Five members of Great Andaman tribe test positive

News: Survival International has called for urgent action following reports that at least five members of the Great Andamanese tribe have tested positive for Covid-19.

Facts:

• Great Andamanese: They are an indigenous people of the Great Andaman archipelago in the Andaman Islands.They are classified as Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group(PVTG).
• Language: They speak Jeru dialect among themselves and their number stands at just 74.
• PVTGs in Andaman: The five PVTGS residing in Andamans are Great Andamanese, Jarwas, Onges, Shompens and North Sentinelese.

Additional Facts:

• Survival International: It is a human rights organisation formed in 1969 that campaigns for the rights of indigenous and/or tribal peoples and uncontacted peoples.
• Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups(PVTGs): It is a government of India classification created with the purpose of enabling improvement in the conditions of certain communities with particularly low development indices.
  • Criteria for identification of PVTGs: a) Pre-agricultural level of technology b) Low level of literacy c) Economic backwardness and d) declining or stagnant population.
  • 75 tribal groups have been categorized as Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups(PVTGs).They reside in 18 States and Union Territory of Andaman & Nicobar Island.