Social media influencers pose a “new threat” to contactless Indigenous peoples, a charity warned after arresting an American visitor heading to a restricted Indian Ocean island.
Mykhailo Viktorov, 24, allegedly landed on the North Sentinel Island, apparently trying to contact the isolated outpost tribe, filmed his visit and left a can of coke and coconut on the shore.
The International Organization for Survival, which advocates tribal people’s rights, said the so-called behavior endangers the person’s own life and the life of the tribe, calling it “deeply disturbing.”
The United States said it knows and “monitors the situation.”
Police chief HGS Dhaliwal of Andaman and Nicobar Islands told the news agency AFP that “U.S. citizens” had been introduced to the district court and were remanded for three days for “further trial.”
Mr. Dalival was quoted as saying that Mr. Polikov whistled on the island to attract the attention of the tribe for about an hour.
He then landed for about five minutes, leaving behind his product, collecting samples and recording videos.
“A review of his GoPro camera footage showed his entry and landing on the restricted North Sentinel Island,” the police chief told AFP.
It is illegal for foreigners or Indians to travel within 5 km (three miles) to protect those who live there.
According to police, Mr. Polikov visited the area twice – including using an inflatable kayaking last October, before he was stopped by hotel staff.
Indian media reported that the man was arrested earlier this week, telling police he was a “thrill seeker”.
International Survival International says sentries are willing to avoid outsiders Over the years, it has been clearly emphasized that such access poses a threat to communities without immunization of external diseases.
Survival International spokesman Jonathan Mazower told the BBC they fear social media will increase the list of threats for contactless tribal people. Several media reports have linked Mr. Polyakov to his YouTube account, which has videos of a recent trip to Afghanistan.
“In addition to all the more established threats to such peoples – from things like logging and mining in the Amazon where most unparalleled people live, there are now more and more … influencers trying to do this for their followers,” Mr Mazower said.
“The whole idea is getting more and more appealing on social media.”
Survival International describes sentinels as “the world’s most isolated native people” living on islands as large as Manhattan.
Mr Mazower told the BBC that an estimated 200 people belonged to the tribe, then added that it was “impossible” to know its true numbers.
He said there are few details about the group except they are a hunter-gatherer community who live in small settlements and are “very healthy”.
He added that the incident highlights why the government is so important to protect communities such as Sentinels.
United Nations Indigenous and Tribal Peoples Convention It stipulates the government’s obligation to protect its rights. Government of India There is an initiative focused on tribal welfarebut the country is already in trouble Criticism in recent years for failing to prevent evictions.
