JARAWA
Should they be allowed to join the mainstream or forced to remain confined in the jungles isolated from the mainstream? – An outlook
The question has been haunting me for long - Should the Jarawas be allowed to join the mainstream or kept isolated from the mainstream? The popular belief being Jarawas should be confined in the jungle for numerous reasons - the prominent being the fear that they may not be able to survive the cultural shock out of the jungle. My travel to N&M Andaman through the Jarawa
such changed scenario can we justify confining
reserve in South Andaman (ATR from Jirkatang
the Jarawas to the jungle prohibiting them from
to Middle Strait) presented an outlook contrary
joining the mainstream. We demand PDS rice,
to the popular belief. I could see male Jarawas
subsidised LPG, Petrol, Diesel etc and advocate
in
Jarawas should not be given the food we eat.
Briefs
(short
underpants)
and
Female
Jarawas in Gowns, lined up on the roadside desperately wanting to join us in the caravan. Few of them waiving hands, others making gestures asking for food. It pains me, because at the start of the journey at Jirkatang, we have had enough food and water, but these jarawas are hungry, pleading for food.
We could not
oblige them since we were lectured not to feed Jarawas with outside food at the check post.
Long back, we human beings were also cave dwellers, hunters, gatherers like Jarawas. With time and freedom, we slowly learnt ways to utilize the natural resources, modified them to meet our needs and made our life comfortable. Had we been prohibited to invent the wheel, could we have achieved the prosperity that we boast of today? I wonder how civilisation could mean so differently for us and the Jarawas. We
A look into the history of these Islands reveals
enjoy all the luxury and comfort of modern
the Jarawas were the first to colonise these
living, being civilised. On the other hand deprive
Islands. How they came to these Islands is not
the Jarawas of basic amenities and want them
clear. Once they landed in these Islands, they
to remain confined in the forests, isolated from
did not have the means to conquer the vast
mainstream, lest their civilization will be lost.
seas surrounding these Islands. They were
We need to appreciate that we settled in these
forced to remain confined in the jungles of
islands by claiming space from the Jarawas and
these islands, isolated from the rest of the world
other tribes. We thus ought to be courteous and
for several millennia. With passing time they
complement them in their efforts to join the
adapted to the Island conditions and thrived on
mainstream.
whatever they could get from the jungles. But
them with the basic skills needed to produce
the situation is not the same anymore.
The
their own food so that they become self
Islands are now well connected to the rest of
sufficient. Lets give them space and time,
the world, with all the modern amenities. Under
change is inevitable. Is anybody listening?
We can contribute by enriching
Debkumar Bhadra, Shore Point, Bambooflat, S Andaman-744107, Email : debkumar_bhadra@yahoo.com