American YouTuber is facing prison after trying to contact the world’s most isolated tribe

Another influence on social media in the United States has done something dumb – and incredibly disrespectful.

In March, youtuber named Mihail Victorovic Polyakov, who published under the name Neorientist, tried to interact illegally with a protected group of root people called Sentinels, according to A a statement by Survival International, an organization that advocates the rights of the indigenous and tribal people. Sentinels are one of the most isolated indigenous people in the world, according to the organization, which means that contact with outsiders can lead to the spread of devastating diseases in their communities.

Sentineles live on the wooded Manhattan island for the North Sentinel in the Indian Ocean and cruelly oppose contact with all foreigners. After repeated attempts to contact Sentinel in the 70s, 80s and 90s, they ended with violence -and in some cases death -the Indian government stopped trying to make friends with them, according to Survival International. It is currently – and unambiguously – ILLEGAL to visit the island of North Sentinel.

But this does not seem to apply to Polyakov, who landed on the island long enough to leave coconut and canned from a car and fortunately did not see any of Sentinese. The Indian authorities have arrested him and now YouTuber is facing a possible prison.

“In reckless attempt to attract attention to social media, his illegal actions could erase all Sentinely guards by introducing new diseases, such as the flu to which they have no immunity,” the international statement of survival said.

In fact, contact with outsiders has previously discouraged isolated root communities. The population of the people of the Ang who inhabited the nearby island of Andaman, the island, decreased by 85% After the arrival of British colonists and Indian settlers, according to Survival International. The great Andaman peoples suffered even more drastic consequences: their population decreased by 99% After forced contact.

Polyakov could also be killed. Even if he receives a sentence in prison, his violation will still have a more happily end than that of John Allen ChauA missionary from the United States, who in 2018 illegally visited the island of North Sentinel in an attempt to evangelize its inhabitants and was eventually killed by Sentineze.

Very little is known about Sentinese. What we know comes from observations conducted by boats floating beyond the scope of Sentineles shooters, as well as very few interactions that are not raised in violence – for example, as in 1991, when Sentineles accepted gifts from Indian officials, the statement explains.

Sentineles seems to maintain their lifestyle in tropical forests by hunting, collecting and fishing for boats similar to canoe and living either in large municipal huts, or in smaller temporary shelters. They also make bows, arrows and copies, Survival International Reports. Various observers have documented the presence of children and pregnant women, with the total population being estimated at about 150. However, we do not know what they are called the sectors or the island they live on.

In the 19th century, a British officer led a party to the island, where he abducted two elders and four children. Adult individuals were killed, after which the children were returned to the island with gifts. Although we do not know what the brighter consequences of these actions were, children would probably infect their community with foreign diseases. This, along with other experiences, can cause a trauma between generations, which reinforces the rejection of foreigners’ people.

“The Sentinels made it clear that they did not want contact,” the Survival International statement said. “It’s a wise choice.”