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January 2004
World Social Forum: 16-21st January 2004, Mumbai

B.I.R.S.A. Mines Monitoring Center’s team members, (Shanti, Sukanti, Litu and Justin) put up an impressive stall (No.358) at the Exhibition Hall-B in the Nesco grounds, which was the venue for the World Social Forum 2004. They participated in the various seminars or meetings organized by different groups on various issues. The mm&P meetings organized in collaboration with FIAN was also attended and they made several contacts with International mining networks and groups like Minewatch Canada, Minewatch London, Mineral Policy Institute Australia, among others. The B.I.R.S.A. team also took out a  procession with banners, placard and poster illustrating the campaing's claiming “Minerals are ours, not just 'stakeholders'...but Owners !!”. They exhibited the 13 posters exhibition titled “Awaiting the Shovel” displaying the threat to Tribal Sacred sites like Sasanderi (burial grounds), Sarna (Sacred Groves), and ancient Buddhist sites, and pre-historic rock-art sites facing destruction through open-cast coal mining in Hazaribagh district of Jharkhand. This was very well received and appreciated by people from all around the world. The Media too took much interest in this aspect being put-up at the World Social Forum and with the support of two Greenpeace workers from Spain, this poster exhibition was taken outside to the Media Centre, with a Press-release given out for  international media coverage. The campaign poster and Adhikar newspaper sold well along with other publication and CD documentary films like Pachwara+32, Buddha Weeps in Jadugoda, etc.

December 2004
Jharkhand Book fair: 13-19^th December 2003, Hazaribagh

B.I.R.S.A. Mines Monitoring Center’s team members, (Ashwini, Justin, & Rabindar) along with members from Chotanagpur Adivasi Seva Samiti (Philen, Maha, Chunnu & Mohan) participated in a week long Jharkhand Pustak Mela in the Hazaribagh. The team participated in the innaugration ceremony on the 13^th December 2003 and put up an impressive stall. They exhibited the 13 poster exhibition titled “Awaiting the Shovel”, which got wide press reviews. They sold the mining newspaper Adhikar and the J.M.A.C.C. Campaign calendar which was released on this ocassion.  On 14^th Dec. the noted environmentalist Mr.Bulu Imam innaugrated a five-day Documentary film festival

titled “Pratirodhi Lahay (rhythm of Resistance)”. They showed selected documentary films like- Pachwara+32, Bhopal Express, Development flows from the barrel of the Gun, Buddha weeps in Jadugoda and others, which were very well received by the public. These films were screned every evening at 6pm onwards after a brief introduction.  On the 16^th Dec. the Pyara Kerketta Foundation in collaboration with B.I.R.S.A. Organised a one day seminar on “ Mining & Cultural Crisis in Jharkhand”, at the Pustak mela vennue. The seminar was well attended by local writers, environmentalists, NGOs  & cultural personalities. The chief speaker on the ocassion was   Shri.Mahendar Singh (M.L.A) who spoke at great length on the mining scenario in Jharkhand. Other speakers included Sashi Bushan Pathak, Xavier Dias, Bina Stanis.

November 2003
Jharkhand Book fair: 16-21^st November 2003,Giridhi

B.I.R.S.A. Mines Monitoring Center’s team members, (Ashwini, Sinu, Justin, Puneet & Litu, Rabindar & Tirath) participated in a week long Jharkhand Pustak Mela in the coal town of Giridih. The team left Ranchi on 16^th with complete audio-visual projection equipments and B.I.R.S.A. Publications. Dr.Rose Kerketta released the Roro fact-finding report (hindi) a B.I.R.S.A MMC publication at the opening ceremony function. Dr.Rose also innaugrated a five-day Documentary Film Festival titled “Pratirodhi Lahay (rhythm of Resistance)”. They showed selected documentary films like- Pachwara+32, Bhopal Express, Development flows from the barrel of the Gun, Buddha weeps in Jadugoda and others, which were very well received by the public. Local NGOs, and struggle groups participated in this awareness programme, which was a part of BIRSA-MMC Campaign strategy & mobilization. These films were screened every evening from 6pm onwards at the vennue of the Pustak mela which drew huge crouds of students and local people who benefited from this programme. The team also exhibited the 13 poster exhibition titled “Awaiting the Shovel”, depicting the threat to Tribal cultural & archaeo-historical heritage of Hazaribagh threatened by opencast coal mining.

Study Workshop on Carbon Sinks & New Trade Mechanism: 11-14^th November 2003, SDC, Ranchi
The Carbon Sinks Workshop was conducted by the representative from Sinks Watch (UK) who indroducted the participants on the Carbon Sinks concept and threats. The Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) project were explained and the  afforestation programmes or World Bank funded plantation were exposed as Carbon Credits in the Carbon Trade. This is now the latest economic investments by the developed countries and companies that is being propogated in the developing countries. Threatening regional and tribal communities by land acquisition, destruction of ancient forests and plantation of exotic tress. The participants were shown two documentary films on the CDM projects of a waste-dump in South Africa and an eucalyptus plantation (for charcoal) in Brazil.

The New Trade Mechanism workshop was conducted by Prof.Kamal Nayan Kabra from the Indian Institute of Public Administration (New Delhi) and Mr.Satadharu and Ms.Sonali from the Centre for Education and  Communication (CEC) New Delhi. They made presentations on the WTO & Indian Agricultural Policy.}

19^th World Mining Congress & Expo :1-5^th November 2003, New Delhi
We attended the 19^th World Mining Environment Congress & Expo as exbitor on behalf of Mines Mineral & People (National alliance of mining affected communities) at Exhibition Hall No.11 in the Pragiti Maidan in New Delhi.  We were given an exhibition space (Stall No.1314) in the Jharkhand Pavallion. The fee for the stall was sponsored at the instructions of Shri.Arjun Munda Hon'ble Chief Minister of Jharkhand. The poster exhibition displayed the threat to tribal sacred sites- Sarna (Sacred Grove) and Sasanderi (Burial-grounds) and pre-historic rockart sites and Buddhist site (300 B.C) threatened by coal mining in Hazaribagh. Alongside there was a television showing continously the documentary film produced by B.I.R.S.A-Mines Monitoring Centre, on the tribal resistance against Pachwara coal mine project. There was a counter where we had books on mining issues, reports and community group's home productions in print and audio-visual films. The exhibition was very well received and appreciated by the mining faternity, Corporate companies, and Government officials who assured us of all possible assistance in obtaing access to their libraries, and publications.

The event had 14 country level participation (Australia, China, Germany, Iran, Poland, U.K, U.S.A, South Africa, Congo, Ghana, Mozambique, Venezula, Saudi Arabia & India) with high level foreign delegations from most of these countries. There was a 24 member delegation from China, Minister of Miners from Iran, Minister of Minerals & Energy from South Africa and other distinguished dignataries. The Highlights of the Congress was that 13 World renowned keynote speakers spoke at the 20 Plennary Sessions, 20 Sub-sessions and 160 Technical papers were presented to over 2000 Delegates from India and abroad.

There was 10 Indian state level participation (Jharkhand, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Gujrat, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Goa, Madhya Pradesh and Orissa) with high level minestral delegations from most of these states. Shri. Arjun Munda, Hon'ble Chief Minister of Jharkhand and Shri.Ravindra Rai, Hon'ble Minister of Industries, Govt. of Jharkhand visited the Expo on 2^nd November.

The Expo had over 150 Indian companies (namely Coal India, SAIL,UCIL,ONGC,Hindalco,Indal,Tata & Telco, Sterlite, etc) and over 75 Foreign companies and MNCs (namely DeBeers, BHPBilliton, etc.) and Heavy earth moving & mining machines builders like Caterpillars, JCB, etc. which were at display on the lawns outside. The International consultants from AUSTRADE (Australia), CAMESE (Canada), IMC (Britain), America and Poland were also present.

B.I.R.S.A- Mines Monitoring Centre represented by Xavier Dias participated in the Congress as a Delegate and spoke before the distinguished gathering on the Issue of Stakeholder and Tribal Ownership rights over mineral resources on the 3^rd November. The event was further campaigned at a Press Meeting & screening of two short documentary films (Pachwara+32 & Many Faces of Maddness) at the Foreign Correspondents Club (opp. Pragiti Maidan Gate No.3, New Delhi) on the 3^rd evening. The overall outcome of our participation was quite satisfactory and we collected a lot of documents on Company profile, State Department of Mines policies and plans and important papers (including the Volume produced for the Congress).

October 2003
Jharkhand Mines Area Coordination Committee (JMACC) Convention, Oct.2003
The 1^st State level Convention of JMACC was organized in Ranchi, Jharkhand on 13-14 October2003. 48 groups/ organizations participated in this two day convention which was held in the auditorium of Social Development Centre, Ranchi.

This two-day convention was divided into 6 sessions. The three session of the first day comprised of ‘Inaugaration and introduction’, ‘We the Overburden’, ‘Grass root Campaign and Struggle’, ‘Collective sharing of struggle experiences’, and ‘Can we stop this Plunder’. Discussions during the sessions of the second day included ‘The industrial Policy of Jharkhand’, ‘5^th Schedule and our Mining Rights’, ‘Strategies, Campaigns and programs of JMACC’, ‘Organisational Elections’, ‘Media Support’ and ‘The support Of BIRSA Mines Monitoring Centre’.
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June-September 2003
Inauguration of the B.I.R.S.A. Mines Monitoring Centre, Ranchi

On 9^th June 2003, the anniversary of the martyrdom of the Revolutionary Adivasi leader Birsa Munda, the Bindrai Institute for Research, Study and Action (B.I.R.S.A.) inaugurated the office of its Mines Monitoring Centre (MMC) in Ranchi at Abhilasha Apartments near Kantatoli chowk.  It will function as a Resource Centre for mining community groups, monitor the activities of the Mining Companies operating in the region and provide resource material, support and documentation on mining related issues.
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