Wednesday, October 18, 2006

Miner Threat

"I don't know what weapons World War Three will be fought with, but World War four will be fought with sticks and stones. " - Albert Einstein
You may be pleased to hear that this event has occurred, and North Korea didn't even light the fuse. Indians wielding war clubs and bows and arrows stormed an Amazon mining complex, shutting it down in an apparent demand for more compensation from the world's largest iron ore miner. Approximately two hundred Indians from the Xikrin tribe occupied the company town of Carajas, and proceeded to shut down Brazil's CVRD daily production of 275,000 tons of iron ore. Hundreds of workers were kept from leaving for home when the Indians seized the keys of buses that transport employees to and from the mining complex.
Eight months ago, Indian tribes blocked a railroad from Carajas in protests over health care. Hear that, Hillary? Legislation is just one way to make health care affordable. Meanwhile, CVRD called the invasion a form of extortion, and said it could result in the cancellation of the social-development deal. Better watch out, or they'll stop oppressing their culture on yours, you silly indigenous people, you. As Albert Einstein once said, "In order to form an immaculate member of a flock of sheep one must, above all, be a sheep." The Xikrin may be a lot of things, but sheep? I'm guessing not.

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