THELIGHTOFANDAMANS: Illegal Entry into Reserve to Film Jarawas: Case Filed Against Foreigners and Karen Men

Monday, October 20, 2014

Illegal Entry into Reserve to Film Jarawas: Case Filed Against Foreigners and Karen Men

Illegal Entry into Reserve to Film Jarawas:

Case Filed Against Foreigners and Karen Men

By Staff Reporter

In the recent incident of foreigners illegal entry into the Jarawa territory and filming a documentary, Organic Jarawa, cognizance has been taken of the offence based on the complaint lodged by the Andaman Adim Janjati Vikas Samiti (AAJVS), and an FIR has been registered at Mayabunder Police Station on 19 October 2014 under sections 7/8 PAT Regulations 1956, 8(4)/8(B) PAT Amendment Reg. 2012 and 67 IT Act 2010, 3(1)(2) IT Act and 14(A) Foreigners Amendment Act 2004 RN Para 3 of FRA Order 1963.

As per the information provided by a few Jarawas namely Mamul, Modele, Kumar Tatiwenda and Thenga based near Parlobjig No. 10, Kadamtala, Middle Andaman, two foreigner men and a women had entered the Modele Chadda, a Jarawa Camp near Lewis Inlet Bay on West Coast during the last Todala season (March-April 2014) by using a Engine Wooden Dinghie. The foreigners were accompanied by four Karen men namely Bada Sheer (large headed), Uli, Gullu ka Ladka and Natia (dwarf fellow).

The foreigners - Alexandre Dereims and Claire Beilvert, Director and Producer of "Organic Jarawa", a documentary film under post-production expected to be released in 2015 were accompanied by the Karen men and stayed in the Jarawa habitat for one night and day and had engaged in filming the Jarawa men, women and children.

The filmmakers who had illegally entered into the Jarawa Reserve had used many Jarawa families - Ape, Naru, Utta, Muktona, Tete, Chaluhe, Telo, Tahi, Mamul and Modele as cast for filming the documentary.

The accused had provided the Jarawa with sacks of rice, cooking oil, biscuits and other ration materials in lieu of the cooperation extended for the filming process. The complaint also mentions that the Karens were helping the foreigners as interpreters.

As per the FIR, the perpetrators without permission of any competent authority made the video film and interacted with the Jarawas in violation of the provisions under A&N Islands (Protection of Aboriginal Tribes).

The police with the help of AAJVS is investigating the case to ascertain the identities of the Karen men, mentioned by the Jarawa. Two Karen men were identified by the Jarawa today.

According to official sources, the foreigners had stayed at a resort in Mayabunder on 8 March 2014 and checked out on 10 March 2014. Sources informed LOA that foreigners had moved from Mayabunder towards the Modele Chadda with the local support of Karen men.

As per the information available on the website of the filmmakers, they had visited the Jarawa Reserve and met the Jarawas several times during the last three years.

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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.