The People Vs. POSCO
Channel: VideoVolunteers
Date: 2013-10-24

Why have the people of Jagatsinghpur been resisting the POSCO project for eight years?

This film is a collection of powerful testimonies from the people themselves stating how their livelihoods will be adversely affected should the POSCO project come through.

Over 20,000 people will be affected by the project which will affect a thriving economy dependant on betel leaf cultivation, cashew plantations, fisheries etc.

The film evidence comes at a critical juncture as the affected areas and protest are recovering from the aftermath of cyclone Phailin. The people of the affected area have shared concerns that the destruction of 170,000 trees by POSCO and the Odisha Government made them extremely vulnerable to effects of the cyclone. In previous years the forest cover had mitigated the worst effects of cyclones.
 They are determined to carry on with the protest to protect the land and its rich biodiversity from further destruction. Further, the film reinforces the findings of the United Nations independent human rights experts:

"People in the project-affected area have reportedly been subjected to violence, harassment and intimidation, as well as arbitrary detentions and false charges, as a result of their activities to assemble peacefully and collectively defend their human rights", said the UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of peaceful assembly and association, Maina Kiai. 

"People who live in villages around the plant and derive their livelihood from the surrounding forest land have repeatedly expressed their concerns regarding damage to the forest area," said the UN Special Rapporteur on the right to health, Anand Grover. "People's right to live in a healthy environment, an integral part of the right to health, may also be at stake due to the plant, but their protest against it has been disregarded." 

POSCO has issued an open letter in response the above recommendations claiming that no forced evictions have taken place. Mr Navin Pattnaik, the Chief Minister of Odisha and the South Korean Ambassador to India, Mr Joon-gyu Lee have also issued statements disclaiming the findings.  They are determined to carry on with the project and have said that the UN expert recommendations were based on incomplete knowledge.

Through this film and its dissemination via community screenings, Video Volunteers along with other rights groups will continue to put pressure on the concerned authorities to stop the POSCO project, given the unconstitutional methods used for its realisation. 

"This project is a classic example of the sort of development we're pursuing. Just because they live in villages there is an assumption that their economy is not developed whereas it is far more developed than what POSCO proposes," says Stalin K, Founding Director of Video Volunteers. "Challenging POSCO is not just about fighting illegal acquisition but the very method of development based on extraction and export."

The human rights groups therefore once again call on:

·         The Indian government to suspend the POSCO-India project until and unless it complies with international human rights standards and domestic law; cease all attempts at forced evictions and land acquisition; end the excessive use of force and of arbitrary arrests and detentions; and ensure project-affected communities unencumbered access to health care, education, work, and adequate food.

·         The Republic of Korea to take all necessary steps to ensure that POSCO respects human rights throughout the course of its activities, including by establishing a legislative framework to regulate the overseas activities of Korean companies.

·         POSCO and its wholly-owned subsidiary, POSCO-India, to fully implement its commitment to uphold human rights; comply with all relevant domestic laws; and provide for or cooperate in the remediation of any adverse impacts to date.

·         POSCO's international investors—including ABP, Blackrock, Deutsche Bank, JPMorgan Chase, NBIM, and Bank of NY Mellon—to persuade POSCO to respect the rights of all communities affected by the POSCO-India project.