UN urges India to suspend Great Nicobar mega-project

The United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) has urged the Indian government to suspend development projects on the Great Nicobar and Andaman Islands. The committee requested a halt until a full and independent study covering environmental, economic, social, cultural, and spiritual impacts is completed.

The proposed $10 billion mega-project includes the construction of a mega-port, a new city, an international airport, a power station, a military base, and an industrial park, which could bring up to 650,000 settlers to the region. Experts warn these developments threaten the survival of the Shompen, an indigenous group living in voluntary isolation on Great Nicobar Island.

In response to the UN, the Indian government admitted that because the Shompen are uncontacted, it was impossible to consult them or obtain their free, prior, and informed consent as required by international law. The committee also expressed concern regarding the practice of evicting indigenous populations to establish tiger reserves, calling for a human rights-based approach to conservation.