One of the world's most ancient societies has been given a legal
buffer zone to guard it from the modern world. India's Supreme
Court has banned all commercial and tourism activity near their
habitat in the country's remote Andaman and Nicobar islands in
the Indian Ocean. The ruling bars hotels and resorts from
operating within a three-mile buffer zone around the Jarawa
reserve, which is home to the Jarawa tribal people. The order
means resorts that had opened nearby will have to close. The
Jarawas are among the world's most ancient people, with many
still hunting with bows and arrows and rubbing stones together
to make fire. Scientists believe they were among the first
people to migrate from Africa to Asia around 70,000 years ago.
Jarawas did not have any contact with government authorities
until 1996 and did not begin leaving their habitat until a few
years ago, when they began moving out of the reserve in small
groups for a brief while before returning. Scientists say there
are around 320 Jarawa tribespeop