It is reported that Dongria Kondh tribals from the Niyamgiri hills in Kalahandi district marched to the proposed POSCO project site, putting their weight behind the ongoing resistance movement against the POSCO.

Dressed in their traditional attire and armed with axe and arrows, a group of 20 tribals went round the Dhinkia village, interacted with people and spoke at length of their movement against Vedanta Alumina Limited while expressing solidarity with the protesters.

The tribals drew comparison lines between the Niyamgiri anti Vedanta stir and the ongoing resistance movement against POSCO in Jagatsinghpur district.

Leader of the tribal group Mr Subash Silkia said that “The issue remains the same whether it is at Niyamgiri or at Dhinkia. The rights of people are at stake. We have tasted success with the mining activities being stopped at Niyamgiri. The movement against POSCO would move in the same direction.”

Mr Sisir Kumar Mahapata general secretary of the POSCO Pratirodh Sangram Samity said that “The visit of Dongria Kondhas has invigorated the spirit of people here. It has inculcated the spirit to face adversity with vigour in them.”

(Sourced from www.telegraphindia.com)