Explained: The Hakki Pikki Tribes From Karnataka Stranded In Violence-Hit Sudan

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday chaired a high-level meeting to review the situation of Indians in violence-hit Sudan, which is currently witnessing widespread violence between the country's regular army and a paramilitary force called Rapid Support Forces (RSF), both engaged in a power struggle.

India on Thursday voiced a note of caution to its citizens in Sudan and said the situation is "very tense" and the government is focusing on ensuring the safety and well-being of the Indian community, including working on contingency plans and possible evacuation. 

According to the official data earlier, the number of Indians in Sudan is around 4,000 including 1200 who settled down in that country decades ago. One Indian also succumbed to bullet injuries sustained during the violence that has engulfed the capital Khartoum.

Among the stranded Indians are at least 31 people from an Adivasi community -- Hakki Pikki-- from Karnataka. A war of words also erupted between former Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar over their evacuation. 

Siddaramaiah took to Twitter to write, "Hakki Pikkis in Sudan are left stranded without food since the last few days & the govt is yet to initiate action to bring them back." Jaishankar accused the former of politicising the issue ahead of the elections.

But who are the Hakki Pikki tribe?

According to information available on the SPPEL website, (Scheme for Protection and Preservation of Endangered Languages) established by the Ministry of Education (Government of India), ‘Hakki-Pikki’ is one of the major tribal communities in Karnataka. They also reside in Western and South states of India, mostly near forest areas. 

The community migrated from Northern India - mainly Gujarat and Rajasthan - is found in Karnataka and are now mainly concentrated in Shivamogga, Davanagere and Mysuru district of Karnataka.

What work is the tribe associated with?

In Kannada, the word ‘Hakki’ stands for ‘bird' and ‘Pikki’ stands for the verb ‘to catch’. Therefore, the community is known as the ‘bird catcher,’ which is their traditional occupation. They are also known for their indigenous medicines, which they create in the dense jungles and forests they reside in.

According to a report by the Indian Express, the Hakki Pikkis in Tamil Nadu travelled to Singapore, Thailand and other places about 20-25 years ago to sell some marbles, and it was there that they discovered a huge demand for Ayurvedic products in the African continent. They then started selling their products in Africa, and Karnataka Hakki Pikkis followed suit. 

Why did they go to Sudan?

As the Sudanese were unable to afford expensive ‘English medicines’, they had been looking for cheaper alternatives and the Hakki-Pikki tribes seem to have tapped into this demand.

“Modern medical treatment is either unavailable to them or is way beyond the reach of the majority of citizens of Sudan. The people were looking for an alternative medicine which is effective and cheap. That is when the Hakki-Pikki tribes found an opportunity and reached there,” the state government officer was quoted as telling PTI.

However, officials from Karnataka are still investigating how the tribe reached there. The Karnataka State Disaster Management Authority Commissioner Manoj Rajan told PTI, "It is still a matter of investigation how they reached there but what we learnt is that they are selling some Ayurvedic medicines to the people."

He said they carried the herbs and other medicines required for their treatment from India and sold the items there.

Survival during Covid-19

The Hakki Pikki Adivasis earlier came under limelight during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020. The community had appealed to district authorities in the state to provide them with the required food items as they had run out of stock and could not procure these resources from ration shops as they did not not have ration cards.

According to a report by The Hindu, the officers of the Revenue Department visited their villages and collected information about the families with no ration card and provided them with food grains. 

What is happening in Sudan?

According to an official statement, Modi, at a high-level meeting, instructed relevant officials to remain vigilant, closely monitor developments in Sudan and evaluate safety of Indian nationals there. 

Sudan's capital Khartoum has been witnessing sustained firing since Saturday amid tensions between the military and the country's powerful paramilitary forces. According to a report by Reuters, a Saudi Arabian airlines plane at Sudan's Khartoum airport also came under fire during clashes.

The bone of contention is over how the Rapid Security Forces (RSF), headed by Gen. Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo, should be integrated into the military and what authority should oversee the process. 

 Both the military and RSF have a long history of human rights abuses in Sudan. The army on Thursday ruled out negotiations with the RSF, saying it would only accept its surrender. The bombardment and sniper fire has hit civilian infrastructure, including hospitals, over the past week. 

(With inputs from PTI)