Dialogue with Alcan

On April 16th, one week before Alcan's 2004 Annual General Assembly, there was a meeting between Alcan and Alcan't in India representatives. The goal of this meeting was to set the record straigth, so to speak.

April 16, 2004 - Summary of Discussion with Alcan: What they claim vs. what we know

In the absence of any substantiating proof from Alcan concerning their so-called support from the local communities, Alcan't in India shows its evidence to the contrary: signed statements from the elected leaders of the 5 inter-village councils that are affected by the project.

April 16, 2004 - Alcan't in India presents signed statements from elected officials representing ALL 24 villages which are “officially affected”

Right after Alcan't in India's intervention at the Alcan AGM, there is a new meeting, this time with Alcan's Director of Bauxite and Alumina, Michael Hanley, where he agrees to publicise their documents.

April/May, 2004 - E-mail exchange between Alcan't in India and Alcan

Another meeting is arranged for June 16, 2004.

May 2004 - E-mail exchange between Alcan't in India and Alcan

Alcan't in India representatives are disappointed by the lack of cooperation from Alcan. The documents are still not available.

July 2nd, 2004- Alcan's justification for not substantiating its claims with evidence.

Alcan't in India decides to cease any further dialogue with Alcan until they are willing to publicly release their documents.

August-September 2004- E-mail exchange between Alcan't in India and Alcan: No more dialogue without documents

October 2004 - E-mail and letter exchange. Letter from Alcan received on October 25, 2004

November 2004 - E-mail and letter exchange between Alcan't in India and Alcan

On December 1st 2004, several platoons of police are detached to Kashipur to protect the inauguration ceremony for the construction of an access road and police station near the village of D-Karal. There is resistance from the villagers. Police lathi-charge the crowd and 16 people, mostly women, are injured some severely. There are many arbitrary arrests and many people are taken away without explanation. In the following weeks, repression and intimidation mount, as the police station is being built in spite of popular opposition. The area is practically sealed off to outsiders during the commemoration program on December 16th.

This incident was clearly related to the UTKAL project, as the access road is reportedly being built for the foreseen mining site. It occurred precisely two weeks before the commemoration of the Maikanch shootings and just days after the Chief Minister of Orissa, Shri Naveen Patnaik, gave clear instructions to state bureaucrats and police superintendents to suppress all anti-mining movements. Several days earlier, politicians and bureaucrats had held an all party meeting requesting that the Alcan mining project be launched at any cost and the opposition be suppressed.

The first week of December, Alcan't in India launched an Urgent Action Alert through its network of supporters and sympathisers. You can read the Action alert here. Despite our direct, and public, request, Alcan refused to accept any responsibility in the matter.

On December 16th, Alcan't in India held its second annual demonstration in front of Alcan's headquarters, to commemorate the killings of Anhilas Jhodia, Damodar Jhodia and Raghunath Jhodia by the Orissa state police, 4 years previously to the day. The same day, there was a big rally in Kashipur, in spite of the repression. We received confirmation that long time company employees (UAIL/Alcan employees!) were responsible for more violent harassment of Kashipur Movement supporters. Once again, Alcan denied all responsibility in the matter.

The following day, we received this letter from Michael Hanley:

December 17, 2004 - Letter from Michael Hanley

So far there has not been any new dialogue with Alcan in 2005, as they have not yet made their documents public.