London-based group launches tourist boycott of Andamans

A global tribal rights group launched a tourist boycott of the Andaman Islands until the "degrading practice" of conducting 'human safaris' to see the 400-strong Jarawa tribe is stopped.

In a statement, London-based Survival International said that it has written to over 200 travel companies and websites in 11 countries urging them to stop their tours to the Andaman Islands, and will place advertisements targeted at tourists to discourage them from visiting the popular travel destination.

It has asked the 200,000 tourists visiting the islands every year to "stay away" until tourists are banned from the road through the Jarawa's forest and an alternative sea route is put in place. "Survival is also asking members of the public to pledge not to travel to the islands until the demands are met," the statement said.

It alleged that hundreds of tourists from India and around the world travel along the illegal Andaman Trunk Road every day to ogle at members of the Jarawa tribe, treating them like animals in a safari park. Survival has launched a tourism boycott of Andaman Islands until the 'human safaris' to the Jarawa are stopped.

In January, the Supreme Court banned tourists from taking the Andaman-Nicobar Trunk Road that passes through the area where the Jarawas live. The road is used to reach the Limestone Cave. The Court has already banned all commercial and tourism activities within a five-km radius of the Jarawa Tribal Reserve in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

The organisation alleged that "the ban was lifted after the Islands' authorities changed their own regulations in order to let the 'human safaris' continue". Survival's director Stephen Corry said, "The Andaman government is arguing that the road is a necessary lifeline for the north of the islands. It's nonsense: in fact there's no reason for the road. The route by boat is faster, more convenient and cheaper for islanders, so providing an alternative sea route is better for locals, tourists, and the Jarawa alike."