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The Andaman and Nicobar Islands are pretty isolated and the tribes that inhabit them have only erratic contact with their nominal national government (India) or, indeed, any other group of people. In what sounds like a throw-back to a nineteenth century narrative, a white Christian missionary (a U.S. citizen to be precise) has been killed on North Sentinel Island, home a tribe of a scarcely more that a dozen people dubbed 'Senitelese'. The last census had their population at fifteen (twelve men, three women), but this was carried out from a distance as they tend to attack outsiders on sight and may be inaccurate.
The twenty-seven year old victim has been named as Allen Chau, an Asian American who supposedly violated local law and the terms of his tourist visa in order to preach to the natives. The local fishermen who facilitated the visit in contravention of a prohibition on travel to the island have also been arrested, and it is from their accounts alone that murder has been supposed.
Apparently there is no legal framework for prosecution even if the killing is proved beyond doubt.
There's been plenty of coverage:
The twenty-seven year old victim has been named as Allen Chau, an Asian American who supposedly violated local law and the terms of his tourist visa in order to preach to the natives. The local fishermen who facilitated the visit in contravention of a prohibition on travel to the island have also been arrested, and it is from their accounts alone that murder has been supposed.
Apparently there is no legal framework for prosecution even if the killing is proved beyond doubt.
There's been plenty of coverage:
The island group is about 850 miles (1,370 kilometers) east of the Indian subcontinent.
There are 572 islands in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands territory, only three dozen of which are inhabited. The territory has a population of nearly 380,000, according to India's 2011 census.
The 2011 survey only spotted 15 Sentinelese on their island -- the count was done from a distance due to the danger in approaching the tribe. In the 2001 census, the total population was estimated to be 39.
India has designated five indigenous tribal groups in the territory as "particularly vulnerable" due to the loss of sustaining resources and customs.
India's Ministry of Tribal Affairs has said that, with regard to Sentinelese tribes, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands administration "has adopted an 'eyes-on and hands-off' policy to ensure that no poachers enter into the island."
[...]
"According to the fishermen, they used a wooden boat fitted with motors to travel to the island on November 15," Pathak said.
"The boat stopped 500-700 meters (1,640 - 2,300 ft) away from the island and (the American missionary) used a canoe to reach the shore of the island. He came back later that day with arrow injuries. On the 16th, the (tribespeople) broke his canoe.
"So he came back to the boat swimming. He did not come back on the 17th; the fishermen later saw the tribespeople dragging his body around."
Source:
More details on the Senitelese:
According to SP Deepak Yadav, Chau contacted some fishermen in order to reach the North Sentinel Island. A group of seven fishermen agreed to help and took to a forest located on the island.
The fishermen stayed away, but Chau ventured deep into the jungle. This was on November 14.
The fishermen later saw Chau being attacked with arrows. "He was attacked by arrows but he continued walking," news agency AFP reported, quoting sources. Local fishermen also saw the Sentinelese tying Chu's body to a rope and dragged it along the ground.
The CID SP, Deepak Yadav, told India Today TV, "One of the fishermen saw Chau's body getting buried by the tribals. Chau was killed with an arrow."
Yadav said that authorities are still trying to recover Chau's body. "We did an aerial sortie yesterday to assess the situation," Yadav said.
The most obvious huddle in recovering Chau's body is the Sentinelese fiercely oppose outside contact -- so much so that once when a helicopter hovered above them to check on their health, they shot arrows at it (more on that later).
Yadav also said that a "strong case" has been registered against the fishermen, "who should not have taken Chau there."
"It's very unfortunate. It's a sensitive tribe living in that area for 60,000 years. They should not be contacted," Yadav said. "They could be prone to diseases from outside world. The Coast Guard and Indian Navy carry out patrolling to prevent people from entering."
The North Sentinel Island, where Chau's body is still lying, is home to the Sentinelese, an indigenous tribe that furiously rejects outside contact.
The Indian law protects the Sentinelese people, whose number is estimated to be under 50. They famously do not use money.
They cannot be prosecuted and any contact with them or entry into areas inhabited by them is illegal.
Even taking videos of the Sentinelese people is prohibited. In 2017, the government had clarified that the Sentinelese are identified as an "aboriginal tribe" and that videos showing them cannot be uploaded on social media or the internet.
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