Tribal extinction in the Andamans?
The Andaman and Nicobar Islands are among the hardest hit locations as a result of Sunday’s earthquake and tsunami, being close to the epicentre of some of the quakes. There are fears that some or all of the races indigenous to the archipelago, namely the Great Andamanese, Onges, Jarawas, Sentinelese and Shompens, may have been wiped out entirely.
Wednesday afternoon however, India’s Union Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee said that the Ongi people had escaped to higher ground and were safe, and that some Sentinelese and Jarawas were known to have survived. Further information of course is still very very sketchy.
The Indian government website of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands has information about the indigenous tribes. See also this ANI report on the Union Defence Minister’s comments.
January 4th, 2005 at 6:49 am
Thank you for your news on the fate of these people. In a media focusing either on how Westerners have been affected or the paucity of information in the Andamans, your update has been very timely. Thank you. On the other hand I notice the photos used by the Indian government of the beautiful beaches in the Andamans are actually photos taken in Thailand around Koh Phi Phi Lay