NGO appeals to Cameron in its fight against Vedanta

[InfiniteThoughts]

Source: Rediff

Survival International, a London-based NGO, has appealed to the director of the Hollywood blockbuster Avatar, James Cameron, to lend his support in fighting against London-listed mining and metals major Vedanta Resources from setting up its aluminium plant in Orissa.

Survival has appealed to the director through an advertisement in entertainment magazine Variety, in which the NGO has tried to draw parallels between the latter's latest big budget 3D movie and the condition of the Dongria Kondh tribe in Niyamgiri, Orissa. Survival's director Stephen Corry said, "Just as the Na'vi of Avatar describes the forest of Pandora as 'their everything', for the Dongria Kondh, life and land have always been deeply connected. The fundamental story of Avatar -- if you take away the multi-coloured lemurs, the long-trunked horses and warring androids -- is being played out today in the hills of Niyamgiri in Orissa."

Read more: http://business.rediff.com/report/2010/feb/09/ngo-seeks-james-cameron-attention-to-orissa-tribe.htm

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Orissa is one of India's tragic stories. Rich in mineral wealth but poverty grips the state (not unlike West Virginia). One of the most backward regions of India being exploited by mineral companies for profit.

India has 2 problems - corruption of state & government officials at ALL levels. The malaise of middle-men. In a lot of cases, middle-men are injected into these cases (either by government officials, companies or in some cases by the victims to fight for their rights) and they benefit enormously.

I saw quite a few documentaries on their plight a few years back. Unfortunately, their fate hasn't changed much.