'Foil Vedanta' campaign urges British Government to investigate Vedanta
23rd July 2010.

The South Asia Solidarity Group, South Asian Alliance, Brent Refugee and Migrant Forum and London Development Education Centre are supporting the 'Foil Vedanta' campaign against bauxite mining by Anil Agarwal's Vedanta Resources group in the Niyamgiri hills in Orissa, India. The campaign urges the British Government to investigate the company and to stop departments actively supporting Vedanta in its exploitation of the people and environment of this region. Earlier in 2010, the Church of England and Rowntrees sold their shares in Vedanta plc in protest against the company's lack of a CSR (Corporate and Social Responsibility) policy in relation to human rights.

The campaign cites the Department for International Development (DfID) which in 2005 commissioned the 'Orissa Drivers for Change' research project that urged mineral intensive industrialisation of the region. The campaign further claims that DfID has set up and continues to fund Business Partners for Development (now renamed as Building Partnerships for Development) that supports industrial companies in India.

"The Foil Vedanta campaign claims that Vedanta plc as a poor human rights record in Orissa, India citing that:

• More than 100 men, women and children have been killed in accidents, police firings, forced displacement, injury and illness
• More than 1000 people have been displaced and more than 8000 under threat
• More than100 square miles of land have been devastated and an equal area of forest under threat
• Rivers and streams which are the lifeline for tens of thousands of people are drying up
• Thousands of acres of fertile agricultural land have been destroyed in a region which has seen famines every year since 2007
• Drinking water sources are being contaminated by dumping of fly ash and toxic red mud into river streams
• The Niyamgiri hills known as the most beautiful mountains in India - are under threat. The ancient civilization of the Dongria Kondh adivasi community, who regard the Niyam Dongar mountain and forests of the area as their Gods, is being wiped out.
• Vedanta is causing mass unemployment and destitution as farmers, fishing communities and forest dwellers are being displaced and abandoned in shantytowns" *

About Vedanta

London-based CEO, Anil Agarwal is worth £4.1billion pounds and is currently the tenth richest person in Britain. Agarwal's empire Vedanta Resources now spans four continents, with offices in London and operations in Zambia, Australia and India. Vedanta was launched on the London Stock Exchange in December 2003 with the help of Britain's Department of Trade and Industry and the Department for International Development (DfID). Vedanta has connections with many powerful Indian figures. Its Board members have included P.Chidambaram, India's Home Minister, Naresh Chandra, former Indian Ambassador to the US, and David Gore-Booth, former British Ambassador to Saudi Arabia and High Commissioner of India.

The 'Foil Vedanta' campaign is also urging the British Government to investigate the company and its close links with the Sangh Parivar, the umbrella group of Hindu right-wing organisations in India.

For further information visit www.southasiasolidarity.org

*Information provided by the 'Foil Vedanta' campaign.