In May 2002, the Supreme Court of India passed landmark orders regarding the fragile environment of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and for the protection of the vulnerable tribal communities who critically depend on the forests here for their survival. These include the Jarawas who inhabit the South and Middle Andaman Islands and the Onges of Little Andaman Island. The orders were passed in the T. N Godavarman Case.

These tribal communities have been living in these islands for thousands of years and yet they are the most threatened and exploited group of people here. The exploitation has been in various forms, from taking over of their forests for timber extraction and creation of settlements for outsiders, to policies and plans that have constantly undermined and destroyed their social and cultural systems. The last few decades have also seen the large scale government sponsored immigration into the islands from mainland India, further compromising the rights and resources of the tribal peoples.

The Supreme Court orders passed in May earlier this year, offered an excellent opportunity to correct some of these historical injustices.

There were two key orders of the court in this specific context:
a) For the shutting down of the Andaman Trunk Road (ATR) in those parts that it passes through or along the Jarawa reserve within a period of three months.
b) For the regulation of entry of people to the Islands by declaring the Islands an inner line area within three months to stop further encroachments and rampant immigration into the islands and for the completion of the process of issuing of Islanders I Cards within a period of six months.

The shutting down of the ATR is critical if the small population of the Jarawas and the pristine rainforests of the Jarawa Reserve are to be protected from decimation. Declaration of the Inner Line too is vital if the long-term security of the islands and the tribal peoples' here is to be ensured.

Unfortunately, however, though more than six months have now passed since the Supreme Court orders, the A&N administration has done very little to implement either of the above two. The period of three months that the administration had is long over, and the administration continues to drag its feet.

We believe that the administration is willfully letting off a historical opportunity, one for which they alone will be held responsible. The non-implementation of the orders of the SC by the A&N Administration is not only extremely detrimental for the Jarawas, the Onges and the forests of the islands, it is also in complete disregard of the legal system of the country and a clear violation of the orders of the Supreme Court.

It is indeed shocking that the A&N Administration is continuing in clear and willful disregard of the highest court in the country, an act that can amount to contempt that should be the responsibility of the highest officers in the Administration here.

We also appeal to the Central Empowered Committee (CEC), formed by the SC in the Godavarman case to urgently look into the matter and take necessary action in this regard.

Gam A. Shimray
Coordinator, AICFAIP
On Behalf of the Core Committee members of AICFAIP