Announcing Delhi Protest against Vedanta Resources and the corrupt transnational state-corporate nexus | 31st July 2014

PROTEST: GLOBAL RESISTANCE
against Vedanta Resources and the corrupt transnational state-corporate nexus

31st July 2014 (Thurs) @ 2.30PM-4PM,

Venue: Ministry of Environment and Forests, Indira Paryavaran Bhavan, Jor Bagh Road, New Delhi
(Nearest Metro: Jorbagh)

NO MORE BLOOD, NO MORE LOOT, NO MORE ECO-CIDE!

VEDANTA, WE WILL FIGHT YOU WHEREVER YOU ARE AND WHEREVER YOU GO!

Contacts: Devangana 08130414606, Aapurv 9910550736, Nikita 9582076891

This protest on 31st July in Delhi will coincide with demonstrations in Niyamgiri, Tuticorin, Goa, Lusaka & Andola (Zambia), Johannesburg (South Africa) and Port of Spain (Trinidad & Tobago) to markTHE GLOBAL DAY OF ACTION AGAINST VEDANTA in lead up to the company’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) in London on 1st August. These protests are organised under the banner ofFOIL VEDANTA (http://www.foilvedanta.org/) whose pioneering work is spearheading international action against Vedanta. Details of the London protest can be found herehttp://www.foilvedanta.org/news/protest-call-out-join-us-at-vedantas-agm-friday-1st-august/

STAND IN OPPOSITION TO THE CORRUPT GLOBAL CORPORATE STATE NEXUS THAT DEFENDS VEDANTA AND OTHER RUTHLESS COMPANIES LIKE IT! Vedanta has been aggressively acquiring new businesses with support from Indian and UK politicians to help cover its losses in Niyamgiri – including HZL in India and formerly Scottish company Cairn with oil operations in Rajasthan and the Gulf of Mannar, Sri Lanka.

STAND IN SOLIDARITY WITH ZAMBIAN WORKERS AND COMMUNITIES AND OPPOSE INDIAN NEO-COLONIALISM IN AFRIKA! Vedanta has been ripping off Zambians by reporting losses from the KCM copper mine it bought from the government at a throw-away price, while it’s actually been making profits to the tune of US$500 million to US$1 billion and selling copper at below market rates to its own hidden subsidiary in Dubai. It has also failed to pay a fine for offloading toxic waste into local waterways resulting in 7 years of birth defects in local communities.

OPPOSE RUTHLESS ANTI-WORKER BEHAVIOUR! Vedanta treats its workers like shit! A chimney in its BALCO plant in Korba killed at least 40 workers when it collapsed due to negligence and cost-cutting. 750 striking miners in Zambia have been thrown out of the KCM factory.

STAND IN DEFENCE OF THE ONLY PLANET WE HAVE AND THE LIFE IT SUSTAINS! Vedanta has no respect for the environment. It pays companies to produce fake EIAs, dumps all kinds of toxic waste into pristine waterways, flouts environmental regulations and refuses to pay fines for the damages it causes.

DEMAND VEDANTA TO KEEP ITS HANDS OFF NIYAMGIRI NOW! Vedanta still hasNiyamgiri in its sights and militarisation is rampant with harassment of the Dongria Khond and those supporting them. Vedanta plans to expand its Lanjigarh refinery 6 fold and has claimed that it will be sourcing aluminum from just 3.5km away.

OPPOSE THE ILLEGAL PRO-CORPORATE ANTI-PEOPLE VEDANTA-STATE NEXUS!Vedanta has been a major funder of the BJP in its election campaign and the lawyer who defended Vedanta in the Supreme Court has been made the Attorney General by the Modi regime. Before this Vedanta was funding Congress. Foreign funding of political parties is illegal. This has to be seen in light of the new regimes push to weaken the forest rights act and make land acquisition easier.

OPPOSE MODI’S POLICIES! DEVELOPMENT FOR WHOM? WHOSE GROWTH? This protest will take place outside MoEF due to the ministry’s recent statements about removing ’obstructions’ to foreign investment and diluting the Forest Rights Act. The FRA was a crucial factor in the victory of the Dongria Kond. Similarly, MoRD have made statements about changing ’consent’ clauses in the Land Acquisition Act and the Finance Ministry seeks to disinvest its minority shares in BALCO and Hindustan Zinc.

DEMAND DE-LISTING OF VEDANTA FROM THE LONDON STOCK EXCHANGE!Vedanta has benefited from support from crony UK politicians who facilitated its acquisition of formerly Scottish company Cairn India to cover its losses in Niyamgiri. Vedanta is listed on the London Stock Exchange but its rampant malpractices mean that it does not deserve to be there. De-listing it will damage Vedanta’s credit rating, making it harder to pull cash in to fuel its ruthless destruction.

For more details on Vedanta and this transnational state corporate nexus, kindly refer to the attachment below and Foil Vedanta’s website http://www.foilvedanta.org/