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"The evolution of the tribes may be due to the initial penetration of the northern coastal areas of the <strong>Indian</strong><br />
Ocean by modern humans in their out of Africa migration. Therefore they are the windows to the look into<br />
the past and hence they need to be persevered," he said. (Statesman 17/5/055)<br />
<strong>Indian</strong> tribes linked to African ‘Eve’ (6)<br />
Hyderabad, India, May 19: Two primitive tribes in India's Andaman and Nicobar islands are believed to be<br />
direct descendants of the first humans who migrated from Africa at least 50,000 years ago, according to a<br />
study by <strong>Indian</strong> biologists. A team of biologists at the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology in<br />
Hyderabad studied the DNA of 10 Onge and Great Andamanese people in the <strong>Indian</strong> Ocean archipelago<br />
who lived for tens of thousands of years in "genetic isolation" from other human contact. The findings<br />
suggest the tribes are descended from the "oldest population of the world and were among the first batch<br />
of modern humans to migrate from Africa," said professor Lalji Singh, director of the centre. The tribals<br />
have similar physical features to Africans and their DNA suggests that they have close links with Africa.<br />
Mitochondrial DNA, which is passed maternally and found in every human cell, can be traced to a single<br />
female ancestor who lived about 150,000 to 200,000 years ago. It is believed the descendants of this<br />
"Eve" that all humans claim as their ancestor began migrating out of Africa in batches some 70,000 years<br />
ago. The tribals' DNA is extremely close to the so-called African root gene of the single female ancestor,<br />
Prof. Singh said this week. This made it likely that they migrated from Africa via a sea route 50,000 to<br />
70,000 years ago and have lived "in genetic isolation" since in the Andaman Islands, said Prof. Singh.<br />
(Asian Age 20/5/05)<br />
Tribals of Nicobar get new makeshift shelters (6)<br />
New Delhi: The Nicobarese tribals hit by the tsunami wave last December have made it to their new<br />
temporary shelters, beating the monsoon by a hair's breadth. All the 9,500 temporary shelters were ready<br />
in time for monsoon, which arrived last week. 98% of the refugees have moved into their new abodes.<br />
Those taking time to move are staying in vacant military barracks located on elevated ground. The one<br />
room-kitchen sets with toilets outside are precursors to permanent houses with residential quarters on the<br />
first floor and the ground floor reserved for cattle. But many refugees want the temporary shelters altered<br />
marginally and made permanent, since they are estimated to have a life of 10-15 years, official sources<br />
said. With these shelters in place, the first stage of relief and rehabilitation is over. The Andaman and<br />
Nicobar administration, supported by the Centre, is now embarking on an 18-month programme of<br />
repairing roads and jetties. Government has taken the stand that in view of security considerations on the<br />
islands, it would not receive any foreign fund nor allow any foreign agency to carry out the relief and<br />
rehabilitation tasks. After a phase of criticism at home and abroad, this point of view is better understood<br />
now. However, this places an added responsibility on the Centre that must fully fund the rehab task. This<br />
is being done in the form of compensation money that is already distributed through cheque payments.<br />
(Times of India 21/5/05)<br />
Tribals protest plan to oust them (6)<br />
NEW DELHI: A delegation of tribals under the aegis of Samajwadi Jan Parishad (SJP) arrived here on<br />
Tuesday to convey to the Chairman of the Prime Minister's Tiger Task Force, Sunita Narain, its intense<br />
dissatisfaction with the Government's reported move to relocate them.<br />
According to the delegation, there are plans to relocate up to 50 villages - accounting for some 4,000<br />
families — to create the Satpura Tiger Reserve, For a majority of the villagers, this is the second time they<br />
are being forced to relocate by government authorities. Just two decades ago many of those facing<br />
displacement now were forced to uproot themselves during the construction of the Tawa Reservoir.<br />
Questioning the logic of the relocation plan, the SJP spokesman, Sunil, stressed that the only way to<br />
preserve tigers was to recognise that Adivasis were not a threat to tigers. "After all tigers and Adivasis<br />
have lived side-by-'side for millennia," he said. Pointing the finger of blame at Forest Department officials,<br />
Mr. Sunil warned that "the Adivasis are the only ones who can contain the practices of a corrupt and<br />
irresponsible bureaucracy". Presenting evidence of such practices, a member of the delegation said<br />
resettlement of just one village had resulted in the felling of 50,000 trees in Dobjhirna forest —<br />
dramatically reducing the area available to tigers — and raised pressing questions about the<br />
environmental impact on the region if the Government goes ahead with its plan to move the other 49<br />
villages. Calling upon the Government to listen to the grassroots, the delegates noted that they had<br />
developed a "Cooperative Federation of Tribals" which had successfully coexisted with nature along the
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