#shompen

[no-passaran]

Genocide experts warn that India is about to genocide the Shompen people

Who are the Shompen?

The Shompen are an indigenous culture that lives in the Great Nicobar Island, which is nowadays owned by India. The Shompen and their ancestors are believed to have been living in this island for around 10,000 years. Like other tribes in the nearby islands, the Shompen are isolated from the rest of the world, as they chose to be left alone, with the exception of a few members who occasionally take part in exchanges with foreigners and go on quarantine before returning to their tribe. There are between 100 and 400 Shompen people, who are hunter-gatherers and nomadic agricultors and rely on their island's rainforest for survival.

Why is there risk of genocide?

India has announced a huge construction mega-project that will completely change the Great Nicobar Island to turn it into "the Hong Kong of India".

Nowadays, the island has 8,500 inhabitants, and over 95% of its surface is made up of national parks, protected forests and tribal reserve areas. Much of the island is covered by the Great Nicobar Biosphere Reserve, described by UNESCO as covering “unique and threatened tropical evergreen forest ecosystems. It is home to very rich ecosystems, including 650 species of angiosperms, ferns, gymnosperms, and bryophytes, among others. In terms of fauna, there are over 1800 species, some of which are endemic to this area. It has one of the best-preserved tropical rain forests in the world.”

The Indian project aims to destroy this natural environment to create an international shipping terminal with the capacity to handle 14.2 million TEUs (unit of cargo capacity), an international airport that will handle a peak hour traffic of 4,000 passengers and that will be used as a joint civilian-military airport under the control of the Indian Navy, a gas and solar power plant, a military base, an industrial park, and townships aimed at bringing in tourism, including commercial, industrial and residential zones as well as other tourism-related activities.

This project means the destruction of the island's pristine rainforests, as it involves cutting down over 852,000 trees and endangers the local fauna such as leatherback turtles, saltwater crocodiles, Nicobar crab-eating macaque and migratory birds. The erosion resulting from deforestation will be huge in this highly-seismic area. Experts also warn about the effects that this project will have on local flora and fauna as a result of pollution from the terminal project, coastal surface runoff, ballasts from ships, physical collisions with ships, coastal construction, oil spills, etc.

The indigenous people are not only affected because their environment and food source will be destroyed. On top of this, the demographic change will be a catastrophe for them. After the creation of this project, the Great Nicobar Island -which now has 8,500 inhabitants- will receive a population of 650,000 settlers. Remember that the Shompen and Nicobarese people who live on this island are isolated, which means they do not have an immune system that can resist outsider illnesses. Academics believe they could die of disease if they come in contact with outsiders (think of the arrival of Europeans to the Americas after Christopher Columbus and the way that common European illnesses were lethal for indigenous Americans with no immunization against them).

And on top of all of this, the project might destroy the environment and the indigenous people just to turn out to be useless and sooner or later be abandoned. The naturalist Uday Mondal explains that “after all the destruction, the financial viability of the project remains questionable as all the construction material will have to be shipped to this remote island and it will have to compete with already well-established ports.” However, this project is important to India because they want to use the island as a military and commercial post to stop China's expansion in the region, since the Nicobar islands are located on one of the world's busiest sea routes.

Last year, 70 former government officials and ambassadors wrote to the Indian president saying the project would “virtually destroy the unique ecology of this island and the habitat of vulnerable tribal groups”. India's response has been to say that the indigenous tribes will be relocated "if needed", but that doesn't solve the problem. As a spokesperson for human rights group Survival International said: “The Shompen are nomadic and have clearly defined territories. Four of their semi-permanent settlements are set to be directly devastated by the project, along with their southern hunting and foraging territories. The Shompen will undoubtedly try to move away from the area destroyed, but there will be little space for them to go. To avoid a genocide, this deadly mega-project must be scrapped.”

On 7 February 2024, 39 scholars from 13 countries published an open letter to the Indian president warning that “If the project goes ahead, even in a limited form, we believe it will be a death sentence for the Shompen, tantamount to the international crime of genocide.”

How to help

The NGO Survival International has launched this campaign:

From this site, you just need to add your name and email and you will send an email to India's Tribal Affairs Minister and to the companies currently vying to build the first stage of the project.

Share it with your friends and acquittances and on social media.

Sources:

India’s plan for untouched Nicobar isles will be ‘death sentence’ for isolated tribe, 7 Feb 2024. The Guardian.

‘It will destroy them’: Indian mega-development could cause ‘genocide’ and ‘ecocide’, says charity, 8 Feb 2024. Geographical.

Genocide experts call on India's government to scrap the Great Nicobar mega-project, Feb 2024. Survival International.

The container terminal that could sink the Great Nicobar Island, 20 July 2022. Mongabay.

[Maps] Environmental path cleared for Great Nicobar mega project, 10 Oct 2022. Mongabay.

[faircatch]

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Survival International (@survivalinternational)

via: survivalinternational Uncontacted tribal people on an Indian island face genocide in the name of 'mega development'. The Shompen, one of Earth's most isolated tribes, are at risk of being wiped out for a 'Hong Kong of India' project.

Watch this video made by @fairplanet_ (on Instagram) in collaboration with Survival.

Take Action: svlint.org/ShompenIG

[skyprowler]

A spokesperson for human rights group Survival International said: “The Shompen are nomadic and have clearly defined territories. Four of their semi-permanent settlements are set to be directly devastated by the project, along with their southern hunting and foraging territories.

“The Shompen will undoubtedly try to move away from the area destroyed, but there will be little space for them to go. To avoid a genocide, this deadly mega-project must be scrapped.”

The $9bn (£7bn) port project, planned to transform the Indian Ocean island of 8,000 inhabitants into what has been called the “Hong Kong of India”, includes the construction of an international shipping terminal, airport, power plant, military base and industrial park. It will also develop tourism

[indianexpalert]

India Has Not Learnt its Lessons from the Bhopal Gas Tragedy

For reasons I cannot quite explain, there are two things I remember distinctly about 1984 even though I was only in my early teens then. The first is a visit to my grandmother’s in Calcutta (now Kolkata) for our annual Diwali sojourn. The annual, sometimes biannual, train journey across the breadth of the country from home in Poona (now Pune) to the city of a grandmother, many uncles and aunts,…

[global-newz]

Concerns Over India's "Hong Kong-Like" Development Project on Great Nicobar Islan

India’s ambitious development project on Great Nicobar Island, proposed to transform the remote region into a "Hong Kong-like" hub, has raised significant concerns among environmentalists and indigenous tribes. This $9 billion initiative, designed to include a transshipment harbor, power plant, airport, and township, aims to strengthen India’s position in global trade. Located near the crucial Strait of Malacca, the project is positioned to boost international commerce and tourism, potentially housing over 650,000 residents by its completion in 30 years. However, the development has sparked fears of ecological destruction and cultural loss for the island’s indigenous communities, especially the Shompen tribe, a nomadic group living in isolation.

Environmentalists warn that the project threatens to devastate the island’s fragile rainforests, home to rare species of flora and fauna, with over 900,000 trees potentially being cleared. The impact on local wildlife, including sea turtles and saltwater crocodiles, is also a major concern. Additionally, experts fear that the project could expose uncontacted tribes like the Shompen to diseases, jeopardizing their survival. Despite government assurances of environmental safeguards, many remain unconvinced, worrying that the development could irreparably alter the region’s delicate balance between nature and its indigenous cultures.

The development also evokes memories of the 2004 tsunami disaster, which displaced the Nicobarese tribe, and concerns that the project may push the island's tribes to the brink of extinction. As India moves forward with the plan, the tension between progress and preservation grows, with the future of both the environment and the island’s indigenous populations hanging in the balance.

[tiredguyswag]

hi! i was wondering if I could ask for resources regarding indian history and indian politics in general.

i have been blissfully unaware of most of the things happening in my country and coming across your blog made me realize how much I don't know, so i was wondering if you about resources to help educate myself and come to the right conclusions! thank you!!

I appreciate the drive to educate yourself! Here's some reading material and books for you:

Annihilation Of Caste- Dr. B.R. Ambedkar

This post by @timetravellingkitty has lots of reading material on Kashmir, including multiple perspectives.

This post has other links as well as videos on Kashmir

The Politics Of Culture- Aijaz Ahmad [it's only a few pages, a quick read]

Kancha Ilaiah Shepherd's website + writings

Google Doc on anti-hindutva resources and books made by @meerawrites

Khaki Shorts, Saffron Flags

BrownHistory on instagram and substack (substack is paywalled though)

As for news sources I'd recommend SabrangIndia, MaktoobMedia and the Wire as a good news source, always try to back up your news from independent Indian news sources. TOI and The Hindu aren't very reliable.

i have PDFs for Mafia Queens Of Mumbai (history) and Recasting Caste but you'll have to message me on discord for that lmao. I don't have them as links

SIGN THE PETITION TO HELP THE SHOMPEN- YOU DON'T NEED TO BE INDIAN TO DO THIS

is there anything specific you're looking for?

[tchaikovskymacy]

regarding the construction project in India of completely changing Andaman Nicobar Island to 'Hong Kong' by ruining the ecosystem, and threatening the lives of the Indigenous, shompen living there. and then the tribal minister manages to comment something like this

like? if it weren't threatening the ecosystem and the people why would 39 scholars and 13 countries worldwide warn you? They are clearly evil in justifying their future actions and trying to continue the project. And the media is up to no good, they are busy writing shit and soaked up in celebrities' lives instead of actually covering what should be covered.

Here is the NGO link to help stop this PROJECT.

[hongtonie]

reading up a bit more on the plan that the indian gvmt has to build on (aka destroy the local flora and fauna of) the great nicobar island that has the potential to begin a genocide on the shompen people and endanger other indigenous peoples and it’s just so infuriating that we’re witnessing 3+ genocides right now and experts are warning about another. like i don’t have the words for how angering it is ESPECIALLY because the people in high places of power don’t fucking care to do anything about it. i’m hoping this plan won’t come to fruition but honestly i don’t have much or any faith in governments or organizations like the un to stop or prevent it anymore

[no-passaran]

Do you have 1 minute? Add your name, surname and email to send a pre-written email to India's Tribal Affairs Minister, other Indian government ministers, and the companies vying to build the project:

[enterprisewired]

Fears Mount Over India’s ‘Hong Kong’ Development on Great Nicobar Island

https://enterprisewired.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/EW-Source-chloghumighumi.com_.jpg

Source: chloghumighumi.com

Share Post:

LinkedIn

Twitter

Facebook

Reddit

Pinterest

A Project of Promise and Peril

India’s ambitious Great Nicobar project to transform the island into a ‘Hong Kong-like’ hub has sparked a wave of apprehension among local communities and environmentalists. With a budget of ₹720 billion ($9 billion), the project spans 166 sq km and includes a transshipment harbor, an airport, a power plant, and a new township. Strategically located near the busy Strait of Malacca, the development is poised to enhance India’s position in international trade and counter China’s growing influence in the Indian Ocean.

The government anticipates the island’s population will grow to 650,000 over the next 30 years, turning it into a bustling trade and tourism center. However, the project’s promise of economic growth is shadowed by fears of profound cultural and ecological disruption. The Andaman and Nicobar Islands, a federally administered territory of 836 islands, are home to some of the world’s most vulnerable indigenous tribes and delicate ecosystems.

Threats to Indigenous Communities and Culture

The indigenous Shompen tribe, numbering around 400, faces existential threats as the Great Nicobar project encroaches on their forested habitats. Known for their nomadic lifestyle, the Shompen rely on the island’s natural resources for survival, maintaining minimal contact with the outside world. Anthropologist Anice Justin, who has studied the island since 1985, warns that development could irrevocably alter their way of life. “The Shompen people do not have the means to survive in an industrial world,” he says, fearing they could meet the same fate as the Nicobarese, another local tribe displaced by the 2004 tsunami.

International experts have echoed these concerns, labeling the project a potential “death sentence” for the Shompen. Apart from cultural disruption, the introduction of diseases to which these tribes have no immunity poses a grave risk. According to Callum Russell of Survival International, uncontacted tribes typically lose two-thirds of their population after exposure to external diseases.

Environmental Costs and Ecological Risks

Great Nicobar Island, 80% of which is covered by rainforests, is a biodiversity hotspot, home to over 1,800 animal species and 800 flora species. The government has assured that only 14% of the island—130 sq km—will be cleared for the project. However, environmentalists argue that the scale of tree felling, pollution, and infrastructure development will have cascading effects on the entire ecosystem.

Marine ecosystems are also under threat. Galathea Bay, a vital nesting ground for the endangered giant leatherback sea turtles, is at risk of habitat destruction. The government has claimed these areas will remain undisturbed, but experts like Dr. Manish Chandi warn that numerous other species, including saltwater crocodiles and fish, could face habitat loss. Plans to relocate coral reefs have also raised skepticism among ecologists.

Madhav Gadgil, an ecologist, cautions that the long-term impact of pollution and habitat destruction from the Great Nicobar project is often underestimated. “Infrastructure development impacts the entire habitat, not just the area directly affected by construction,” he says.

Balancing Progress with Preservation

Despite assurances from India’s Environment Minister, Bhupendra Yadav, that the project includes rigorous environmental safeguards, critics remain unconvinced. Local communities and experts fear the irreversible loss of biodiversity and the disintegration of indigenous cultures.

As the Great Nicobar project unfolds over the next three decades, its potential to reshape Great Nicobar Island stands at a crossroads. Advocates of the development argue that it could drive economic growth and strengthen India’s global trade footprint. However, for the island’s tribes and ecosystems, the stakes are immeasurably high.

[faircatch]

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Survival International (@survivalinternational)

via: survivalinternational

ALERT: 300 Shompen people - most uncontacted - live on an island in the Indian Ocean.

Their rainforest home is about to be destroyed by a plan to turn their island into "the Hong Kong of India"

Act: svlnt.org/ShompenIG

[sandhyaresidency]

Journey from Port Blair to Havelock: Top Hotels in Andaman for a Comfortable Stay

The Andaman Islands are a perfect getaway for travelers seeking natural beauty and tranquility. One of the most popular routes in this tropical paradise is the journey from Port Blair to Havelock Island. This route not only offers stunning views but also connects two of the most prominent destinations in the Andamans.

Port Blair to Havelock Distance

The distance between Port Blair and Havelock Island is approximately 70 kilometers. The journey can be made via ferry or helicopter. Ferries are the most common mode of transportation, offering both government and private services. The ferry ride takes about 2 to 3 hours, providing a scenic journey across the azure waters of the Bay of Bengal. Helicopter services, on the other hand, take about 20 minutes and are perfect for those looking to save time while enjoying aerial views of the islands.

Best Hotels in Andaman

After a delightful journey, finding the right accommodation is crucial for a pleasant stay. Here are some of the best hotels in Andaman that cater to various preferences and budgets:

1. Sandhya Residency, Port Blair

Sandhya Residency is a highly recommended budget hotel in Port Blair. Conveniently located near the beach, it offers comfortable rooms with essential amenities. The hotel’s proximity to major attractions makes it an ideal choice for travelers who wish to explore the city without breaking the bank.

2. Symphony Palms Beach Resort, Havelock

Located on the picturesque Havelock Island, Symphony Palms Beach Resort provides a serene environment with beachfront views. The resort offers well-appointed cottages and rooms, ensuring a relaxing stay amidst natural beauty.

3. SeaShell, Havelock

SeaShell Havelock is known for its excellent service and beautiful surroundings. The resort features spacious rooms with modern facilities, a swimming pool, and a multi-cuisine restaurant. It’s an excellent choice for those looking for a blend of comfort and luxury.

4. Fortune Resort Bay Island, Port Blair

Fortune Resort Bay Island, part of the renowned ITC group, offers a splendid view of the Bay of Bengal. Located in Port Blair, this resort is known for its excellent hospitality, comfortable rooms, and delectable dining options.

5. Barefoot at Havelock

For an eco-friendly experience, Barefoot at Havelock is the place to be. Set amidst lush greenery, the resort offers a unique blend of rustic charm and modern comfort. It’s perfect for nature lovers looking to stay close to the beach.

Budget Hotels in Port Blair Near the Beach

For those traveling on a budget, Port Blair has several options that offer good value for money. Sandhya Residency is a prime example, providing clean and comfortable Andaman hotel near the beach. Other notable budget-friendly hotels include Hotel Shompen and Hotel Blue Mmarlin, both of which offer convenient access to local attractions and beaches.

Andaman and Nicobar Packages

Many travel agencies like TryTrabby offer comprehensive Andaman and Nicobar tour packages that include accommodations, transportation, and guided tours. These packages are tailored to suit different budgets and preferences, making it easier for travelers to explore the islands without any hassle. Whether you’re looking for a luxurious stay or a budget-friendly trip, these packages provide great value and convenience.

In conclusion, the journey from Port Blair to Havelock Island is a memorable experience, enhanced by the beautiful landscapes and tranquil waters of the Andaman Islands. With a range of hotels to choose from, travelers can find the perfect accommodation to suit their needs and make their stay truly enjoyable.