Will North Sentinel Island People Welcome People?
Introduction
North Sentinel Island is located in the Bay of Bengal, which is one of the Andaman Islands. The Andaman Islands are an archipelago, which also includes South Sentinel Island. North Sentinel Island belongs to the South Andaman Administrative district. The district is part of the union of the Indian Territory. So, it is the territory of the Andaman and Nicobar islands.
Isolated Community of North Sentinel Island
One of the most interesting about North Sentinel Island is that it belongs to a community that has kept itself isolated from the world. The North Sentinel belongs to the community of the Sentinelese. They are the indigenous population of the island.
In North Sentinel Island, people isolate themselves from the entire world. They live their life according to the primitive standards of life. Their tribe has no connection with our world. Sentinelese people are the last of the tribal people. They are untouched by modern civilization.
Sentinelese has rejected any contact with the world. They have oftentimes acted violently against the people who had previously tried to enter the Island. So, they live in complete isolation.
How Do They Remain Isolated In This World?
Indian government respects the desire of the islanders to be left alone. According to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands Protection of Aboriginal Tribes Act of 1956, any travel to the North Sentinel Island is forbidden. The Indian government has only undertaken the responsibility of patrolling the area.
Any traveler or ship cannot approach the Island within five nautical miles – which are 9.26 km.
By remote monitoring of the area, the Indian government saves the Sentinelese people from contracting the diseases to which they have not developed an immunity.
Attacks Orchestrated by Islanders
Sentinelese people wish to remain isolated from the modern world. So, whenever they are approached by a stranger, they orchestrate an attack on him. They have repeatedly targeted the vessels that approached them. In these attacks, two people had died; one fisherman in 2008 and a U.S. missionary, John Allen Chau, in 2018.
Will The Island Remain Isolated Always?
From the attitudes of the islanders, it looks like they would not allow anybody to enter the North Sentinel Island. But the Indian government has taken another decision.
In 2018, the Government of India had removed 29 islands from the Restricted Area Permit (RAP) Regime. This status of the island would remain until 31st November 2022. This step was taken to boost the tourism of the country.
The government of India had stated that the prohibition was relaxed with the intent to send anthropologists and researchers to examine the islands including North Sentinel Island. Researchers and anthropologists will be required to obtain pre-approved clearance before going to the island.
Conclusion
The Indian government does not persecute the islanders if they kill intruders. Now, we will see the response of the islanders towards the relaxation of the prohibition. It is yet to see whether islanders allow the researchers and anthropologists inside the North Sentinel Island or not.
