Woes of the Giant Leatherback and the Shompen

By Anonymous -

 

The relativity of security explore in the aftermath of a questionable of the Greater Nicobar Island. 

 
The Southernmost tip of India | Indira Point

Any form of interaction is bound by certain limitations. The level of involvement of the actors pushes the relationship to be affected in some way, even to the extent of threatening either's freedom.  Inter-state relations are thus defined by their mutual involvement in each other’s space, thus pushing them safeguard it. This rush to securitize interests and national ideals leads to a collective and relative mobilization, all in defense, of socio-cultural and political resources competing with other states. 

The Greater Nicobar Islands have had a longstanding history of boasting indigenous wildlife, biodiversity and ecology. The southernmost part of the Indian state, it is home to numerous varieties of mangrove vegetation, the native Shompen group, Indira point, the extreme southern tip of India, semi-aquatic flora and fauna, and most importantly the leatherback sea turtle over a stretch of over 900 square kilometers. This rich island is now the center of the Indian government’s plans to commercialize and build a buzzing tourist destination and high-tech trading port on it. It’s draft Environmental Impact Assessment Report filed late last year has attracted attention to being loopy in its survey and research, and many wildlife experts have called out its vague nature of assessment following release.

Leatherback Sea Turtles: Giants of Andaman and Nicobar Islands ...
The Giant Leatherback Turtle has its feeding grounds on the shores of the Great Nicobar Island

 

This development plan as put forward by the NITI Aayog is to sanction developing a transport hub, airport, port and a township with a solar and thermal power plant.  Along with these, there is a vision to economically and strategically exploit the location of the islands to push for better tourist and political growth. This would entail losing close to 150 square kilometers of forest cover and a loss of natural habitat for the wildlife and the natives, a security threat to them in ecological and societal inclusivity sense.[1]

Before we address that, our definition of security and its relative nature must be understood. Sure, the concerns of Nicobar are distantly removed from the military and national defense, it does conflict with those interests of the nation (India). If national security were a thing, and a nation always seeks to secure its own interests, then should the environmental, social and ethical cost be ignored?[2] If we look at the issue at hand through a lens of universality of values, it should only be right that the Nicobar Island be secured by those who inhabit it, and those who have a vested interest in its preservation. Would that mean that the Indian state itself, that is the superstructure the islands come under, be opposed and disregarded? The role played by civil societies and non-governmental agencies in a democracy is of value here, as they push the importance of securing assets of universal importance, ecological, socio-cultural and of ethical human and animal rights. The existing idea of security comes from rising tensions surrounding climate change advocacy and

With the Great Nicobar Biodiversity as the victim of the planned transaction, the native Shompens cannot be dismissed as referents as well. They will be pushed out of their natural land and contained into a particular territory designated to hold them, or forced to move out of their homeland. The apparent threat posed by the government’s plans to commercialize, modernize and effectively capitalize on the island’s resources requires a structured, inclusive and well surveyed response to neutralize it. The rule of law is the only possible tool to combat it, and by utilizing the various previously set environmental benchmarks, terms of reference and public hearings, it is possible to restore a fundamental order and theoretically secure the island. 

The native Shompens have adjusted to a quasi-modern western lifestyle but are wary of their identity and homeland
  

As talked about by Krause and Williams, we need to evolve out of a nationalist (state interest oriented) and military oriented understanding of security and move into a micro, community focused one. As we decentralize this comprehension of security away from that of the state and more into individual issues that require dialogue on security, it will easier to reduce generalization and a migration out of preset norms and practices. The conditions and context that the world is in is changing at a fast rate. This is the reason why mitigating for the security of the Nicobar Islands is so effectively polarizing now than it would’ve been a century ago. A relative definition of security allows us the freedom to think about such encounters in a more holistic manner, and also helps adapt to the ever-changing socio-political backdrop that such encounters occur in.

Acknowledging references

1. Krause, K., & Williams, M. “Security and “Security Studies”: Conceptual Evolution and Historical Trans formation.” The Oxford Handbook of International Security, 13–28. March 2018.

2. Sekhsaria, Pankaj. “‘Inaccuracies, procedural violations’ in Great Nicobar draft environment impact assessment report”. The Hindu. 25th January 2022.

3. Sirur, Simran. “Govt vision for Great Nicobar includes airport & township, some experts think it’s ‘nonsense’”. The Print. 30th January 2022.


[1] Sekhsaria, Pankaj. “‘Inaccuracies, procedural violations’ in Great Nicobar draft environment impact assessment report”. The Hindu. 25th January 2022.

[2]  Krause, K., & Williams, M. “Security and “Security Studies”: Conceptual Evolution and Historical Trans formation.” The Oxford Handbook of International Security, 13–28. March 2018.

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