Can I film or photograph the Andamanese Negrito?
You better not and if you must, do it on the quiet. Anybody who wishes to photograph or film the Jarawa in the Andamans is courting trouble. There has been strong and justified pressure by the Society for Andaman and Nicobar Ecology (SANE) and other non-governmental organisations to protect the Jarawa from curious tourists, murderous poachers and other intruders. It may be frustrating for tourists if they cannot take a day off from beach life for a snapshot with the Jarawa but it would be no serious loss. As the latest judgment handed down by the Supreme Court in April 2001 (see Appendix N) does indeed make it compulsory for the Jarawa to be left unmolested by tourists in their reservation. That they are molested by government social workers and researchers complete with crowds of servants is another question (see News). The local government has so far only been worried about tourists photographing the Jarawa and the Onge, being less than keen to have its obvious shortcomings documente
