In short:
Indian police have arrested an American man who visited a restricted island and left offerings to a tribe not contacted by the modern world.
Mykhailo Polyakov had previously made two unsuccessful attempts to reach North Sentinel Island, home of the Sentinelese people.
What’s next?
Local authorities say he has been released on a three-day remand “for further interrogation”.
He left them a coke can? That feels like peak 1980s jingoism.
I really, really hope he will get prison time for this.
What a piece of garbage.
LEAVE THE SENTINELESE ALONE. They obviously don’t want to be contacted and corrupted by the outside world and I can’t blame at all. The only people they hurt are invaders to their island. The Indian Government is right to protect their isolation.
Scum
I’m really conflicted on this uncontacted tribe stuff. The ethicical discussion leans towards preserving them. I don’t know that seems pretty messed up. I guess we should respect their wishes to be left alone, but damn.
You’re conflicted how exactly?
I appreciate the idea of conservation and respecting their desire to be left alone. But what about individuals? Perhaps some dream of going out into the world but societal pressure holds them back? What about some dying of illness that we find trivial to cure? I love TNG but is the prime directive really the best way to approach things? I really have no idea.
Thankfully anthropologists, ethicists and legal scholars do have some idea. And they all say stay the fuck away.
Since you are presenting yourself as being familiar with the subject: why?
Edit: shout out to the one guy downvoting me for asking for a coherent explanation…which the other guy helpfully provided. Your opinion is noted.
Survival International - Why Uncontacted Tribes Should Be Left Alone
UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples - Right to self-determination, right to live free from interference, right to live free of violence or genocide, right to territory.
The Guardian - David Hill - Scientists must let world’s most isolated tribes make own decisions
