Leave Andaman man alone

The Andaman Islands are in the news. It seems that Indian police and military personnel have organised human safaris to observe remote tribal people living there. The islands first came to the attention of the surfing community in 1998 when a group of professional surfers worked several reefs on the islands. Jack Johnson, the Hawaiian more widely known for his cool pop songs, featured Andaman surfing clips in the movie Thicker Than Water which he filmed and for which he recorded the soundtrack. The islands were also featured in the Sherlock Holmes novel The Sign of The Four. We have recently seen the 1987 TV adaptation with Jeremy Brett as the great detective. It starred a savage-looking Andaman islander who shot poisoned darts, one of which ended up in Holmes' scarf. When I was studying economics at university we often used to debate whether 'civilised people' should interfere with and try to change 'indigenous people.' Who says that local tribes living remotely and out of contact with the mainstream world aren't happy? Once exposed to modern society the chances are their ancient cultures will be destroyed. The QSL is from All India Radio, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, broadcasting from Port Blair on 60mb, heard on a DXpedition to Sheigra, north-west Scotland in 1996. One of the classics signed by A.K. Bhatnagar. It was always a thrill when one of these postcards turned up in the mail.