Indian police struggle to get body of American killed by isolated tribe on North Sentinel island

[left-of-center2012]

NEW DELHI – Indian authorities were struggling Thursday to figure out how to recover the body of an American killed last week after wading ashore on an isolated island cut off from the modern world. John Allen Chau was killed by North Sentinel islanders who apparently shot him with arrows and then buried his body on the beach, police say.

But even officials don’t travel to North Sentinel, where people live as their ancestors did thousands of years ago, and where outsiders are seen with suspicion and attacked. India has a very hands-off approach to the island’s people. Police are consulting anthropologists, tribal welfare experts, forest experts and scholars to figure out a way to recover the body, he said.

While visits to the island are forbidden, Chau paid fishermen $325 last week to take him to the island. He used a kayak to paddle to shore, bringing gifts including a football and fish.

He interacted with some of the tribesmen – who survive by hunting, fishing and collecting wild plants and are known for attacking anyone who comes near with bows and arrows and spears – until they became angry and shot an arrow at him. The 26-year-old adventurer and Christian missionary then swam back to the fishermen’s boat waiting at a safe distance. He returned to North Sentinel the next day, Nov. 16. What happened then isn’t known, but on the morning of the following day, the fishermen watched from the boat as tribesmen dragged Chau’s body along the beach and buried his remains.

Chau had wanted ever since high school to go to North Sentinel to share Jesus with the indigenous people, said Mat Staver. “He didn’t go there for just adventure. I have no question it was to bring the gospel of Jesus to them,” Staver said. Before attending Oral Roberts University, Chau went to Vancouver Christian High School.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2018/11/22/indian-police-struggle-get-body-american-killed-north-sentinel/2085267002/

[elocs]

1. He wanted to convert them to Christianity, instead they converted him to worm food.

Choices, meet consequences.

[malaise]

2. I have no sympathy for him

What is of interest to me is watching how US officials handle the return of this body versus Khashoggi's.

[Johnny2X2X]

3. Disease

This idiot was bringing disease with him. This is the most isolated tribe in the world, their immune systems are not prepared to fight the bacteria and viruses he brought with him. His limited interaction with them could yet prove to be fatal for many in the tribe.

This ignorant fool died for a fairy tale and in doing so risked the lives of hundreds of innocent people who didn’t need to hear his fairy tale.