Indian Rapper “Overwhelmed” by Success of Protest Song Against Unilever
Indian rapper Sofia Ashraf performed a protest song alleging corporate mercury pollution, posted on YouTube, and quickly attracted near 2 million views. Hindustan Unilever operated a thermometer factory in the town of Kodaikanal in Tamil Nadu until 2001. “More than 1,000 former workers are alleged to have been affected by mercury poisoning, which can cause skin problems, sensory impairment and a lack of coordination,” reports Maseeh Rahman for the Guardian. “Ashraf was working at the advertisers Ogilvy & Mather when she was approached to do the video by the environmental campaigner Nityanand Jayaraman.” The company suggests studies have not connected the mercury poisoning to work at the factory that was located in a watershed area. The activists conclude that social media raises awareness and convinces companies to respond. The World Health Organization urges the eliminating the use of mercury wherever possible. – YaleGlobal
Indian Rapper “Overwhelmed” by Success of Protest Song Against Unilever
Sofia Ashraf’s “Kodaikanal Won’t” addresses alleged mercury poisoning of former workers in a Tamil Nadu town and attracts nearly 2m YouTube views
Tuesday, August 11, 2015
Maseeh Rahman is a senior correspondent based in Delhi. For many years he reported from South Asia and Afghanistan for Time, and then South China Morning Post. Before that he worked with India Today, first as its bureau chief in Mumbai and then as its current affairs editor in Delhi. He has also contributed to many Indian and international publications, including the Indian Express, the Hindustan Times, and the Christian Science Monitor. Additional reporting was provided by Stacey Anderson.
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