2007年VOA标准英语-Tribal People in India Want to Protect Indigeno

By Suzanne Chislett
London
08 August 2007
 
Tribal¹ villagers from the eastern state of Orissa in India claim the planned expansion of a mine and mineral refinery² in their region threatens their way of life. So they sent representatives to London to ask shareholders³ at Vedanta Resources' annual meeting for help. They did not get it. Now the villagers' last hope is a ruling from India's Supreme⁴ Court. The villagers want the court to ban any commercial development in the region. Suzanne Chislett reports.

Villagers of the Niyamgiri Mountains

The tribes of the Niyamgiri Mountains in Orissa state treasure the land where their people have lived for thousands of years.

They farm the land. They worship the mountain as a god.

But Vedanta Resources wants to mine bauxite⁵ in the hills, and further develop an aluminum⁶ refinery. That would mean clearing much of the tribal land.

Two of the tribes-people made a four-day journey to London to protest directly to Vedanta's shareholders at the company's annual general meeting in early August.

Kumuti Madhi is a farmer and member of the Kuntia Kondh tribe in Lanjigarh in western Orissa. "Before Vedanta came we were living in peace and harmony and we had a lot to eat and live on. But after the company has come it has already started cutting down trees and devastating⁷ the area and that has resulted in a lot of unrest."

The tribes' cause has been taken up by campaigners in India who want to preserve the wildlife and landscape.

Prafulla Samantara, from the National Alliance of People's Movements, is one of three petitioners⁸ asking the Indian Supreme Court to permanently⁹ protect the Niyamgiri Mountains from any mine development. "The people have lost everything. They've lost land, water, forest and they become poorer and poorer. The people are becoming poorer and poorer and that is why the tribals feel they are being marginalized," said Samantara.

Vedanta Resources wants to do more mining and refining in tribal lands

While Prafulla Samantara blames the Indian government for not protecting the tribes Vedanta Resources insists corporate¹⁰ social responsibility is key to its philosophy.

Vedanta says on its website that it sponsors schools and other community resources in the Niyamgiri Hills, but some villagers say that is not the point. They say the proposed new mine would destroy their lives and livelihoods¹¹.

Phulame Madji is a community leader from Jaganathpur village. "We are very sad and upset that the company is taking away our land and our natural resources and our mountain – and is not able to understand what it is doing to us."

The court ruling on the future of the Niyamgiri Hills – and therefore the tribal people who live there – is expected August 9th.

Despite repeated requests, Vedanta Resources declined to comment.

1 tribal   

adj.部族的，种族的

参考例句：

• He became skilled in several tribal lingoes.他精通几种部族的语言。
• The country was torn apart by fierce tribal hostilities.那个国家被部落间的激烈冲突弄得四分五裂。

2 refinery   

n.精炼厂，提炼厂

参考例句：

• They built a sugar refinery.他们建起了一座榨糖厂。
• The purpose of oil refinery is to refine crude petroleum.炼油厂的主要工作是提炼原油。

3 shareholders   

n.股东( shareholder的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The meeting was attended by 90% of shareholders. 90%的股东出席了会议。
• the company's fiduciary duty to its shareholders 公司对股东负有的受托责任

4 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。

5 bauxite   

n.铝土矿

参考例句：

• Aluminum is made from bauxite.铝是从铝土矿中提炼出的。
• The United States was vulnerable to shortages of chrome,bauxite,and platinum.美国的弱点是缺少铬、矾土和铂。

6 aluminum   

n.(aluminium)铝

参考例句：

• The aluminum sheets cannot be too much thicker than 0.04 inches.铝板厚度不能超过0.04英寸。
• During the launch phase,it would ride in a protective aluminum shell.在发射阶段，它盛在一只保护的铝壳里。

7 devastating   

adj.毁灭性的，令人震惊的，强有力的

参考例句：

• It is the most devastating storm in 20 years.这是20年来破坏性最大的风暴。
• Affairs do have a devastating effect on marriages.婚外情确实会对婚姻造成毁灭性的影响。

8 petitioners   

n.请求人，请愿人( petitioner的名词复数 )；离婚案原告

参考例句：

• Petitioners suggest that anything less than certainty, that any speculation, is irresponsible. 申诉者认为不准确的事或推断都是不负责任的。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法
• The judge awarded the costs of the case to the petitioners. 法官判定由这起案件的上诉人支付诉讼费用。 来自辞典例句

9 permanently   

adv.永恒地，永久地，固定不变地

参考例句：

• The accident left him permanently scarred.那次事故给他留下了永久的伤疤。
• The ship is now permanently moored on the Thames in London.该船现在永久地停泊在伦敦泰晤士河边。

10 corporate   

adj.共同的，全体的；公司的，企业的

参考例句：

• This is our corporate responsibility.这是我们共同的责任。
• His corporate's life will be as short as a rabbit's tail.他的公司的寿命是兔子尾巴长不了。

11 livelihoods   

生计，谋生之道( livelihood的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• First came the earliest individualistic pioneers who depended on hunting and fishing for their livelihoods. 走在最前面的是早期的个人主义先驱者，他们靠狩猎捕鱼为生。 来自英汉非文学 - 政府文件
• With little influence over policies, their traditional livelihoods are threatened. 因为马赛族人对政策的影响力太小，他们的传统生计受到了威胁。