India: 50,000 Sign To Support Andaman Tribe

12 September 2006

India: 50,000 Sign To Support Andaman Tribe - Sonia Gandhi Receives Petition

Survival has presented a petition with 50,000 signatures in support of the Jarawa tribe to Sonia Gandhi in Delhi and to the Indian High Commission in London.

Buddhist monk Prajnalankar Bhikkhu presented the first 5,000 signatures to Sonia Gandhi's office in Delhi, and Survival's chairman Rafael Runco presented the remaining 45,000 to the Indian High Commission in London today.

The petition, signed by people from all over the world, calls on the government of India to close the road that runs through the Jarawa's land and to prevent poachers, settlers and other outsiders from entering the reserve.

Rafael Runco said today, 'The threat to the Jarawa is very serious. Local settlers are invading the reserve, exploiting the Jarawa and hunting the animals they depend on. Unless the government acts now to prevent this, the Jarawa may be completely wiped out.'

ENDS

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