The first of the tribal groups to fall prey to the might of the colonisers were the Great Andamanese.

The impact was so devastating that from a 5,000-strong community, they were reduced to 16. Today, the population of the tribe is 46.

The British attempted to colonise the Andaman Islands in second half of the 18th century but their efforts failed due to an outbreak of malaria. But they made a dent during their second attempt in 1858. The two fought what is known as the Battle of Aberdeen, and obviously, the tribals lost.

The Andamanese planned a counter attack from a camp at Jungleeghat in Port Blair but were routed after a settler, Doodnath Tiwari, working with the Andamanese defected and warned the British about the impending attack.

The British then started a policy of befriending the aboriginals with the former using gifts, including tobacco and opium, to lure the latter. To bring the tribals out of the jungles, the Britishers also built the Andamanese Home in 1863.

The Andamanese Home turned out to be a graveyard for the tribals. None of the more than 150 infants born at the Home survived beyond two years. In less than 40 years of their contact with the settlers, the Andamanese were nearly all gone, with a pneumonia outbreak in 1863, a measles epidemic 14 years later and an influenza in 1896.

In the 1960s, Andaman and Nicobar Islands administration decided to rehabilitate the 19-odd surviving Andamanese on Straight Islands. They were given free ration, free medicine and education and a coconut plantation to keep them gainfully engaged. Slowly, their population started rising. Today, they stand at 46.

However, not all is hunky-dory with them. They say, "the administration is no longer bothered about them. We have been left mid-way. We are struggling for survival. We get little support. All this talk about aid is bunkum." (Hear audio)

The administration, of course, denies the charges and says, "the Andamanese are not willing to work at all. They want everything to happen automatically for them."

Audio: Tribal women Speak their mind

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