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Date:11 December 2007
To
His Excellency,
The President of the Republic of Korea
Honourable Sir Roh Moo-Hyun,
We, the undersigned, wish to bring to your attention our deep concern over several issues that have arisen in the aftermath of the memorandum of understanding signed between the Pohang Iron and Steel Company (POSCO) and the Government of Orissa, India, for setting up a steel rolling plant and captive port in the state of Orissa. This US$ 12million project is being pushed through in a manner that has not only ignored fundamental questions of sustainable development but is also today associated with grave human rights abuse. We urge you, in your capacity as the head of a country from whose soil POSCO operates and a country which is party to several internationally-drawn commitments to human rights as well as socially and environmentally sustainable development, to intervene immediately in preventing further violations.
POSCO's proposed steel project in Ersama block of Jagatsinghpur
district, Orissa will displace 4000 families. It also will ruin a
thriving, self-sustained local economy based on fishing and paddy
cultivation as well as the cultivation of lucrative cash crops like
betel leaf vine, coconut, kewra, and cashew nut. Independent
fact-finding teams have established that the project is illegally
acquiring thousands of acres of revenue and forest land, by defrauding
the local people of their customary occupancy rights. Not surprisingly,
the Environment Clearance process associated with the project has been
associated with grave illegalities. These include lack of credible
field data for impact assessment, failure to conform to statutory
environmental provisions, the deployment of paramilitary forces at
so-called public hearings, which have led to such hearings being
boycotted and dubbed a farce.
Till date, the due process that requires village-level approval for
proposed projects, as enshrined in the 73rd and 74th Amendments to our
Constitution, has been totally violated. Not only that; hired goons and
henchmen working on behalf of POSCO are using every intimidation tactic
to evict villagers from the proposed project site. Villagers exercising
their democratic right to dissent are being beaten up, arrested and
routinely victimized. The fact that POSCO executives cannot enter the
region without the protection of hundreds of security personnel is
proof of the deep antipathy that exists towards the company and the
political instability that the project is mired in.
Equally contentious are the environmental and survival issues
associated with the project. The use of nearly 12000 to 15000 crore
liters of water from the Mahanadi barrage at Jobra and Naraj for
project construction and operation is likely to severely impact the
drinking and agricultural water supply of several neighboring
districts. Further, the disposal of dredged materials is expected to
radically change the topology of the coast. The nesting sites of the
rare Olive Ridley turtles in the nearby Gahiramatha Marine Sanctuary
are expected to be severely affected since the coast will face rapid
erosion, increased shipping traffic, illumination and the increased
likelihood of oil spillages and marine pollution.
The Orissa government has been repeatedly urged to produce a white
paper and a Detailed Project Report on the proposed project. Fact
finding teams have pointed out that there is every possibility of
violent confrontation breaking out in the affected areas and called for
political dialogue. As a first step towards creating an environment
conducive for dialogue, the demand is for the withdrawal of police and
paramilitary forces from the region.
In this context, we urge upon you to immediately to intervene and
recall POSCO from all projects and operation where the fundamental
questions of democracy and sustainable development are bulldozed with
impunity. The POSCO also should be asked to make up for the damages it
has caused to the culture by vitiating the social atmosphere with
criminal elements and by sponsoring violence, in an area known as being
peaceful and tranquil.
Thanking you immensely,
Name Organization Signature
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