Background

Background

The Alcan't in India project is developing a long-term solidarity relationship with the indigenous and low-caste peoples of the Kashipur region in Orissa, India. For twelve years now the peoples of Kashipur have been struggling to stop a massive bauxite mining and refining project on their land in which the Montreal-based aluminum corporation Alcan has a 45% share. It is estimated that tens of thousands of peoples in Orissa could be displaced by bauxite mining and refining projects in the coming years. The mine and refinery will destroy their ancestral homelands, their spiritual sites, their clean water, clean food, their very culture for the sake of a 100% export-oriented aluminum project. The rest of the investment is controlled by Indal, the Indian Aluminum Corporation, which is a former Alcan subsidiary. As a solidarity group, our primary objectives are to support the developmental objectives laid out by the peoples of Kashipur themselves. Their three primary objectives include: cancellation of all mining treaties with various aluminum corporations, development of small scale irrigation structures, and development of medical and educational facilities in accord with their culture. Being so close to the headquarters and operations of a major investor in this proposal, the Alcan't in India project is best position to support the first objective of cancellation of mining treaties.