NORTH SENTINEL ISLAND
Can you live a month without any social media or modern gadgets? Never, I can’t live a single day. But there is a group of people in an island with no connection to the modern civilisation. You might wonder in which century are they living. But they are living in the 21st century without knowing how the world around them have been changed.
I’m writing about the people of North Sentinel Island which is one among the Andaman Islands. It is the home to the Sentinelse. This tribe is also known as the most violent and dangerous tribe. The people of Sentinel Island has denied every contact with the outside world. They are very harmful if we try to invade their personal space.
The people of North Sentinel is not immune to many diseases and are not well aware about the cure for illness. Many have tried to make contact with the tribe , but the responses were negative. They have killed two fishermen who illegally crossed the line of restriction i.e, closer than five nautical miles (9.26km). Also a US missionary John Allen Chau in November 2018.
The Indian Government under which the island is has taken necessary measures not to disturb their lifestyle and to not to make the Sentinelese more aggressive by invading to their island. The Andaman and Nicobar Islands Protection of Aboriginal Tribes Act of 1956 prohibits travel to the island and any approach closer than five nautical miles (9.26km) in order to prevent the resident tribes people from contracting diseases to which they have no immunity.
The island is a protected area of India. The area is patrolled by the Indian Navy. In 2018, the Government of India excluded 29 islands - including North Sentinel - from the Restricted Area Permit (RAP) regime until 31 December 2022. In November 2018, the government home ministry stated that the relaxation of the prohibition was intended only to allow researchers and anthropologists, with pre-approved clearance, to visit the Sentinel islands.
The role that the Indian Government playes to protect the island and taking measures not to disturb it’s habitats should be appreciated. I personally hope that we could get a peaceful contact with the Sentinelese and help them with the challenges like no immunity to some diseases. Also we should not try to bring changes in their lifestyle.
-Jancy Jackson
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