Amnesty demand to withdrawn Vedanta bauxite mining project in Orissa

In a open letter sent to the Indian authorities, Amnesty International demanded withdraw the clearance granted to Vedanta-Orissa Mining Corporation for bauxite mining project, which could threaten Dongria Khond indigenous communities.

In his letter to the Secretary Environment and Forests Vijay Sarma and other authorities, Amnesty International Asia-Pacific Program Deputy Director Mahdu Malhotra said that on 28 April 2009, the Ministry of Environment and Forests of the Government of India granted an environmental clearance for the Government of Orissa’s Mining Corporation Limited to establish the Lanjigarh bauxite mining project in the Niyamgiri hills.

The opencast mine will be operated by Vedanta Aluminium Limited, as per a joint venture agreement between this company and the Orissa Mining Corporation Limited. Amnesty International requests the National Environmental Appellate Authority to withdraw the clearance until all necessary measures are taken by the Government to ensure that the mining project will not negatively impact the human rights of the Dongria Kondhs, an endangered indigenous community, and other communities who may be affected by the mining operations atop Niyamgiri hills.

This has to include, at a minimum, a genuine consultation with the Dongria Kondhs as well as other communities who are dependent on the Niyamgiri hills as a source of water and for their livelihoods; and an independent human rights and environmental impact assessment of the mining plan, potential risks and impacts.

The Niyamgiri hills are sacred to the Dongria Kondh adivasi community of about 8000 people who live on and at the base of the Niyamgiri hills and were described as ‘endangered’ by India’s Supreme Court-appointed Central Empowered Committee (CEC). The Dongria Kondh self-identify as an indigenous people. Dongria Kondh community members interviewed by Amnesty International in March 2009 described the Niyamgiri hills as central to their collective identity, religious beliefs, traditional way of life and culture. They also explained that Niyamgiri hills were essential for their survival as a distinct people and for their economic and physical survival.

Madhu Malhotra said that Amnesty International is aware that after a mandate from the Supreme Court of India, a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) of the Vedanta and Orissa Mining Corporation has developed proposals for the development of the area and for conservation and development of the Dongria Kondh and other adivasi communities, but found that no details of the proposals have been disclosed to these communities nor their consultations sought.

Amnesty International urged the National Environmental Appellate Authority

• To withdraw the environmental clearance for opening a mine on Niyamgiri hills until all necessary measures are taken by the government to ensure that the mining project will not negatively impact the human rights of Dongria Kondh and other communities who may be affected by the mining operations;
• Undertake an independent and impartial human rights and environmental impact assessment of the bauxite mining proposal on the local communities including the attendant risks, which Dongria Kondh and other communities have an opportunity to participate in, and to make the findings public;
• Ensure that these findings are disseminated to the communities in an accessible manner, especially to those who are not formally literate, to provide them with information towards a genuine process of consultation;
• Set up a genuine process of consultation with Dongria Kondh and other communities who may be affected by the proposed mining project and provide them with full, accessible and adequate information about the mining project and its risks;
• Ensures these communities are fully engaged in decision making through fair and free processes that provide them the opportunity to develop mitigation measures to ensure that risks and potential impacts are as far as possible avoided

and

• Ensure that decisions are taken on the development and use of the traditional lands of Dongria Kondh communities with their free, prior, informed consent.(EOM)