UN urges Centre to protect primitive Jarawa Tribes

Port Blair, Mar 15 (UNI) The United Nations has urged the Indian government to protect the Jarawa tribe of Andaman Islands by closing Andaman Trunk Road, a highway, running through their land.

''India has been defying the order of its Supreme Court to close the road,'' Survival, an NGO working for tribal people across the world, spokesperson Miriam Ross told newspersons here.

The UN Committee report on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination states that India should protect tribes like Jarawa against encroachments by settlers, poachers, private companies or other third parties.

The Supreme Court in 2002 had passed an order to close the Andaman Trunk Road. Four years have passed but the island's authorities have made no move to close the road, rather they have petitioned the court to revoke its order, Ms Miriam said.

''The UN report also expresses concern that projects like the ATR and the construction of large dams in other parts of India are carried out on the land of these tribals without their consent,'' the spokesperson added.

The report further recommends that India should attend the International Labour Organisation's Convention concerning Indigenous and Tribal People, the key international law on tribal people.

In February 2007, Survival had submitted a report to the UN committee warning that the Jarawa tribe could be 'wiped out' if the Indian government does not protect them.

UNI