by Nava Thakuria
Guwahati: Survival International (SI), a London-based global organization dedicated to the rights of indigenous and tribal peoples, expressed relief after a foreigner was arrested for landing on North Sentinel Island in the Indian Ocean to make contact with the uncontacted Sentinelese people.
Terming the news as deeply disturbing, SI Director Caroline Pearce commented on April 2, 2025, that the concerned Ukrainian-American national, identified as Mykhailo Viktorovych Polyakov, had reached the restricted island.
“It beggars belief that someone could be that reckless and idiotic. This person’s actions not only endangered his own life, but also put the lives of the entire Sentinelese tribe at risk. It’s well known by now that uncontacted peoples have no immunity to common outside diseases like flu or measles, which could completely wipe them out,” said SI Director Pearce. She added that Indian authorities have a legal responsibility to ensure that the Sentinelese are safe from missionaries, social media influencers, and illegal fishermen in their waters.
Local media reports reveal that Polyakov (24) was arrested for illegally entering the North Sentinel shore, part of the greater Andaman and Nicobar Islands, on March 31. According to the concerned police authority, the young tourist arrived in Port Blair on March 26, and the accused (Son of Victor Polyakov, Arizona 85251, USA) intentionally ventured to reach North Sentinel Island from Kurma Dera Beach in the early morning hours of March 29 with a single-seat boat.
He reached the island’s northeastern shore by 10 a.m. and searched for the isolated inhabitants, but reportedly saw none. Even though he waited for an hour and blew a whistle to attract the attention of the Sentinelese in vain, he later landed briefly for five minutes and left some offerings (a coconut and a can of soda) for the inaccessible inhabitants. The Kurma Dera Beach fishermen spotted him in the evening hours, along with GPS equipment and a video camera capturing footage of his visit.
The police are investigating his actual intention to visit the restricted tribal area. It has been revealed that Polyakov attempted to reach the location in October 2023, but he was prevented by the Port Blair hotel staff. Later, in January 2024, he arrived at the Baratang Islands and allegedly filmed the indigenous Jarawa tribe. A police complaint had already been registered against Polyakov under the Foreigners Act 1946 and the Andaman & Nicobar Islands (Protection of Aboriginal Tribes) Amendment Regulation 2012. Polyakov is currently in police custody as the investigation continues.
It may be noted that the Sentinelese, who wish to avoid outsiders, are classified as a particularly vulnerable tribal group (PVTG), and their hostility toward outside elements is well documented. Nearly seven years ago, in 2018, they killed an American missionary, John Allen Chau, for reaching their remote island with the aim of converting the tribe to Christianity. The self-styled adventurer Chau was buried in isolation, and SI appealed to the authorities not to attempt to retrieve his remains to protect the Sentinelese from potential disease transmission.
“Uncontacted indigenous peoples around the world are experiencing the invasion of their lands on a shocking scale. Countless uncontacted peoples in the Amazon are being invaded by loggers and gold miners,” said SI Director Pearce. She added that the uncontacted Shompen of Great Nicobar Island, not far from North Sentinel, will be wiped out if New Delhi proceeds with its plan to transform their island into the “Hong Kong of India.” The common factor in all these cases is governments’ refusal to abide by international law and recognize and protect uncontacted peoples’ territories,” she concluded.
