The article discusses the threat posed by the megaproject in Great Nicobar Island, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, to the island’s unique ecosystem and the Indigenous communities, the Shompen and Nicobarese, who have been living there for millennia. The project is not only a threat to the ecosystem, but also to the languages and cultures of these communities. The article highlights the risks of language extinction, which could result from the displacement of the communities from their ancestral lands. It notes that India, which has over 700 Indigenous communities, is home to a rich linguistic landscape, but 156 languages are already endangered or on the brink of extinction.
The article also references the International Decade of Indigenous Languages (2022-2032) and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (2022), which aim to promote the preservation and revitalization of Indigenous languages and cultures. However, the Indian government’s decision to forge ahead with the project despite opposition from the Indigenous communities is a stark contrast to these global commitments.
The article tells the stories of the Shompen and Nicobarese communities, who have been struggling to maintain their languages and cultures in the face of displacement and ecocide. The author argues that the death of a language is not just the loss of words, but the erasure of an entire way of thinking, perceiving, and interacting with the world. The article concludes that the Great Nicobar megaproject is not just an ecological disaster, but a deliberate act of linguistic and cultural genocide, masquerading as development. The author calls for India to recognize its Indigenous languages and cultures, rather than abandon them, and to work towards preserving the rich diversity of its Indigenous communities.