India: As new movie is launched on the Sentinelese, their uncontacted neighbors face destruction

As a Nationwide Geographic documentary in regards to the demise of missionary John Allen Chau by the hands of the uncontacted Sentinelese individuals is launched, campaigners have warned that the approaching destruction of their little-known neighbors, the Shompen, goes unnoticed.

Nice Nicobar Island, residence of the Shompen, is within the southern a part of the identical Indian territory because the Sentinelese. Most Shompen reject contact, however the Indian authorities is planning a large improvement undertaking on the island that may completely wipe them out. It’s believed that a number of the closing clearances for this undertaking are set to be imminently granted.

If the undertaking goes forward, enormous swathes of their distinctive rainforest can be destroyed – to get replaced by a mega-port; a brand new metropolis; a global airport; an influence station; a protection base; an industrial park; and 650,000 settlers – a inhabitants improve of practically 8,000%.

Certainly, the federal government’s intention is to remodel the Shompen’s island into “the Hong Kong of India.”

In addition to the Nationwide Geographic movie, no less than two different movies about Chau and the Sentinelese are in manufacturing.

Fiona Watson, Survival’s Director of Analysis and Advocacy, mentioned right this moment: “From the huge media curiosity in Chau, you would possibly get the impression that the demise of 1 Westerner by the hands of the Sentinelese, who had been defending their lives and land, is value greater than the approaching destruction of a whole Indigenous individuals.

“The Shompen could also be much less well-known than the Sentinelese, however the menace to their survival is much more acute, as hanging over them is the approaching approval of this mega-project. It’s inconceivable to think about that the Shompen will have the ability to survive this overwhelming and catastrophic transformation of their island. The undertaking have to be scrapped now. The Shompen, like uncontacted tribes world wide, are completely depending on their land – if it’s destroyed, so are they.”