No bauxite-minig by ALCAN: Adivasi Resistance In Kashipur (India)
Workshop about the resistance against a big bauxite mining in India: Since early nineties the spectre of destruction has loomed large in Kashipur and adjoining areas (In Rayagada District in the State of Orissa in southern part of east india) when UAIL(Utkal Alumina India ltd) was formed for the purpose of bauxite mining in the Baphlimali hills and setting up of a factory for processing the bauxite and producing Alumina. The Adivasi (indigenous) and dalit (the so called untouchables) people in the area began their resistance in 1993 when they came to know about this mining venture. From the knowledge of what happened to the Adivasi communities in the nearby area of Damanjodi (around 70kms away) they realised that this bauxite mining project will poison and pollute the waters, destroy the hills and nature completely and uproot them and destroy their way of life. This time it was not even a matter of one mining project in the area but of three or more in the sorrounding regions from different Corporations.
The projects are planed by UAIL. Due to the resistance of the local Adivasi and dalit people UAIL could not start with the construction of the factory for processing bauxite nor could they start the bauxite mining. In 2000 Dec the Adivasi and also Dalit people in Kashipur under the banner of Prakrut Sampad Suraksha Parishad (PSSP, translated it means: Natural Resources Protection Organisation) were preparing for road blockade as part of continuing protests against this bauxite mining processing venture...
They partly succeded and some companys went out. Than HINDALCO and ALCAN became the full stockholders in UAIL. The wheels of the machines of death and destruction just would not stop. ALCAN is one of the biggest componies invovled in bauxite projects worldwide. It employs almost 70,000 people and has operating facilities in 55 countries and regions. Deutsche Bank is also involed as it is a big shareholder of Alcan.
The situation in Kashipur is very critical and the resisting people need solidarity to block the ALCAN-HINDALCO bauxite mining and processing venture. We started campaign here in Germany in solidarity with the resisting Adivasi people of Kashipur.