Posted on 01/03/2005 11:04:53 PM PST by LibWhacker
An Indian helicopter dropping food and water over the remote Andaman and Nicobar Islands has been attacked by tribesmen using bows and arrows.
There were fears that the endangered tribal groups had been wiped out when massive waves struck their islands.
But the authorities say the attack is a sign that they have survived.
More than 6,000 people there are confirmed as either dead or missing, but thousands of others are still unaccounted for.
The Indian coastguard helicopter was flying low over Sentinel Island to drop aid when it came under attack.
Dozens of tribesmen fired bows and arrows at the helicopter, a traditional warning that outsiders aren't welcome.
A senior police officer said the crew weren't hurt and the authorities are taking it as a sign that the tribes haven't been wiped out by the earthquake and sea surges as many had feared.
The Andaman and Nicobar archipelago is home to several primitive tribes, some so isolated that they are still stuck in the stone age.
Officials believe they survived the devastation by using age-old early warning systems.
They might have run to high ground for safety after noticing changes in the behaviour of birds and marine wildlife.
Scientists are examining the possibility to see whether it can be used to predict earth tremors in future.
I dodn`t know they had liberals on that island. Shoot the help.
Tell that guy that he's either part of the solution or part of the precipitate.
Shoot the help, this is like the immediate reaction of the UN. "The US is stingy"
ROTFL!!!
About 800-something years ago ason Kyomori Taira noted that it is gratitude that distinguishes the man from the beast. (See "Taira monogatari" book for the quote). These tribesmen do not pass the test.
Give em a taste of a 50 caliber machine gun........I've no sympathy for foolishness at this point.
Iron-tipped arrows? This begs a few questions. Where do they get the iron from? How did they discover the smelting of iron? Do they use iron for any other purpose?
Maybe they are scared of the giant flying metal bird? They may just be reacting to xeno-phobic tendancies. Like what you see when you say "burrito" on many threads on this site.
Oh I see, they're moslems!
Well, you see they were hungry.
This tribe is a bunch of paleolithic hunter/gatherers. Along comes the biggest f'ing bird they have *ever* seen . . . if they can catch it, and it is edible, why, they will feast like kings!
The Age Old System (TM): When you feel an earthquake, see the tides receding, and the animals going bananas... well, it is time to run like hell.
"An Indian helicopter"
The Andaman Islanders aren't so keen on foreigners. A good history of theirs:
http://www2.db.dk/pe/Andaman.htm
Addresses some of the reasons why.
A senior police officer said the crew weren't hurt and the authorities are taking it as a sign that the tribes haven't been wiped out by the earthquake and sea surges as many had feared.
Sounds logical.
"The God's Must Be Crazy"
I love that movie.
They obviously knew it was an Indian chopper and assumed its war bonneted occupants were similarly armed.
"Journalist speak with forked tongue".
(Lone Ranger-Tonto, we are surrounded by Indians!
Tonto- What you mean we, paleface?);-)
"Is that kinda like running out of bullets and throwing the gun? Or maybe they were holding on to the wrong part? Hmmm...."
LOL! By Jove, I think we've got it ;-)
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