Tribe vows to fight mine with axes and arrows
"One of India’s most isolated tribes, the Dongria Kondh, is preparing to stop British FTSE 100 company Vedanta from mining aluminium ore on their sacred mountain, after police and hired thugs forced protesters to dismantle a barricade over the weekend," reports Survival International.
"About 150 people had blocked the road in Orissa state on Wednesday [October 8] after hearing that Vedanta intended to start survey work for a planned aluminium mine which would destroy an ecologically vital hill, and the Dongria Kondh’s most sacred site. Vedanta employees visited the blockade repeatedly, threatening the protestors. On Friday the villagers gave in and took down the barricade, but about 100 are still at the side of the road, blocking traffic when Vedanta vehicles approach," Survival continues.
"Today, Dongria Kondh from all over Niyamgiri, the hill range that would be decimated by Vedanta’s mine, are making arrows and preparing their axes to stop Vedanta reaching their sacred mountain. One Dongria man said today 'Now our people are very angry. We have to show the Dongria Kondh power to Vedanta.'
"When India’s Supreme Court gave Vedanta the green light in August to mine on Dongria land, around 40 Dongrias used tree trunks to block a road leading into their hills, and held banners reading, 'We are Dongria Kondh. Vedanta can not take our mountain.' [photos available]
"The mountain that Vedanta wants to mine is not only the Dongria Kondh’s most sacred site, it is also integral to the entire ecosystem of the hills, enabling the numerous streams and lush forests which sustain the Dongrias to continue to thrive.
"Survival’s director, Stephen Corry, said today 'The Dongria Kondh are protecting their land from invaders, who are only interested in plundering the mountain for their own gain. The Dongrias will get nothing from the mine, except destitution and ruin, and Survival will continue to support their resistance to Vedanta.'"
Please take moment to sign this letter, imploring the Prime Minister of India to safeguard the Dongria Kondh’s rights. For more information please contact Miriam Ross at Survival International (+44) (0)20 7687 8734 or (+44) (0)7504 543 367 or email mr@survival-international.org
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why are common peoples rights all over the world being increasingly pushed aside for “economic gain” . It is wrong and people such as yourself should think about these issues before action is taken. What would you like to tell your grandchildren someday if they ever asked about this?
Stop trying to usurp the ancestral lands for western profit! NOW!
this is horrific… where have we seen this before??? AMERICA!!! AFRICA!!! every continent!! wake up!!!
we have to stand up for our rights w/ axes and arrows just as these people!! we’ve had a nazi regime in power for 100 yrs!! wake up and think of how our grandparents lived completely poor and starving in the 20′s and 30′s!! depression!!! remember what they’ve told us??
when they come to your door at 4am what will you do???
militia training camps are everywhere and have no laws to follow!! we have no rights!! it’s an illusion just like everything has always been in america!! we didn’t win against the british! they let us live to be the slaves!!
Let the Dongria Kondh people live at peace on their ancestral land.