THELIGHTOFANDAMANS: Clumsy Investigation

Monday, January 16, 2012

Clumsy Investigation

THE LIGHT OF ANDAMANS | VOL 35 ISSUE 24 | 13 JAN 2012

Clumsy Investigation

By Staff Reporter

Its all fingers and thumbs in the investigation into the Jarawa dance video controversy as proper coordination is not visible among the agencies working for the welfare and protection of Jarawas. Andaman Adim Janjathi Vikas Samiti (AAJVS) is an autonomous body which looks after the Jarawa tribe. Police and Forest Department are the other two agencies who help them in the protection of the tribe as well as their Reserve.

The Administration had announced a probe into the incident with a Deputy Superintendent of Police as its head. When there is a chance of breach on the part of police, AAJVS and Forest, these agencies cannot be part of the investigation. The probe should have been done by an independent agency or commission.

As the police have already initiated the investigation, without any official coordination of other two agencies, there are chances of pointing fingers and blame-game.

Moreover, in a statement issued by the DGP, he has pointed towards a man wearing camouflaged dress, but he did not mention about the role of any army personnel. He may be waiting for concrete evidence.

In the meanwhile, another expose has come to the fore. A complaint was filed with the Directorate of Tribal Welfare by Arvind Rai Sharma on 29 September 2011 regarding circulation of a CD by a tour operator who had used the Jarawas in various poses. It is learnt from the complaint that properly choreographed dances and ramp walk of Jarawas were organised by the videographer. The Directorate had forwarded the complaint to the police for immediate action, which never happened.

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About The Light of Andamans

The Light of Andamans’ was born out of the zeal and determination to fight against the suffocating Kafkaesque atmosphere on the society that existed even after 30 years of Independence under bureaucratic rule. It was a hangover of the ‘Raj’that extended much too long in the Islands.

The Light of Andamans’ was started in 1975. The paper had always been a crusader, taking up the causes that no other newspaper would touch. In doing so, it very often stepped on the toes of the authorities and had to face persecution in the form of denial of advertisements and numerous court cases against it. For a small stint, the publication came to a halt in 2003.

Gezira Publications Private Limited took over the paper in the year 2005 and transferred the title in a bid to revive the second oldest newsmagazine from extinction and also to carry forward the mission.

The Newsmagazine, under the new management, has undergone a sea change both in form and content. It turned into a full-fledged tabloid with 10 pages with plenty of photographs making both pleasing to the eyes and soothing for the mind. “It has acquired a position where it influences the policies in vital matters concerning the development of the islands, protection of aboriginal tribes and addressing the problems of the disadvantaged groups. The newsmagazine is known and appreciated for its bold, free, fair and balanced reporting.”

Late Govinda Raju and his team worked very hard to rebuild the reputation, goodwill and a healthy new image of the newsmagazine brick by brick. After the demise of Mr Raju in 2010, the magazine is now being edited by Zubair Ahmed and published by Basudev Dass. The newsmagazine continues its mission of highlighting policy issues pertaining to the Islands.