Monday, January 10 2005 13:25 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Port Blair: Nicobarese tribals in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands are not willing to part with orphaned children of their clan saying the community would bring them up as a collective responsibility.

"I have met some of the tribal captains and offered to care of their orphans, but they say that they will take care of their population themselves," Lt Governor Ram Kapse told reporters in Port Blair last night (Jan 9, 2005).

The tribal captains, he said, had told him that villages could take collective responsibility of their children orphaned in the tsunami.

"This is such a laudable effort that communities are coming forward to stand by their orphans," Kapse said.

The Andaman and Nicobar Islands, inhabited by six major tribal populations - Ongese, Jarwas, Sentinelese, Pshompens, Great Andamanese and Nicobarese - of which the last are the most modern and populous.

The tribes, known to be fiercely protective about their habitat and populations, had a reason to cheer when an Onge couple gave birth to a baby in a hospital in Port Bair.

While the Nicobarese population is about 30,000, the Ongese are only about 100.