Profit Over People: Killing a Tribal Movement Against Corporate Mining in India

Coal mining and coal use have been the most significant cause of global warming. It damages the environment and affects the lives, livelihood and culture of the indigenous people who live in a coal mining area. Resistance and rejection have been strong among those people. The article examines a people's movement in Jharkhand, India, that resisted an open-pit corporate coal mine. The case study explains how they organized and mobilized into a strong movement. It also describes what happens to the poor indigenous when a company disrespects an agreement. The article raises some fundamental ethical questions for the future of people's movements, mining companies, national governments, and the survival of our earth.