Idu Mishmis and Proposed Tiger Reserve in Arunachal Pradesh

What’s in today’s article?

• Why in news?
• What is National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA)?
• What are the Objectives of NTCA?
• About Dibang Wildlife Sanctuary
• News Summary: Indigenous Idu Mishmis and proposed tiger reserve in Arunachal Pradesh
• Who are the Idu Mishmis?
• What is the relationship of Idu Mishmis with the forest?
• The move to propose a tiger reserve
• The Idu Mishmi resistance

Why in news?

• The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) chief announced that the Dibang Wildlife Sanctuary in Arunachal Pradesh would soon be notified as a tiger reserve.
• The announcement has caused disquiet among the area’s Idu Mishmi people, who feel that a tiger reserve would hinder their access to the forest.

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 What is National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA)?

• The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) has been constituted under the provisions of Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
• The authority consists of:
  • the Minister in charge of the Ministry of Environment and Forests (as Chairperson),
  • the Minister of State in the Ministry of Environment and Forests (as Vice-Chairperson),
  • three members of Parliament, Secretary, Ministry of Environment and Forests and other members.

What are the Objectives of NTCA?

• The objectives of NTCA are:
  • Providing statutory authority to Project Tiger so that compliance of its directives become legal.
  • Fostering accountability of Center-State in management of Tiger Reserves, by providing a basis for MoU with States within our federal structure.
  • Providing for an oversight by Parliament.
  • Addressing livelihood interests of local people in areas surrounding Tiger Reserves.

About Dibang Wildlife Sanctuary

• Dibang Wildlife Sanctuary is a protected area located in the Upper Dibang Valley district of the northeastern Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh.
• The sanctuary is known for its rich biodiversity and is home to a wide variety of flora and fauna.
• Some of the key animal species found in the sanctuary include the snow leopard, clouded leopard, Asiatic black bear, red panda, musk deer, goral, takin, serow, and many species of birds.
• The vegetation in the sanctuary includes tropical and subtropical forests, alpine meadows, and high-altitude scrub.

News Summary: Indigenous Idu Mishmis and proposed tiger reserve in Arunachal Pradesh

Who are the Idu Mishmis?

• The Idu Mishmi is a sub-tribe of the larger Mishmi group (the other two Mishmi groups are Digaru and Miju) in Arunachal Pradesh and neighbouring Tibet.
• Known for their weaving and craftsmanship skills, the Idu Mishmis primarily live in Mishmi Hills, bordering Tibet.
  • Their ancestral homelands are spread over the districts of Dibang Valley and Lower Dibang Valley as well as parts of Upper Siang and Lohit.
• Their language (also called Idu Mishmi) is considered endangered by UNESCO.

What is the relationship of Idu Mishmis with the forest?

• Traditionally animists, the tribe has strong ties with the region’s rich flora and fauna.
• Animals such as the hoolock gibbons and tigers have deep cultural relations with the Idu Mishmi.
• Tigers are especially important to the Idu Mishmis — according to Idu mythology, they were born to the same mother, and thus, tigers are their “elder brothers”.

The move to propose a tiger reserve

• While the Dibang Wildlife Sanctuary was notified in 1998, plans to declare it as a tiger reserve have been afoot for a while now.
  • The sanctuary is a biodiversity hotspot home to rare Mishmi takin, musk deer, goral as well as clouded leopards, snow leopards and tigers.
• In April 2022, members of NTCA accorded final approval to declare the wildlife sanctuary as a tiger reserve.

The Idu Mishmi resistance

• The tribe fear that the move will cut off access to their lands and therefore it will affect lives and livelihoods of local communities.
  • An upgrade to a tiger reserve would feature stricter security measures like a ‘Special Tiger Protection Force’, which would be guarding the area at all times.
  • This would cut off access to their forest lands.
• In its current form as a wildlife sanctuary, the community’s access to the Dibang forests has not been impacted. But many say a tiger reserve would increasingly restrict access.
• Also, members of the community claim that Dibang Wildlife Sanctuary was created without people’s consent or knowledge.

Q1) What is UNESCO?

 UNESCO stands for the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. It is a specialized agency of the United Nations, established in 1945 with the aim of promoting international cooperation in education, science, culture, and communication. UNESCO’s main objective is to contribute to peace and security by promoting international collaboration through education, science, and culture, with a focus on building the capacity of Member States, especially in developing countries.

Q2) What is a Wildlife Sanctuary?

 A Wildlife Sanctuary is an area of land or water set aside and managed specifically for the protection and preservation of wildlife and their habitats. These areas are established with the objective of preserving biodiversity, conserving threatened or endangered species, and providing a safe and secure environment for wildlife to thrive. Wildlife sanctuaries are usually designated by national or local governments, conservation organizations, or private landowners. They may be created to protect particular species of plants or animals, to provide a safe haven for migratory species, or to protect entire ecosystems.

Source: Why the indigenous Idu Mishmis are protesting a proposed tiger reserve in Arunachal Pradesh