What have the poor tribals of Orissa in common with the latest Hollywood hit Avatar? Apparently, there are uncanny similarities between the 3D animation movie and a documentary made on the Dongria Kondh tribe of Orissa by Survival International (SI). The ten-minute documentary is titled ‘Mine: story of a sacred mountain’ brings out the plight of the indigenous people.

The SI has appealed to Avatar’s director James Cameron through media adverts to help the poor tribals who seem to be fighting a losing battle against giant mining corporations to save their lands and livelihoods. In another surprising coincidence, the Amnesty International has also exposed the plight of the tribals in its report: “Don’t Mine Us Out of Existence: Bauxite Mine and Refinery Devastate Lives in India” (See links below for details)

Hoping that Cameron will join the tribe’s struggle to save their sacred mountains and secure their future, the SI documentary’s Director Stephen Corry says just like the victims in the Avatar, life and land have always been deeply connected for the people of Orissa’s Dongria and Kondh tribes who are resisting the UK based mining giant Vedanta’s attempt to convert their lands into an industrial wasteland. The fundamental story of Avatar is being played out in Orissa, he says. Their lives are clearly at risk, he believes.

In its report published on Tuesday last, the Amnesty International has made a grave charge against the Indian government: of giving the local communities scant and misleading information about the potential impact of a proposed alumina refinery expansion and mining project to be operated by the Vedanta Resources. (See links below: the Catholic Church has recently sold its shares in the FTSE 1000 company because of its alleged unethical dealings and environmental degradation)

The AI report believes that the project is causing air and water pollution that threatens the health of the local people and their access to water.  “People are living in the shadow of a massive refinery, breathing polluted air and afraid to drink from and bathe in a river that is one of the main sources of water in the region,” said Ramesh Gopalakrishnan, Amnesty International’s researcher on South Asia.  “It is shocking how those who are most affected by the project have been provided with the least information,” he adds

According to an AI release, the tribal or Adivasi (Indigenous), Dalit, women and other marginalised communities in the remote part of Orissa (where the refinery is located) have described to Amnesty International how authorities told them that the refinery would transform the area into a Mumbai or Dubai. The Orissa State Pollution Control Board has documented air and water pollution from Vedanta Aluminium’s refinery in Lanjigarh, Orissa. Amnesty International found that the pollution threatens the health of local people and their access to clean water yet there has been no health monitoring.

“We used to bathe in the river but now I am scared of taking my children there. Both my sons have had rashes and blisters,” a local woman told Amnesty International. The organization recorded many similar accounts from people living around the refinery.

References:

http://www.survivalinternational.org/news/5529

We’ve watched your film – now watch ours: www.survivalinternational.org/films/mine, Survival’s ten-minute film ‘Mine: story of a sacred mountain’ - narrated by Joanna Lumley - exposes the Dongria’s plight

http://www.survivalinternational.org/tribes/dongria/

http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/asset/ASA20/001/2010/en/0a81a1bc-f50c-4426-9505-7fde6b3382ed/asa200012010en.pdf

http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/asset/ASA20/004/2010/en/3ea750c6-7740-4bdc-9444-05f59430bc10/asa200042010en.pdf

http://www.amnesty.org/en/news-and-updates/report/vedanta

http://www.amnesty.org/en/appeals-for-action/stop-mining-and-refinery-projects-devastating-communities-india

Amnesty slams Vedanta Resources, 11 February, 2010,

http://www.survivalinternational.org/news/5546

Campaign in many Avatars, The Telegraph, 10 February, 2010,

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1100210/jsp/frontpage/story_12088613.jsp