The recent visit by India’s president to Great Nicobar Island has raised concerns about the potential extinction of the indigenous Shompen tribe due to a multi-billion dollar development project. The government plans to transform the island into a shipping hub and tourist destination, which experts warn could be a “death sentence” for the Shompen people. The tribe, numbering between 100 to 400 individuals, are nomadic hunter-gatherers living in the island’s rainforest, isolated from the outside world to maintain their unique way of life.
However, the proposed project envisions a massive increase in population on the island, threatening the lands and livelihood of the Shompen. The experts, including Dr. Mark Levene, have cautioned that any contact with outsiders could lead to a population collapse among the Shompen due to their lack of immunity to external diseases. Even the government’s own report acknowledges the risk to the tribe’s existence posed by environmental changes.
Despite these warnings and international outcry, the Indian government is determined to proceed with the development plans, which include the construction of a town, shipping port, airport, and power plant. The government argues that the project will enhance economic growth and challenge China’s influence in the region, emphasizing improved quality of life for the residents.
Survival International and other advocacy groups have condemned the project as a threat to the survival of the Shompen tribe and the unique ecology of Great Nicobar Island. They continue to call for the abandonment of the scheme to protect the indigenous community from extinction. The fate of the Shompen tribe hangs in the balance as the government remains firm on its decision to push forward with the controversial project.
