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Land, Displacement and Conflict: How Mining in India Can Help Us Understand Global Shifts

Jason Miklian, NORAGRIC27.06.14

Land, Displacement & Conflict•The Indian Environment

–Mining in India–The POSCO case–Relating displacement with war and violence

•The International Environment–Global mining dynamics–Global land dynamics

•3 propositions to study conflict and displacement

•Winners and losers through the Indian lens

•Land conflict in the 21st century – learning from India

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The Indian Environment•Hodgepodge of Companies– National and international

– State-owned and private players

•Hodgepodge of Rules– Conflicting from state-state

– Conflicting application of laws

•Hodgepodge of Results– Limited successes– Egregious failures

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How (Most) Indian Mining Works Today•Getting a project started

–Reward the politicians (or better yet, be one)–Get the land–Subdue those opposed

•Keeping a project running–Use conflicting rules and laws to your advantage

–Partner with national firms to increase ’importance’

•Comparison to the international–The ‘local’ is missing Norwegian University of Life SciencesMining, Displacement and Conflict 4

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Today’s Global Mining Scene•$500 bln spent annually on project development–$100 bln annual profits (plus nationalized firms)

•Conflict over operations–Small-scale riots, large-scale conflict–Push and pull factors for conflict

•New land ’hotspots’ in Latin America and Africa

•Up to 200 million globally displaced peoples

•The rise of ’Ethical Mining’–CSR and blurred responsibilities to citizens Norwegian University of Life SciencesMining, Displacement and Conflict 8

Today’s Global Land Scene•How ’Land-grabbing’ sets the debate.•’Neo-Colonialism’ or mutual benefits?•Acquisition models and rationales

–Multinational corporations for development–Foreign actors for direct investment–Local governments for urban expansion–State-run firms for naked profit

•‘Land Markets’: does the benefactor matter? Does the land quality matter?

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3 Propositions for understanding dynamics of displacement and conflict today

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Proposition 1: We’ve Passed ‘Peak Caring’

•Peasants and power•Narmada to 3 Gorges•Is scale just too big?

•Have other issues supplanted it?

•Or is displacement just not ‘flashy’ enough?

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Proposition 2: Big Business Got the Memo

•Business ethics, CSR and liberalization literature

•CSR sophistication•International Human Rights standardization

•Community Outreach•Days of bullying with troops have passed…

…(in some places)

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Proposition 3: The Players Have Changed

•Re-thinking the players: security and critical studies

•National firms, not MNCs

•‘Strategic mining’ and national-interest policy

•Business For Peace•‘multiplied marginalizations’

•But we’re still using old frames of resistance, displacement and profit

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The Winners (Through the India Lens)•Connected Businesses

–Indian Companies (Public and Private)–International Firms (Western and Eastern)

•Nationalists and Rent-Seeking Politicians–‘BJP Effect’ and red vs. saffron battles

•Rebel Groups–More to fight for, deeper pools of disadvantaged

–Not just refugees, but IDPs tooNorwegian University of Life SciencesMining, Displacement and Conflict 14

The Losers (Through the India Lens)•Artisan Farmers and Miners

–Community traditions eroding–Marketization of all land

•Advocates for local populations–Indian Activists–Their International Counterparts*

•Democracy Itself?–Corporatization of the national interest–Normalization of rent-seeking for projects

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21st Century Displacement & Conflict– What Can We Learn From India?1. National Interest > Local Grievances

– Development-as-security argument2. Macro Changes May Trump Ideologies

– Rural to urban population shifts– Land as investment vs. Land as identity

3. New Players, New Alliances– Business For Peace, INGOs for Mining

4. Internet Activism has its limits– Agency of those ‘on the ground’ is what matters

5. Theoretical Opportunities– What do we mean by ’accountability’ in projects?– Does ’displacement’ as a term carry the right frames?

– Which conditions are most likely to erupt into violence?

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