a
historical process of exploitation and alienation. Their total number today
is not more than 500 individuals and this population too is slowly but
surely being pushed to the brink of extinction.. The assault has been multi
pronged and powerful and if corrective action is not taken on a war footing,
we will soon lose a very precious heritage of the human race, and with them
will go their extremely rich forest homes.
The tribal reserves in the islands are, without doubt, the most significant
repositories of the islands biodiversity. The system for their management
and protection, however, needs to be diametrically opposite to the
principles and philosophies that are the basis of the protected area network
of the country today. The protection of these forests and diversity cannot
be divorced from the indigenous communities that live here. Their ownership
and primary right over the forests has to be accepted first. There has to be
an explicit recognition of their tribal way of life, a respect for their
traditions; their knowledge and an acknowledgement that they are our most
important partners in the conservation of an unique natural heritage: the
forests of the Andaman Islands.

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