Orissa, Church against a multinational stealing lands of local community
New Delhi (AsiaNews) - The Indian Catholic Church has sided with the workers of Orissa, who are fighting against the Korean firm Posco - a leader in the steel industry - which threatens the survival of a local ethnicity. The multi-billion dollar project launched by Posco in eastern India, in fact, foresees the forced the eviction of thousands of people.
The Bishop of Rourkela, Mgr. John Barwa, says: "We are opposed to anything going against the interests of local communities. The Church can not accept a project with the forced eviction of people from their lands. " Specifically, the locals are fighting the government of Orissa. It is apparently ready to sell 1,600 hectares of farm land: these are destined to become a private marina, an iron mine and a steel processing factory. The local branch of the industrial giant - Posco India – has met with problems in Orissa since 2005, when it signed a series of contracts with local government that provide for the exploitation of the land. An increasing number of protests, threaten to obscure the general project: 12 billion dollars in investment to produce 12 million tons of steel annually, the largest foreign investment plan in India.
The opposition has its focal point in the interior districts of Keonjhar and Sundargarh, and in the coastal Jagatsingpur. The protesters have arrived at the point that they are standing guard at the entrance to villages to prevent the access of foreigners. Christian Mansid Ekka, who is leading protests, said their revolt is aimed at "protecting the water, land and forest. This project is a conspiracy by the State prepared to target the tribals and dalits in the name of development. "
According to Father Nicholas Barla, another tribal leader, the Posco project will result in the expulsion of 42,493 people in the district of Sundargarh alone: of these, over 32 thousand are tribals, Dalits and poor Christians. Furthermore, the demonstrators point the finger at the damage to the local ecology: The land promised by the state is home to, 2,700 acres of forest that Korean firm plans to flatten.
John Dayal, president of the Indian Christian Council, spoke of the protest: "The Church must support all those movements which are opposed to projects that strip the forests, marginalize the tribals and humiliate the dignity of man." This position has also collected the unexpected support of the Hindus, who have repeatedly attacked Orissa's Christian minority.
In an email to the Common Concern, the group that is responsible for coordinating the protests, a man named Manas writes: "Dear friends, thanks to the Church, Fr. Barla, bishop Barwa and to John Dayal. From a practicing Hindu, I wish there were leaders of my religion ready to do the same. "
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