The Blood-Soaked Banner of Phulbari(2/2)

Avaaz.org is conducting an online signature campaign on this issue under the heading "Coal Climate Showdown in Bangladesh."
http://www.avaaz.org/en/communities_vs_coal/?vl

A Coal Mine against the People

Asia Energy Plc (UK) signed a 30 year contract with the Bangladesh gov't for open-pit coal mining in Phulbari.
For 450 million tons of coal under 54 km2 of land.
- Desertification
- Landscape Changed forever
- 40,000 people will be evicted - 2200 indigenous Santal, Munda and Mahili people will be most affected.
Asia Energy says "77% of the local people support the Phulbari coal mine project"
But on 26 August 2006, some 70,000 people had a different message.

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) plans to provide Asia Energy: $100 million in loans
+$200 million in guarantees.
ADB is proud of its environmental and social safeguard policies.
Is it true?

The battle of Phulbari is the battle of all Bangladeshi people.
It is a liberation struggle of a patriotic people against imperialist looters and their local lackeys.
The traitor-murderers shall not be forgiven.

NOTE:The source URLs of figures in the movie, please see below.
http://homepage2.nifty.com/dorogame/Phulbari/index.htm#source_of_figures

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• Phulbari
• ADB
• Bangladesh
• indigenous
• people
• coal
• mine
• displacement
• ecology

[YatsuyamaKotengu]

Avaaz.org is conducting an online signature campaign on this issue under the heading "Coal Climate Showdown in Bangladesh."

[AnnaKBrisvegas]

The $300 million invested in the name of 'aid' could supply these local people with local renewable energy options, and they could keep their farmland, instead of evicting them and allowing a coal company to profit at their expense. Why should aid money go towards supporting corporate profit? Isn't it meant to support the people?!

[AnnaKBrisvegas]

And yes, a Asia Energy (UK) and Australian taxpayers (via AusAID and the Asian Development Bank - the World Bank's little sister in Asia) are funding this, to the tune of $300 million dollars at least.

At a time when climate change threatens to flood low-lying Banladesh, this project just makes no sense. Digging up fossil fuels? Why?!

[AnnaKBrisvegas]

To respond to the comment below... I would hardly call this a documentary that has been filmed and edited in such a way as to be misleading... This is probably the only video to have come out of this whole campaign in Bangladesh. It's clearly been put together by a local activist to communicate that struggle that they are going through locally. More power to them!

[crumpet100]

This is a British company that is behind the whole investment - right??

[jengadude]

This looks more like an anti propaganda styled documentary giving a one sided view. Has been filmed and edited in such a way.