The Conflict : Whose Loss Whose Gain (short version)

"The Conflict", a Documentary on Adivasis (Indigenous) people
Duration : 80mins
Language : Oriya with English subtitle
Produced by : Pedestrian pictures
Film : The Conflict - Whose loss Whose gain
Script and Direction : Debaranjan Sarangi
Write to : debasar11@yahoo.co.in


Synopsis: Adivasi communities in India are feeling more and more alienated everyday from their life and from their own culture in their own land.
They are caught up between today's corporate globalisation and communalism. This film is on how one tribal community of eastern India (South Orissa), mainly Kandha, is up against this dual onslaught...

In 1993, UAIL, earlier a joint venture of four MNCs, came to the Kashipur block of Southern Orissa to mine bauxite, the raw material for aluminium, from Baphlimali bauxite mines, and to set up alumina plant at the Kucheipadar/Doraguda site. This was after India embarked on economic reforms, inviting more MNCs into the mining sector. Due to people's resistance, all big companies like Tata (India), Alcan (Canada) and Hydro (Norway) left Kashipur, except for Aditya Birla (India), who adopted fraudulent means and is determined to proceed.

For the company the project is all market and profit. For the government it is all about getting royalty. But for the Kondh adivasis of Kashipur - it was loss of their land and livelihood, their forest and food, their streams and rivers, their culture and ancestry. By 2006, many villagers in the 24 villages of Kashipur block left their land, including 3 villages which were evacuated for the company.

If the government had really taken interest in the development of adivasis, would adivasis have been influenced and exploited by others? Are Adivasis being turned into sacrificial goats by the corporate globalisation and communalism? This film is the director's journey with three tribal leaders to Kandhamal and Kashipur, soon after the violence in Kandhamal broke out in August-September 2009.

The Director, Debaanjan Sarangi is an Orissa based anti-mining activist, writer who has spent eight years with anti-mining movement of Adivasi's in Kashipur (PSSP). He is also involved in anti-communal struggles. He regularly contributes to the Magazines like Economic and Political Weekly. The shocking incidents which took place in Kandhamal influenced him to search the conflicts the Adivasis are going through. The Conflict is his first independent documentary film as a director. The film also speaks about the adivasi community "Kondh" with whom he has been working in the past eight years. The film is produced by Pedestrian Pictures.


contact address:


DEBARANJAN SARANGI
A/202
SONALI PALACE
SAILASHRI VIHAR
BHUBANESWAR -- 751021
ORISSA
Cell : 91-9437762272
Email : debasar11@yahoo.co.in




Comments by other people

This is a thought provoking film that attempts to unravel the many layers of the Kandhamal Story and make some connections between the communal as well as corporate-backed violence that has convulsed Odisha today.... Arundhati Roy, writer.

"The Conflict vividly captures the plight of the adivasis of Odisha which Kandhamal and Kashipur exemplify, The film brings to us in the words of the adivasis themselves how their loss of access to land and forest resources has created a crisis in society and polity which are manipulated by political parties, mining companies and communal organisations, especially the Hindutva forces causing a cycle of violence.".....Prof. Manoranjan Mohanty, President, Odisha Gabeshana Chakra
Retired Professor, Delhi University

"Located in the troubled adivasi areas of southern Orissa, this film patiently shows us the complex ways in which the communal division of adivasi people is being used to prepare the grounds for Hindutva, a process which deepens existing divisions, and allows the government and the mining corporates to begin the process of the dispossession of people from their lands."...Sanjay Kak, film maker

"An important film to understand complexities of Kandhmal violence in Orissa. An integral part of Cinema of Resistance Film Festivals initiative in Northern India."
Sanjay Joshi, Convener, Gorakhpur Film Festival and THE GROUP (film group of Jan Sanskriti Manch)
Displaying a fine understanding of its subject matter, the film tries to give voice to the poor adivasis and Dalits of the districts of Rayagada and Kandhamal in Orissa. ----The Hindu

Category:

Film & Animation

Tags:

• Conflict
• Indigenous
• Tribal
• Aborigins
• Violence
• Aditya
• Birla
• VHP
• Communalism
• Corporate
• Kandhamal
• Kashipur
• Odisha
• India