Guest Comments by the Asian Centre For the Progress of Peoples
Editor's Note: Based in Hong Kong, the ACPP (www.acpp.org) seeks to correct injustices in Asia.
EASTERN INDIA – Villagers from Govindpur and Dhinkia in Orissa, India, were attacked recently by about 400 people after gathering to protest against a mining project. The mob arrived in 10 trucks and hurled stones at the protestors who could resist only with sticks.
Thirty villagers were injured, three seriously. Allegedly, the mob was sent by Paradeep Paribahan, an Indian company contracted by the mining company, POSCO, to construct a coastal road.
A local anti-POSCO group claims that police based near the protest site had a forewarning of the mob attack, but did not go to the site or take immediate preventive action. The police have yet to register any cases against the attackers.
POSCO - India Private Limited, a subsidiary of Pohang Steel Ltd of South Korea, was expected to bring substantial foreign investment. The massive project involves a steel plant, ore mines and captive port, but has drawn strong criticism because traditional forest-dwellers depend on the affected area for their livelihoods.
The Indian Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF) gave POSCO a final forest-clearance to start construction, despite breached laws and expected damage to the forest. Some objections came in reports from committees constituted by the MoEF itself.
A public hearing organized by the MoEF took place 15-20 kilometres from the affected villages. Only a few villagers could attend.
Theoretically, the state government needs consent from full-village assemblies in the areas proposed for diversion of forest land. One village council submitted a resolution to the Orissa government and to the MoEF rejecting the distribution of land to the project and with signatures from 65-per-cent-plus of the villagers. Yet government officials hastily issued a final clearance, claiming only a few signatures were received.
The huge project needs more than 4,000 acres, mostly forest land cultivated by people who have grown betel leaves for generations. The proposed steel plant would eliminate 1,800 betel farms. Needing water from the Mahanandi River, it will affect water supplies for domestic use and irrigation.
The Khandadhar hills, where the iron mines allotted to POSCO are spread across 6,000 hectares, have forests and wildlife. The mining will displace more than 50 tribal villages.
Building a related port will disturb water flow in the Jatadhar River. Expected contamination would hamper fishermen. The proposed port, on the Bay of Bengal, would threaten the nesting habitat of endangered Olive Ridley turtles.
Critics say Delhi fears that rejecting the project would sully India's image as an investment destination and damage economic relations with South Korea.
The recent attack is just one incident in the villagers' long struggle. They continued daily protests at the construction site even after the attack. As long as they do, they face the threat of more attacks.
Forest-dwellers have a right to protect and manage the forest, conserve community forest resources and protect wildlife. We urge the Indian government to resolve all the concerns before more construction. Intimidation should be stopped and the people rightfully protected.
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Map shows Orissa state: where
forest-protection rules bend and
mobs attack protesting villagers.
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