RED: Voiceover
BLUE: Subtitled
Black: Spoken English
Cowboys In India
Final Transcript
December 2009
01:0150:00 – COWBOYS IN INDIA -01:01:58:00
01:01:59:23 –The events in this film take place between June 2007 and February 2008... 01:02:05:00 (CAPTION)
Simon: Ok that was great got that shot now we can go
Satya: Yea
Simon: and carry on with the rest of the film
Simon VO
I’d heard it was like the wild west
down there.
The local tribal people had vowed to
fight with their bows and arrows to stop their sacred mountain from being mined
for aluminium, or aluminum as they say in America.
A British mining company said it was
pioneering new ways of eradicating poverty – bringing prosperity to the area.
I tried so many times to talk to the
company in London about making a film, but they never got back to me.
So that’s how I found myself in
Orissa. 33 hours by train from Delhi.
I’d been given the names of two
locals who could help me.
Satya…… he said that he would be
able to sort everything out for me….... he would be my guide -
And Doya _ .
Satya said he was the best driver in the whole of Orissa
We made an agreement – they would
take me wherever I wanted to go and I would pay them both 300 rupees a day plus
all their meals
But now looking back on this film, I
find myself asking, who were the cowboys? – was it the mining company and their
modern day gold rush.
…..Or was it me?. A film maker who thought that he could ride
into town on a white horse and come back home with the truth
IN THE HOTEL
03.51
Simon
So Is this where I am going to stay?
03.55
Satya
It’s just like a jail.
03:56
Simon
Like a jail?
04.00
Satya
Small, small rooms.
Simon
Yea
04.03
This is the toilet
04.07
Simon
Is it clean?
04.08
Satya
Clean. This is the bath……I think it
is a very low price.
IN THE CAR
04.22
Simon V.O.
It was indeed a low price,
especially when you consider that soaps, shampoos and toiletries seemed to come
compliments of the management.
And so we set off to find out about
this British company, Vedanta resources, and why they
were having to fight in the Supreme Court in Delhi to get permission to mine
the sacred tribal mountain. They said that
as enlightened and privileged human beings we shouldn’t keep the tribal and
other backward people in a primitive, uncared and unprovided for social and
economic environment
05.05
Simon V.O.
I’d seen pictures of starving people
in Orissa
But I’d also seen footage of the
tribal people saying that they would never let the company onto their land.
05.24
Simon V.O.
Back in 2003 the company had built a
factory at the foot of the mountain to refine the bauxite rock which would be
used to make aluminium. The company argued that if the mining didn’t go ahead,
then the billion dollars that they had already invested in the area would have
been wasted. So with my trusty guide and
his devoted driver we entered into a world of sustainable development and
corporate social responsibility.
But how could I have ever imagined
that satya and Daya would regret the day I rode into town?
AT THE PETROL STATION
06.18
Simon
So you need some money?
06.19
Satya
Yes he is putting 13 litres of diesel
06.24
Daya
It comes to 735
06.26
Satya
Get a bill
06.29
Simon
What’s happening?
06.31
Satya
He says he wants to eat some food
06.34
Simon
The driver wants to eat some food?
06.37
Satya
He wants a meal
06.38
Simon
A meal? But we’ve just eaten. We’ve just had breakfast.
06.43
Satya
You like to breakfast?
06.45
Simon
No. We’ve just had breakfast.
Only two hours ago we had breakfast.
06.52
SimonVO
I was beginning to realize that Satya and Daya were big, big
eaters
06.58
Satya
I’ll eat a little bit…
07.01
Satya
By the road no meals are good. Very difficult for
driver. I eat half meal. He eats full meal. You stay here.
07.56
Daya
What’s his problem? Why can’t he have a bit of rice?
07.15
Simon
I’ll come with you but I’m not going to eat anything..
IN THE CAFÉ
07.23
Satya
Papadums, and daal and salad, and
onion, and this is green chilli.
07.33
He is making a film about all the
development since Vedanta came here
07.40
Simon
They haven’t seen a cameraman before?
06.44
Satya
Yeah…because many people are happy
to see you.
They are understanding you are a
great filmmaker
07.52
Simon
I’m not a great filmmaker. A small filmmaker.
07.57
Simon V.O.
I couldn’t work out if Satya really
did think I was more important than I am. I think back in those first few days
it was difficult for either of us to understand anything about each other. But
then maybe in this place the truth could be whatever you want it to be.
IN THE OFFICE
08.15
Simon
I’m not really from the BBC. I’m a freelancer.
08.19
Satya
I’m saying BBC. BBC is one of the
world famous channels. And BBC reporter means respect. They respect you and me.
They’re afraid “Why did they come here? What is their problem?
ARGUMENT ON THE ROAD
08.48
Truck Driver:
Hey Look. The camera crew has
arrived. It’s the local TV.
Hey. You lot. It’s the TV.
Why are you throwing stones at him?
The cameraman has only come to talk
to all the poor people. He’ll show the news about India and show the problems
to his government, and explain to them that this is how the money from their
country is being spent.
Satya:
One guy said when the camera is
shooting we will break it
09.26
Simon VO
Those first few days it was
impossible to understand what was going on.
Some local villagers had chopped a
tree down to block the road and stop the mining trucks from going to the
factory. So the truck drivers were trying to get them to open the road again
09.43
Man on road
You should contact the factory and
fight with them if you fight with us what can we do?
09.48
Other man on road
But we are dying of hunger here
09.50
Why are you picking on us? Go to the authorities and fight with them
09.55
If you think like that then why
don’t you kill us all
10.01
We don’t have to kill you and you
don’t have to kill us. Even if our
trucks wait here for two months it wont effect the company.
10.07
You have to feed your stomach and
we have to feed our stomachs
10.08
Hey get lost. Go away
10.12
Hey get out of here with that
camera or we will smash it up
10.24
Simon VO
Satya said that in order to
understand everything we would have to go up the mountain. He said he’d
organise a big expedition for me. He told me stories about the leopards and
elephants that would be endangered by the mining. “Don’t worry, Simon”, he
said, “I’ll arrange everything”. He said he needed to get hold of a gun
10.50
Tribal
Boy
You see that place up there? They’re blasting up there. We’re going to
blow up Vedanta. Understand me?...Yes Blow up Vedanta.
Boom.
WAITING TO GO UP THE MOUNTAIN
11.11
Simon
I think we should wait ten minutes. Then if the people
aren’t here with the gun , then we should go. Because
it’s going to get dark soon.
11.20
Simon
Satya, Satya… What are we doing? Where are your trousers?
11.33
Simon
But there’s no tigers in the jungle
11.40
Thin Man
On the Niyamgiri Hills there are
many animals….on the hill. Living in the jungle.
Tigers, deers, bears. All animals are here. Lions…
11.58
Simon
Not Lions
12.00
Thin Man
No there aren’t lions
12.12
Simon
So Satya, we’re not taking a gun then?
12.14
Satya
No
12.19
Simon
So what if we get eaten by tigers?
12.20
Satya
No no. We wont get eaten that way.
They say the gun is damaged.
12.27
Simon
The gun is damaged
12.29
Simon
And now it’s getting dark
12.33
Satya
Yeah. I
have one torch.
12,37
Simon
You have one torch.
DRIVING UP THE MOUNTAIN
12.41
Daya
The Jeep smells of burning
12.44
2nd Indian
It’s natural.
Keep going
12.45
Daya
OK. Get
out! I’ve been telling you guys this is a difficult road but you don’t listen.
Try to understand me brothers. We cannot go ahead.
12.54
2nd Indian
Just keep
going. What’s your problem? What kind of a driver are you?
12.59
Daya
You say
that but I can’t go any further.
13.03
2nd Indian
Why the heck did you come then?
13.05
Daya
It’s already smelling
13.07
2nd Indian
I can’t smell anything
WALKING UP THE HILL
13.11
Simon
Satya did you bring a plate?
13.15
Satya
Yes
13.19
Simon
You brought all the cooking
utensils
13.24
Satya
I’ll be cooking now.
13.25
Simon
What are we going to eat?
13.26
Satya
I’m cooking rice, daal and vegetable…. curry. You like it? Thank you
13.36
Simon V.O.
Most of the time I just couldn’t
understand what the hell was going on. There seemed to be about ten people now
who were all meant to be helping me in some way.
13.48
Simon
What is that you are eating?
13.50
Tribal Man
Mango. Say to him I have eating mango
13.53
Simon
Mango
13.56
Tribal Man
Eating Mango
13.58
Simon
From the Tree? From the jungle?
13.43
Tribal Man
Yes
13.01
Tribal Man
Yes, yes
14.05
Simon VO
I’d read how the environmentalists
were saying that if the mining went ahead people for miles around might lose
access to water.
14.14
Simon
How much further is it Satya?
14.17
Simon VO
They said that the bauxite rock which would be mined
from the top of the mountain acted like a big sponge, soaking up the water in
the rainy season and releasing it into the rivers slowly throughout the year.
Satya had assured me that we
wouldn’t have to take any water with us
But so far we hadn’t seen any water
or rivers…..
and I was beginning to think that my
guides were hopeless
14.47
Thin Man
What are you thinking?
14.51
Simon
I am thinking I’m very hot. I’m very tired. But it’s very
wild here.
15.02
Indian man
Have you seen your English forest?
15.05
Simon
Yes we have forests, but not like this. Different forest
15.10
Ah. Good
15.11
Simon
We’ve got no water?
15.13
Satya
In top no water…
…very
15.21
Skinny man
Very very disappointed.
15:24
Simon
Big problem
15.25
Satya
Big problem.
BY FIRESIDE
15.29
Simon V.O.
I’ve managed to film none of the
things that Satya promised on Niyamgiri mountain.
No elephants, no tigers, no tribal
people with bows and arrows. The trip
felt like a jolly for satya and all his mates. Who kept coming and going as
they pleased. Even our driver had
deserted us.
It was impossible to sleep. There
was a rock sticking into my ribs and Satya was hugging me tightly to keep warm.
16.05
The next day we made it up to the
mining area right on top of the mountain. The government’s Ministry of
Environment and Forests in Delhi had assured the Supreme Court that there
wasn’t any forest up here. So were all these trees just a figment of my
imagination?
We carried on over the mountain and
down the other side to the remote villages where the Dongria Khond tribal
people live.
16.35
Simon
Do you think this village will be affected?
16.38
Satya
Yes. Sure affected.
16.40
Simon
Why?
16.42
Satya
They’ll do blasting and many people
will suffer.
INTERVIEW WITH TRIBAL WOMAN
17.10
Tribal Woman
Even if they give us money… we
can’t survive on money.
17.17
Young man
What can we do with money?
17.19
Tribal Woman
Money is no use to us. You cannot
eat money.
17.22
Young man
Without the mountain we cannot
live.
17.27
Tribal Woman
We have always lived in the forest.
We have everything we need.
We can’t live any other way.
17.35
Young Man
We can’t live in the plain area
This is our life. This hill is our life.
17.39
Tribal Woman
We don’t need anyone else. We can
look after ourselves up here.
17.41
Young Man
Yes, you see how we are growing
everything here. We don’t depend on anybody. We do all the work ourselves.
17.54
Tribal Woman
This is our land. We have always
lived here. It is our forefathers’ place. That is why we live here.
18.04
Young man
This is our forefathers place this
is why we live here
18.15
Young man
Nyamgiri is our sacred place. Niyamraja means lord of law. Whom all
Dhongria Khond people worship as the creator and God. If vehicles will come, if electricity
will come my peoples’ lives will be spoilt. We don’t use this fridge, we don’t
use this car, we don’t use this ice, nothing we can use, because everything we
have in this mountain. God has given everything to our people.
18.50
Simon V.O.
Months later when I was back in
London an odd thing happened. This man
appeared on YouTube saying that he was now in favour of the mining. He said
that anti mining people and foreign NGOs had lied to the tribals about how
disasterous the mining would be. Looking back, I can see it now. Unwittingly we
were becoming mixed up in an information war with millions of dollars riding on
how what the company did in that far flung place was pecieved by the investors
in the west
I can understand now why there was
so much at stake in the simple search for truth that I had embarked on with
Satya and Daya the driver.
20.03
Simon – to Daya
Have you got the Jeep?
20.04
Daya
Jeep
20.05
Simon
The commander?
Oh great
20.07
Daya
- Car no
20.09
Simon
- Ambassador… no?
A VILLAGE BY THE ROAD
20.47
Simon
These signs are everywhere. “Our Vedanta”
20.53
Satya
One man died here.
20.54
Simon
What happened? One of the leaders against Vedanta died here?
21.00
Simon V.O.
In this place there were so many
crazy rumours flying around. I had read in the London Sunday Times from June
2006, allegations that a tribal leader opposed to the factory and the mine had
been murdered.
21.16
Satya
He lived here in this village
Kansari
21.20
Simon V.O.
The company refuted his wife’s claim
that he had been killed because he was organising opposition against the
mine.
21.27
Satya
Sister, Can you tell us about the road accident that
happened here?
21.29
Woman:
I don’t know anything about it.
21.34
Simon VO
The police said it was just a hit
and run road accident. They closed the case without ever finding the culprit.
21.45
Simon
So, Driver…..you want to go?
21.49
Daya
OK
21.50
Simon
You want to go?
Challo, Jiba?
21.55
Daya
Jiba
Let’s go
22.00
Simon V.O.
That’s when I first got a sense of
anxiety from Daya. As though we were
doing something we shouldn’t be. But there was no doubt in my mind that these
allegations were false. A report lodged in the Supreme Court alleged that local
thugs had been used to quell opposition to the mine, and that the police had
brutally moved people off their land to make way for the factory. Did this ftse
100 company listed on the London Stock Exchange and those investors from major
international banks, know about all these accusations?
22.38
Simon and Satya
What does it say? “Maghi is smiling
today. His two sons work for Vedanta Alumina. But life here has not been a bed
of roses. For Maghi, until only a few years ago, they lived in abject poverty… with a bleak future”.
23.00
Simon V.O.
We arranged to meet the local
development officer, who’d written a glowing report on Vedanta.
23.05
Satya
Number is busy
23.08
Simon VO
….but however many times we tried to find out about these
projects, we never got anywhere…………and
then we were told more of these crazy stories….about that man who had died on
the road…….
23.18
Man in dark
It’s a pre planned murder because
Sucra Maghi was a great leader of the tribals. He was a very brave man and he
was targeted by the company.
23.29
Simon (VO)
Things I didn’t believe.……we would
wait hours in the unbearable
heat of our little car, so we could interview the police about
these allegations.
23.41
Satya
- What did
they say?
23.42
Simon
- They said we have to wait until 5 o’clock
23.48
Simon
He is not coming until five
23.58
Daya
Vedanta, Vedanta. I’m sick of it
24.05
Simon
So we’ve wasted a lot of time…
24.07
Satya
Lots of time, lots of money, lots
of diesel lots of…people
24.43
Daya
This department is run by crows!
24.15
Simon (VO)
It was impossible to get anyone from
the company to speak to us ……but then we found a local man who sang the
company’s praises.
24.23
Local Man
Vedanta has opened many childcare
centres and in these childcare centres they are providing two meals a day,
they’re providing breakfasts, they’re providing shirts. They provide health care for the children…
24.41
Simon VO
But not everybody agreed on all the
benefits that the company was bringing to the area
24.45
Woman:
They said they made a medical centre for us in Lanjigarh but
it is not true
24.49
Man:
Are you saying there is no centre
in Lanjigarh?
24.50
Woman
It was there before Vedanta came
24.53
Man
How can you say that? They made a hospital with 10 beds.
24.54
Woman
There aren’t any doctors.
24.55
Man
You are stuck in your shop all day
so what do you know?
24.58
Woman
I’ve been going to Lanjigarh
everyday since I was born
25.01
Man
Well you’ve missed it
25.04
Simon
Satya, Vedanta must have given something to this
village. It is said that they’d put a
childcare centre in every village. Can you ask the lady about the childcare
centres?
25.12
Satya
She said not
25.17
Simon VO
But then we managed to find one of
the 32 Vedanta Childcare Centres.
25.24
Man in Shades
The poor have become very rich
today. They have provided a ten bed hospital for us all.
25.32
Simon (VO)
And we found the hospital which they said didn’t exist. It was locked. But it definitely existed.
25.25
Daya
They only constructed the hospital building, but they
haven’t got any doctors there. And now this man has received money. He’s saying
there are TWO doctors there and that the company is giving food to all the
villagers. What the hell is he talking about. They’re all trying to pocket
money – that’s what.
IN THE CAFE
25.58
Satya
I cant eat
a big meal. Can you give half?
26.02
Simon VO
Nothing in our investigation was
becoming any clearer.
And sometimes it just felt like we were running
around….waiting and eating.
What I didn’t understand was that if
they were doing all this great work in the area, why wouldn’t Vedanta, the
police, government officials, or anyone else talk to us.
And now, after all this pointless
running around, I could tell that Satya and Daya were becoming disillusioned
with me. I think they were beginning to realise that I was n’t the big shot
that they’d been telling all their friends about.
WAITING IN CAR
26.46
SATYA
Next time you come you come as a BBC reporter.
26.52
Simon
You think people would be more impressed with me?
26.55
Satya
Yes. Many people love the BBC. They say it is the greatest
channel in the world.
27.03
Daya
He needs to get a licence… a licence
to film.
27.11
Satya
It seems to me that the poor people
are being harassed, Some people have taken money from
Vedanta and become rich. Can anyone get richer than them?
I feel sad about poor people losing their land and being driven to bad family situations.
27.31
Daya
So, if he can get the licence…
27.35
Satya
No it’s a well known fact that
nobody comes to the rescue of the poor.
90 percent of the people in Orissa are poor and only 10 percent get to
eat properly. A few people are becoming
“Hi-Fi” but nobody is thinking about the poor.
27.53
Daya
So tell him to get his licence.
27.56
Satya
Yes, we’ll have to get one.
28.01
Simon (VO)
I felt a slight desperation. I
hadn’t got any of the footage I had hoped to get, and Satya and Daya were
losing faith in me. And so we started to do the filming like the BBC would do
it.
MAKING A NEWS REPORT
28.20
Satya
Oh. You’re looking very good. Just like a James Bond hero.
28.26
Simon
James Bond?
28.30
Simon
Where shall I stand? Shall I stand here? Ok. Tell me when I can start.
28.47
Satya
Okay you can start.
28.49
Simon
I’m standing in front of the pillars which are to carry the
conveyor belt which goes from the mountain up there bringing the bauxite down
to the factory. But all the building work was stopped in a rush because the
Supreme Court in Delhi ordered that the work be stopped. Oh I’ll start again
sorry. I’m standing in front of the pillars which were to bring a conveyor belt
down from the mountain down to the factory, bringing the bauxite down from the
hills… Oh no you need. Keep the camera here looking at me.
I’m standing in front of the pillars which were built to carry a conveyor belt to bring the bauxite
down from the mountain to the factory but the work was stopped in a big hurry
when the Supreme Court of India told Vedanta that they had to …
Simon:
- Do you like being a cameraman?
- Yes
BY THE SIDE OF THE ROAD
29.43
Angry Tribal Man
We won’t allow filming here.
There’s a big water crisis on our hands. You people who come and talk to us are
politicians and we are dogs. We are just monkeys in the mountains for you.
29.55
Angry Tribal Man
We can’t sleep at night. It’s
really deafening. It makes a lot of noise.
30.08
Daya
Why did you sell your land?
30.10
Angry Tribal man
They put pressure on us to sell it
30.14
Daya
So if you didn’t want to sell
it, how could they take it?
30.20
Angry Tribal Man
I don’t know.
30.21
Daya
So what are the politicians doing?
…No, listen. What are the politicians doing to help? When the company has given so much money,
then they must have provided facilities.
30.34
Angry Tribal Man
When we demand things they police
come and arrest the villagers. They just
come and take us away
30.40
Satya
He’s been arrested three times
30.44
Angry Tribal Man
They said they would give us every
facility for taking our land. They said they would provide EVERYTHING for us.
So how could we not believe them. So the company may as well ask for us all to
be arrested. They should take all the
children too. Then we might be happy. At least we’d get fed.
31.08
Vedanta man
How can Vedanta give him a job?
He’s illiterate. He doesn’t know anything. He thinks he should get
free-of-cost-money. I can go to the Vedanta office and go and take the money
and come back and drink. That’s all.
31.24
Simon
Are you working for Vedanta?
31.26
Vedanta man
Yes
31.28
Simon
Are there lots of local people working for Vedanta?
31.34
Vedanta Man
In the surrounding villages there
are around 4000 labourers.
31.44
Angry Tribal Man
Do you understand Oriya language.
They won’t even give me a job sweeping the factory.
31.51
Vedanta Man
Why don’t you study. Then you can get a job?
31.53
Angry tribal man
Why do I need to study to get a
job?
31.58
Vedanta Man
You don’t have the right
qualifications
32.00
Angry Tribal Man
My father was not educated, and nor
was my mother. My parents didn’t educate me, so what do I do?
ON THE ROAD
32.28
Simon
How many trucks are coming every day?
32.30
Village man in white vest
More than 300 - 500.
32.48
Village woman in blue sari
This is my father’s land
.
32.51
Village woman in blue sari
This land ‘s my life. I have always looked after it and it looks
after me. Nobody has given anything to
me. If I leave this land, who will feed
me? You think someone will look after
me? Not my father, not my mother.
33.30
Daya
The villagers objected to the company and they were told to put water on the
road.
33.38
Daya
They said the dust is getting
everywhere and making their houses dirty.
It wasn’t until they complained that the company told them to put water on the
road.
33.50
Daya
They’ve been told Vedanta will pay
them at the end of the month. But it hasn’t been decided how much. They haven’t
come to any agreement yet.
34.04
Daya to village lady
How often have you been wetting the road?
Twice a day?
34.11
Simon VO
The ladies were being paid about two dollars a day to keep the roads wet
As we were moving around the
area, we passed trucks on the way to the
factory that had shed their loads or that had crashed on this new road that the
company had built.
34.27
Daya
What’s happened here?....Bauxite.
34.37
Satya
He was sleeping inside. But he was
lucky.
34.42
Boy
I was hit by two rocks below my
knee.
34.46
Simon VO
The company were proud of their new
roads. But there were rumours that people had been killed by trucks going to
the factory…… I found a newspaper report
in 2008 that said a policeman was crushed to death under the wheels of a
Vedanta truck.
34.59
Simon
Hi
so what’s…?
35.06
Village Man:
The officers are coming from
Vedanta
35.11
Vedanta official
Where are you from?
35.12
Simon
I’m from London
35.13
Vedanta official
Actually you are from London… From
which company?
35.19
Simon
I’m freelance
35.21
Vedanta official
Freelance?
35.22
Simon
I make films for British television or for French
television.
35.32
Vedanta official
Is it a documentary film or
anything else?
35.35
Simon
It’s a documentary film.
35.36
Vedanta Official
Are you from the side of NGOs or from Vedanta’s side?
35.42
Simon
No, I’m from independent side.
So I am making a film about development issues.
35.51
Vedanta official
Development in which area?
35.53
Simon
In this area. In Kalahandi. Because this is the most poor
area in India.
36.01
Vedanta official
No. No you said the wrong thing.
36.06
Simon
Well. This is what everybody says Orissa is the poorest
state in India.
36.11
Vedanta official
OK, but now it has already changed.
36.19
Simon
Yes this is what I’m making a film about… the changes.
36.24
Vedanta official
You should compare it with before.
36.26
Simon
You think it’s better now?
36.27
Man with moustache and white vest
Vedanta could not change the poor people. Vedanta is for the
rich people. Poor people are getting
only sixty rupees for one day.
36.35
Simon
Okay but maybe you think things are better now?
36.46
Simon – to Vedanta official
So will you tell me your side…
Can you tell me the other side?
36.58
Vedanta official
Three years back there was nothing
in this area. People were very poor at the time. They didn’t have any vehicles
or cycles over here. But now they have four wheel vehicles. Which is not
available in the metro-cities also.
37.17
Simon
So they are better off?
37.21
Angry village woman
The road wasn’t here earlier, It was somewhere else. Go and check on the map.
37.28
Vedanta Guy
Before that there was no road here.
All this road has been constructed by Vedanta.
37.35
Vedanta official
Let’s go
37.37
Angry woman
Don’t you dare come here again.
This is my father’s land.
37:40
Vedanta official
Go… go…
37.48
Simon VO
It was odd that they hadn’t wanted
to talk to me in London, or when I arrived in Orissa, but all of a sudden we
were being escorted to meet the head of Corporate Social responsibility back at
the special colony that the company provided to re-house people who lost their
homes when the factory was built.
VEDANTA’S REHABILITATION VILLAGE
38.08
Vedanta’s Head of Corporate Social Responsibility
Here you can see but you have come
a little late, we have our child care
centre there where we take care of
precautionary health of the children, their education, nutritional food we
provide to them. So we understand that
corporate social responsibility is
integral to our business approach. So they have got very good facilities which
help them to lead a quality life and contribute not only to the economy of this
country, but the social development.
38.46
Simon
And how do the local people…..?
38.48
CSR man
We have full support of the local
people for this business and that’s why we are here and in the production mode,
of course you can see the happiness of the people over here. Can someone come over here… Supari, come
over here.
His name is Supari Maghi he will speak to you in Oriya and I will translate
what he has done.
This gentleman wants to know which
village you come from.
39.24
Supari:
Kinari
39.25
CSR Man:
Were things better in the old
village of Kinari, or is it better here?
39.33
Supari
No. We are much happier here
39.35
CSR Man
But you can see over there the
plantation, water supply system, community hall, the villagers, the happiness
on their faces so they are the things.
39.45
Simon
Thanks very much
39.48
CSR Man
Also jot down his phone number. I will a get a phone number.
We are getting the phone number for both of you so if possible I can also give
an interview. Ok, bye bye.
41.06
Simon VO
It was starting to look as though
the company might not get permission to mine the mountain after all, even
though it had spent so much money building the factory. In 2006 the Supreme
Court’s fact finding committee reported
that the use of forest land in an ecologically sensitive area like the
Niyamgiri Mountain shouldn’t be permitted.
It said the ministry of environment
and forests had misled the public when it said that no forest land was used to
build the factory, and that the forest had been cleared illegally. It recommended that Vedanta should stop all
further work building the factory and that mining on top of the mountain should
not be permitted.
So surely that was it? The company would have to pack up and go. But as Satya, Daya and I continued to waited for the supreme court decision, what had, for me, started out at the beginning of the film as a naïve curiosity began to take on a darker edge.
IN THE CAFE
42.48
Café man
We can’t make you any tea right now.
42.51
Daya
But the English gentleman doesn’t eat. He only drinks tea - day and night
42.55
Café man
Isn’t the foreigner going to eat?
42.56
Daya
He doesn’t eat.
42.58
Café man
What about lunch?
42.59
Daya
No He didn’t have that either.
43.05
Satya
He only has snacks, two pooris, two
idlis
And that will keep him going for 24
hours.
He’s obsessed with his work. Unlike
us who take eating very seriously.
For him it’s work first and then
food.
43.22
Satya
That guy before, what was he
saying?
43.25
Daya
Nothing. He just wanted to know why
we’re filming.
43.29
Satya
Did he ask anything about us?
43.30
Daya
No. They were just talking amongst
themselves.
I don’t think we need to worry too
much about him.
43.37
Satya
We were just shooting some trucks
on the road.
But we heard that the police were
asking questions about us.
43.42
Daya
No. It’s not that bad.
43.52
Satya
I hope you didn’t tell anyone what
we are filming
43.55
Daya
They didn’t ask me anything, so I
didn’t tell them anything.
DRIVING THROUGH THE PUDDLE
44.31
Daya
Because we are renting this car, we
always have problems. It’s not ours.
44.37
Satya
Daya says he wants one car. Please
buy him one car.
44.45
Simon
He wants me to buy him a car?
44.47
Satya
This car. I think this car is
45,000 [rupees]
44.50
Simon
He wants me to buy it for him.
44.51
Satya
The owner is selling.
The owner said you give 45,000/-
and you take this car. So what do you
think. Only 45,000/-
45.00
Simon
45,000/- how much is that, £500?
45.07
Satya
The tyres are new, the engine is
new, the gear box new,
The body functions OK
All of it is OK.
It is very cheap price, you take
this car he says, our driver.
FILMING ON THE ROAD
45.30
Simon
No Daya come away, come, you have to pretend you’re inside the car.
No keep going. Oh Fuck. I’m trying to make it look as though we are driving along in the car okay. Keep going keep going keep going.
46.04
Simon
I thought you were going to keep going then
46.11
Simon VO
I don’t know about this car with
it’s new tyres, new engine and new gearbox………maybe not such a great investment
after all.
NIGHT BREAKDOWN
46.22
Simon
Pumping?
46.23
Mechanic
Pumping
46.25
Simon
Diesel pumping?
46.26
Mechanic
Diesel pumping
46.36
Simon
What are you doing Satya?
46.39
Satya
I’m collecting mangoes
46.42
Simon
You’re collecting mangoes?
46.45
Satya
Tribal mangoes
46.46
Simon
Are they tribal?
46.47
Satya
Yes. Nice
46.52
Simon VO
Satya said that while our trusty old
ambassador car was being fixed they could get hold of a really reliable
jeep……..
46.58
Simon
What’s the problem Daya?
47.01
Daya
No problem
47.03
Simon
No Problem? It looks to me like there’s a big
problem.
47.06
Simon VO
So eventually we set off. Maybe it was the searing temperatures
starting to get to me. Because even
though I was meant to be in charge, it had got to the point where the purpose
of our quest was beginning to become lost on me. And then we stopped because
I felt sorry for a family that were walking along laden with heavy bags.
I think that’s what gave Satya and
Daya the idea that I was a soft touch, because now we were stopping to give
everyone a lift. I couldn’t help feeling
that it was me that was being taken for a ride.
47.45
Simon
What’s happened?
47.46
Satya
He’d like to collect some money
One person - five rupees
47.50
Simon VO
And as we waited and waited for the
Supreme Court hearing to be decided in Delhi this whole project seemed to be
getting impossible
48.58
Daya
Who needs to pay? What about you? Have you paid?
48.05
Simon VO
And now I was employing two drivers,
because the jeep came with its own driver
and that driver came with his own appetite
48.14
Simon
I have got two drivers now and they are both getting hungry
48.17
Satya
Yeah
48.21
Satya
Double Hungry. One driver hungry
and another driver hungry.
48.27
Simon
It’s difficult. This film. It’s difficult. We’re not going to make this film I don’t think.
There’s too many problems. Now there’s a problem with the car. Last time you told me that you want to buy this car. You said you’d like to purchase this car. Because you said it’s a very good car.
48.45
Satya
I would like a “Marshall”.
48.47
Simon
Which is the Marshall?
48.48
Satya
Marshall is very good. Just like
this jeep.
48.51
Simon
That’s twice the price. Do you have any money Satya?
48.55
Satya
No sorry. I have no money.
48.58
Simon
And Daya?
48.59
Satya
No. He is poor. Very poor.
49.04
Simon
And then what are you going to do? You’re going to have a business together?
Satya and Daya business?
49.07
Yes. Satya and Daya Vehicles
ON THE ROAD
49.28
Satya
Are they letting anyone through?
49.29
Man in truck
No brother, the road’s blocked.
49.39
Satya
Oh I think it’s a lady…. a woman
49.54
Simon
A woman? Oh no.
50.09
Simon
Accident?
50.11
Policeman
Yes, accident
50.13
Simon
I think there have been many accidents on this road with the
Vedanta trucks.
50.17
Policeman
Vedanta, yes.
50.20
Simon
Does she have children?
50.22
Police
She has got… Blessed with four
children.
50.33
Simon
Husband? Where is the husband?
50.38
Policeman
That fellow
50.40
Satya
He’s her husband.
50.58
Simon (VO)
I had discovered that in this place
the truth never stays the same for long. The villagers and police said that it
was a company truck that had run the woman over. But when we went back later
the story had mysteriously changed and we were told that the fault didn’t lie
with the company. The woman had quarrelled with her husband and thrown herself
under the wheels of the truck.
51.26
Seller
Cheap rate, cheap rate.
51.29
Simon
No thanks
52.01
Simon VO
Satya and Daya hadn’t shown up to
work with me now for several days. I didn’t know if it was because they were
upset about the dead woman…..Maybe they were bored. There was certainly some kind of inexplicable
resistance from them. And so I set off
without Satya and Daya to find where all these trucks were coming from laden
with Bauxite rock. Until the Supreme Court made its decision on whether mining
on the mountain could go ahead, the
factory would have to be fed by a mine
in the next state. That mine was also owned by the company.
53.00
Simon VO
I would like to be able to say that
I was thinking of buying the jeep for Satya and Daya because I wanted to do
something to help them. But if I am being honest I also thought it would be an
incentive to get them to help me. When I found Satya he was in his garden
collecting flowers for the temple.
SATYA’S HOUSE
53:33
Simon
How old is she?
53:36
Satya
I think eleven months
53:45
Simon
Okay, so this is your wife - Lily.
53:50
Simon
We haven’t done any work now for two days or three
days.
We didn’t do any work.
I think you are tired now of working.
You don’t like working with me.
54.05
Satya
No. I like it but I feel my leg
problem.
54.10
Simon
So you’ve got leg pain and Daya’s got tooth
pain.
54.20
Daya
It’s wobbly
54.23
Simon
So when do you think you two will be able to work again and
help me?
In one day, two days, three days?
Or are you fed up? I think you’re fed up.
54:33
Satya
No. No.
54.35
Simon
No?
54.36
Simon VO
It was little snippets of
conversation in Oriya language, like the one that follows, that I hadn’t
understood all the time that we had been filming together. And it wasn’t until
I got my translations done back in Delhi that I found out about their worries,
and realised why they had lost their enthusiasm to work with me.
54:57
Daya
The Vedanta people called us up and
asked where Simon is staying.
And what he is doing and where does
he come from.
Why does he come to this area, why
don’t you tell him to stop?
So we say we don’t know what he’s
doing here.
Why should we ask him to stop? We are only doing our job.
We can tell them that we don’t know
where he is staying.
That’s what they said to us when we
were shooting.
GOING TO DAYA’S HOUSE
55.38
Satya
Is Daya here?
55.41
Simon
Aha. This is your house Daya?
55.43
Daya
Yes. My House.
55.48
Satya
I think Daya doesn’t own this
house. He’s renting.
How much do you pay?
55.55
Daya
300 a month
55.56
Satya
He depends on our family.
55.59
Simon
Really. You pay some money to him?
56.02
Satya
I pay a little bit. My father pays
and my sister pays.
He has no land, no business.
56.14
Daya
He is afraid that Simon is going to
take me away again
56.18
Satya
It’s not for little boys, the work
we are doing.
56.21
Daya
There are crazy people out there.
56.31
Satya
Daya is very poor. He doesn’t eat
rice daily.
When Daya’s sister died
Daya’s family very difficult at
that time.
They selling his land.
She was feeling malaria.
They couldn’t afford the treatment
and so she died.
I think it will be a help for Daya. When we
buy one jeep it will maintain his family. And it will also maintain his child.
57.22
Daya
My House. Two rooms.
57.28
Daya’s wife
Money problem
57.32
Daya
No water, no toilet, no bathroom…
57.40
Simon
And this is your kitchen? That’s where you do your cooking?
57.49
Daya
Sit down Simon
The time is 1.30
57.55
Simon
One thirty. It’s late for eating. This looks very nice.
Thank you.
58.00
Daya.
You’re not hungry?
58.02
Simon
Yes. I am hungry. Who cooked? Your wife?
58.11
Simon
And you cooking?
58.12
Daya
No my wife cooking
58.13
Simon
Only your wife cooking. OK. So I’ll switch the camera off and I’ll eat the food.
58.20
Daya
Vegatables, rice, daal, papadums,
everything.
58.26
Simon
I’m eating too much. Full up. Full up.
58.30
Daya
Pilao? Pilao rice is very…..We
haven’t got any. He wants pilao rice.
58.38
Daya’s wife.
Next time you come we’ll make
pilao.
Come again for that.
58.46
Daya
Presentation
58.47
Simon
Is that for me? A present?
SIMON’S HOTEL
58.52
Simon VO
Back in my hotel there were so many
questions swimming around in my head. Was it right to give them money towards
the jeep? It could provide them with a regular income for years to come. …And
what about Vedanta? It turned out that the hospital they had provided had
always been locked because the government had failed to find any doctors and
nurses to run it. But we never did find
the college for 3000 girls which the company was meant to have built. And then
a local film maker passed me some video tapes believing that I would have the
power to get them seen. He said that he
had tried to get them on TV, but none of the channels in India would show them.
59.40
Tribal witch doctor
We will not leave this place. It
gives us our lives
You have broken into our houses.
You are sucking our blood. You bloody dogs.
59.56
Simon VO
In the footage there was an
interview with the local politician who denied all knowledge of any problems
1.00.05
Man in Crowd
You became a big person because we
voted for you. How can you support the police? She’s supporting Vedanta. That’s
the only reason she’s here.
1.00.15
Politician
Nobody ever complained to me.
So how was I meant to know that
there was a dust and water problem?
No one put anything in writing.
1.00.30
Simon VO
…..and then there was the footage of
an accident.
1.00.35
Interviewee
He’s my brother.
My younger brother.
He was supposed to come here for
“shift A” duty.
He left home at 5am. He didn’t have
any safety equipment.
1.00.56
Simon VO
But the company had recieved an international safety
certificate for it zero accident and zero fatality record at the factory….There
was an excerpt showing how local villagers had smashed a water pipe feeding the
factory because they were fed up with the pollution in their area…they were
claiming that the company were emptying toxic waste from the factory into the
local river.
ADVERT BREAK FOR CHANNEL 4
VILLAGERS BY THE RIVER
1.01.40
Satya
So you bathe every day in the
river? What other problems do you face?
1.01.45
Villager
After taking a bath our bodies itch
all over.
1.01.48
Satya
So are they releasing water at
night?
1.01.50
Villager
Yes it happens at night
You can see the smoke coming out
over there. Maybe they are releasing water now.
1.01.57
Simon
So shall we come and have a look in the night?
When is a good time to come?
1.02.02
Satya
Do you know the exact time when
they release the water?
1.02.05
Villager
There’s no fixed time, but it could
be around 11pm.
OUTSIDE THE FACTORY
1.02.20
Security Guard
Hey. Do not snap here.
1.02.25
Daya
Number….He’s taken our registration
plate.
1.02.32
Satya
They’ve called the police.
They think you are going the wrong
way. The big guy said.
OK stop they’re coming now.
1.02.50
Simon
Tell me what he said?
1.02.51
Satya
No. He’s coming now.
1.02.56
Vedanta guy
Come over here and get in the car.
1.03.03
Simon
- Is there a problem?
- No Problem
1.03.11
Daya
Vedanta
1.03.12
Simon
They’re taking him to Vedanta?
1.03.15
Daya
Because we didn’t have permission
DRIVING IN CAR
1.03.22
Simon
Daya, what’s happening?
1.03.23
Daya
Company - Vedanta Company.
1.03.26
Simon
They’ve taken Satya
1.03.28
Daya
They’ve taken him away to ask why
he is bringing foreigners to the area. They’ve been asking me too. “Why do you
keep driving them here in the car?”
“Daya and Satya bringing them
without permission.”
1.033.58
Simon VO
It had come to this: that in my own
obsession to make a film, I had not taken Satya and Daya’s fears
seriously.
WAITING IN CAR
1.04.16
Simon
Were you frightened?
1.04.17
Daya
Yes. Bodyguards.
1.04.18
Satya
No I wasn’t frightened.
1.04.22
Simon
And what did that man say?
1.04.27
Satya
Yes. He said “Follow these two guys
and collect their names and phone numbers.
They said Yes Yes Yes.
1.04.38
Simon
To follow us?
THE VILLAGE AT NIGHT
1.04.59
Satya
So they’re not releasing the water
now?
1.05.02
Villager
Of course they are. They do it at
night.
1.05.10
Satya
Are they releasing it every night?
1.05.11
Villager
Not every night but on a regular
basis
Shall we go to the place where it
is coming from?
1.05.18
Satya
No not now
1.05.22
Villager
So how shall we do it?
1.05.25
Satya
We’ll come another day. If the
police are here they’ll arrest us.
1.05.28
Villager
There’s a policeman over there
1.05.30
Satya
When did he arrive?
He look at everything.
1.05.34
Simon
Where is he?
1.05.35
Satya
Look. Near the mango tree
1.05.40
Simon
What, he’s the policeman over there?
1.05.42
Satya
Mango, mango tree
1.05.43
Simon
The policeman’s near the mango tree?
1.05.44
Satya
He’s in civil dress.
1.05.46
Simon
They’re following us?
1.05.46
Satya
Yes they’re following us.
1.05.50
Simon
So did they get the water from the river?
1.05.56
Satya
They said the water is already
clear. They stopped using the pipe.
DRIVING BY THE FACTORY
1.06.15
Much later I managed to get my hands
on a 2007 report from the Orissa State Pollution Control Board revealing that
the company had been releasing poisonous liquids into the river and that air
pollution at the factory was above acceptable limits. The report said that the
Red Mud Pond had been badly constructed, and the poisonous residue which it
stores had been seeping into the groundwater.
After several warnings the pollution control board noted in March 2009
that Vedanta had rectified most of these problems, but had now commenced a five
fold expansion of the factory without gaining proper environmental clearance.
When we were filming there. The
expansion hadn’t started yet.
1.07.20
Daya
Forestry department …. no objection.
They’ve cleared all types of tree
from here.
Medicinal trees, jack fruits, mango
trees. So many varieties.
The forest department hasn’t
complained or registered a complaint against the company.
Look what they’re up to.
1.08.16
Simon VO
One of the last things we filmed was
a family who make road chippings for a contractor which supplied Vedanta.
1.08.50
Rock breaker
What use is arguing?
There are others who will deliver
at a cheaper rate.
We are not united.
1.09.00
Satya
You work so hard. And in the full
sun too. But you are paid so little.
I am very sad.
1.09.36
Simon VO
After three years of delibation, in
August 2008 the supreme court in Delhi decided that the mining of Niyamgiri
mountain could go ahead.
5 per cent of the profits would be
used for the development of the tribal people.
TALKING IN THE CAR – DAYTIME
1.10.10
Simon
So tell me what happened. You said you got one telephone call.
1.10.15
Satya
Yeah. One telephone call.
He said when you come next time
I’ll shoot you.
And he said why did you take white
people, what is your aim?
You have gone against us. You have
advised some people and Dongria tribal people.
You are a very naughty man.
If you come again, that time I can
shoot.
1.10.54
Simon
Do you believe?
1.10.55
Satya
Yes. But I don’t believe.
Because they are only threatening.
1.11.06
Daya
If you bring some foreigner here
who is against us
If you bring outsiders here who get
to know of the unrest here
If you bring people who take
photos, and you come to Lanjigarh, we will kill you. That is how they have
threatened us.
They have told us not to bring any
camera crews or journalists.
That is why we feel a little….
It is only because Simon has become
so close to us that we are still working
Otherwise we would have stopped.
We think of our own future and the
troubles we might face afterwards.
You are a foreigner. You will go
away tomorrow
But we have to stay here and face
their anger.
So who will look after our children
if we are sent to jail?
And who will get us out of jail?
That is what we fear.
DECORATING THE JEEP
1.12.29
Satya
Have you finished? Come this side.
.
1.12.34
Simon VO
“Who knows where those phonecalls came from? Could they have
been made by people associated with the company? Or were they from locals who
supported the mining? Maybe they were prank calls?
We didn’t do any more filming after
that day
I’d started out by making a film
about corporate responsibility, but now it had become about my own
responsibility too.
1.13.11
Daya
Saimon Travels
1.13.16
Simon VO
I asked Satya and Daya if I should
abandon all the work we had done together.
1.13.22
Simon
OK, now, big smiles
1.13.26
Simon VO
They thought about it for a few
days. Then they said it was important for all the people over here in London to
know what is happening over there
I realised that my initial
impressions of Satya and Daya had been so wrong
IN THE SWEET SHOP
1.13.42
Satya
I say you take some sweets back to
London.
What do you like?
They’re hot.
He’s a BBC reporter.
1.13.53
Simon
Im not from the BBC….No
1.14.56
Rolling text:
And so a great economic boom
spread across India,
with the promise of alleviating poverty
and creating one of the fastest
growing economies in the world.
In August 2009 tribal
people
armed with bows and arrows
and an axe
attacked a team of mine surveyors
on top of Niyamgiri mountain,
and burnt their vehicle.
At the end of 2009
the mining has still not started.
END CREDITS
.