[IPSM] Alcan out of India! Thursday Dec 16 [montreal]

[Devin Butler]

*****DEC 16: Mass mobilization against Alcan!!*****

Support the struggle of Indigenous and Low-Caste
Peoples' Movement from Kashipur, India against an Alcan
bauxite mining and aluminum  refining project that  would
displaced them from their land against  their wills!

This December 16, 2004 12h00, we are going to the
streets and to the phones in a mass creative event for
global solidarity.

On December 16, 2000 3 villagers from Maikanch village
were killed by state police for participating in a meeting against
this bauxite mining project. After the shooting, all project-related work
was put on hold pending a state-run judicial inquiry. Then in early
2001 NORSK Hydro of Norway, the lead investor in the troubled project,
divested. Meanwhile ALCAN of Montreal, Canada, quietly increased their
shares, and now this aluminum multinational holds a 45% share in
the mine and refinery project.

To date no justice has been served regarding the
murder of the three advasis (indigenous peoples). From Alcan't in India's
direct meetings with senior Alcan officials, it is clear that they
have little understanding of the detrimental impacts of their own
activities and of the massive resistance to this project.

On October 19, 2004 FIVE THOUSAND Kashipur residents
rallied outside the local policeheadquarters to demand justice and to
demand that the mining proposal be cancelled.

On December 16, 2004 they will gather massively to
expose these companies and their exploitative plans.

Let's join them!

***If in Montreal meet at 12h00 at Maison Alcan, 1188
Sherbrooke Street West (corner Stanley, metro Peel).

***If elsewhere, call Alcan's CEO of Bauxite and
Alumina & Senior Vice President Michael Hanley between 12h00-13h00 at +1 514
848 8487


Please find included in this message:

A) Suggested talking points and contact information
for solidarity callers
B) Our demands to ALCAN
C) Detailed Background Information on the Kashipur
struggle



A) Talking Points and Contact Information

Solidarity callers should call Michael Hanley at
+1 514 848 8487.
If busy, try the main switchboard at +1 514 848 8000.

The call should be made anytime between 12h00-13h00
Eastern Standard Time on December 16, 2004  to ensure
that your call will be coordinated with the Montreal
event.


Some suggested talking points (speak to what you think
is most important and relevant to why you are
concerned):

-  calling in to honour the memory of Abhilash,
Raghunath and Damodar Jhodia who were killed by a
police-riot for resisting an Alcan-supported project
- concerned that Alcan's project is clearly
propagating a system that oppresses indigenous and
other marginalized peoples
- Alcan can honour these murders too by respecting the
demands of the peoples' movement for self-determined
development and divest from the

- the major demands from the movement:
           - the cancellation of all treaties signed
           with various mining companies
           - access to medical facilities and education
		in harmony with their cultural values
           - local agricultural development through
		small-scale irrigation projects


Questions to ask Alcan:
-why have you increased your share in the project when
other corporations like Norsk Hydro have pulled out?
- why have all "consultations" with the people
required a massive police presence?
- how can you claim that the people support your
proposed project when they have passed official, legal
resolutions against it (through the "Gram Sabha"
village council in 2001)
- how can you claim that only a minority of local
people are against the project when 5000 people
rallied against the project just two months ago
outside the Tikiri police station?
- how can you claim that the peoples support the
project when company and government officials cannot
travel to any of the affected areas without armed
police escort?
- how can you make claims about the environmental
impacts of the project when you have no approved
environmental impacts assessment?
- anything else you would like to express given your
knowledge of the situation or as given in the
background information


2) Our demands to Alcan

1) Publicly release the Environmental Impact
Assessment of the project, or make no claims as to
potential environmental impacts of the proposed project.

2) Recognize the Kashipur peoples' title to the land
and constitutional guarantee for self-determination.
Respect the democratic resolutions and public
demonstrations of the people from the affected
villages against UAIL and its activities on their
land.

3) Follow the example of previous lead investors in
the project, such as Norsk Hydro of Norway, and fully
divest from the joint venture, UAIL.




C) Detailed Background Information

Kashipur block in the Rayagada district of Orissa
contains one of the largest deposits of bauxite ores
in the world. In 1993, a consortium of private
companies collectively known as UAIL (Utkal Alumina
International Ltd) was formed to initiate a project to
extract these ores and produce alumina. The project
area is chiefly occupied by adivasis (indigenous
people of India) and dalits (low cast). This project,
if executed will lead to large scale displacement and
loss of livelihood for these people. The people of Kashipur
have been opposing the project since its inception.

Why is the project harmful for the people?

Displacement and loss of livelihood: The people of
Kashipur have been farming their land for centuries.
Depriving them of their land would make them destitute
since they do not have any other avenue for earning a
living. The Norwegian development agency,NORAD, has
estimated that about 60000 people will be displaced by
this project. If this project goes ahead it will
completely wipe out a self-sustained community.

Facts on displacement : Adivasis constitute less than
8% of India's population but account for more than 40%
of India's displaced.  Conservative estimates place
the number of people displaced by “development”
projects in India (since 1947) to 33 million. 1.4
million people have been displaced by such development
projects in Orissa since 1947.  Mining in Orissa has
displaced 50 000 people.  New projects are expected to displace
at least another 10 0000 people.

Loss of indigenous culture: The community would be
splintered and this will lead to a loss of indigenous
culture. The loss of community would also lead to
increased insecurity for women and children. The
people will lose Baphlimali hill to the mining
project. Baphlimali hill is sacred to the people since
they believe it to be the abode of the goddess
Baphlimali.

Environmental impact:
The bauxite mining technique proposed in Kashipur is
extremely harmful for the environment. Effluent
discharge - A by-product of bauxite refining is red
mud. It will be disposed of using red mud stacking in
an enclosed area. This method will give rise to at
least 125 tons of caustic soda a day. The waste will be
dumped into two streams that are the major key sources
of water for the villages in the surrounding area.
Such large amount of alkaline deposit will raise the pH of
the water to 13, making it unfit for consumption.
Agriculture and aquatic life downstream will be
severely affected. Refer to http://www.saanet.org/kashipur/images/lake.jpg 
for an
image of a waterbody polluted by the NALCO mining
project in the vicinity of Kashipur.

Ash disposal: The power requirement of 80MW will
require about 2800-3000 tons of coal per day. This is
expected to generate 900-1000 tons of ash per day that
will be dumped into an ash pond. Refer to
http://www.saanet.org/kashipur/images/pond.jpg for
image of the ash pond at the NALCO mining project near
Kashipur.

Overburden dumping: According to the environmental
clearance given by the government, the company does
not have to take care of overburden dumping for the
first five years. It is expected that the overburden
will be dumped on the slopes of the mined area leading
to siltation of streams, damage of slopes and
cultivable lands.

Violation of fundamental rights: The fifth schedule of
the Indian constitution guarantees the rights of
indigenous people over their natural resources and
land. The adivasis will lose land that belongs to them
according to the Indian constitution.

No tangible benefits for the people: This is a 100%
Export-oriented mining project. All the aluminium
produced will be exported since India is self
sufficient in its Aluminium production.  There are no
plans for Kashipur after the mining is over.



Status of the project:

In spite of the repression, the people of Kashipur are
steadfast in their resolve to oppose the project. Work
on the project hasn't yet started. However a recent
judicial enquiry into the killings of Dec 16,2000,
cleared the company and the government of all
wrongdoing. This paves the way for the starting of the project work.


Resources
1. Alcan't in India website:
http://www.saanet.org/alcant
2. Kashipur web site : http://www.saanet.org/kashipur/
3. Environmental impact of the mining
project:'Assessment of Environmental, Economic and
Social Impacts of Bauxite Mining and Alumina
Processing in Orissa', TARU, June 1996, New Delhi.
4. Information about the fifth schedule:
http://www.mmpindia.org/Fifth_Schedule.htm
5. Killings on Dec16,2000:
http://www.saanet.org/kashipur/articles/pop.htm
6. Judicial enquiry that cleared the government and
the company:
http://www.saanet.org/kashipur/articles/sudhir.htm
7. Information on "UAIL Go Back" - A Film on the
Kashipur movement : http://www.saanet.org/alcant/

Contact Alcan't in India at:
tel: +1 514 398 7432
email: alcantinindia at yahoo.com
post: 3647 University Street, 3rd floor
Montreal, QC H2V 4B4
Canada