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Mark · Site Admin Joined: 13 Nov 2007 Posts: 1052

India: Tribe – ‘Vedanta is destroying us for profit’

http://www.survival-international.org/news/3305

Excerpt:

As FTSE 100 mining company Vedanta announces record profits today, India’s remote Dongria Kondh tribe is claiming the company will destroy them forever if it goes ahead with plans to mine their sacred mountain.

Dongria Kondh spokesman Jitu Jakesika gave a message today to Vedanta’s shareholders: ‘You are destroying so much. Mining only makes profit for the rich. We will become beggars if the company destroys our mountain and our forest so that they can make money.’

Vedanta claim that they are investing in tribal development, but Mr Jakesika said, ‘We don’t want any money from this company, we don't want anything from them. We cannot give them our mountain, it is our life.’
...

Survival’s director Stephen Corry said today, ‘Vedanta has made record profits this year, but at what cost? That is the question shareholders in the company must ask themselves. If Vedanta mines Niyamgiri, the Dongria Kondh will not survive. It’s that simple.’