1,500 Farmers in India Commit Suicide

[The Sushi Bandit]

Over 1,500 farmers in an Indian state committed suicide after being driven to debt by crop failure, it was reported today. The agricultural state of Chattisgarh was hit by falling water levels.

The crop failures, which took place in the agricultural state of Chattisgarh, were prompted by falling water levels. Nearby forest depletion and poorly planned government dam projects contributed to the falling water level. Combined with the vicious money-lending schemes that are prevalent in the region, many farmers felt that death was the only option in the face of insurmountable debt.

More at: http://current.com/items/89975109_1-500-farmers-in-india-commit-suicide.htm

[Kazak]

1. That's terrible!!

That article, or lack thereof, is pretty terrible too. How did they do it? Etc...

[Gabi Hayes]

2. holy moly.....at first I read it as 'Indiana'

almost freaked

what does that make me?

[ASUliberal]

4. The sad part is

That these far right assholes in the US basically want poor people to kill themselves. They refuse to believe that people can't always be successful without some help. They think poor people are just lazy.

It's fucking pathetic how heartless people can be.

[patrice]

5. It is true that many people pretty much shrug when they hear of such a thing and

just think something like "It's okay, since the poor are too weak to save themselves, it's just as well that they are dead. I wasn't a part of it and I couldn't have done anything about it anyway"

BUT

I don't believe that they "want poor people to kill themselves."

[liberalmuse]

3. Tragic.

Goddamn it. Bankers all over the world are still living in their mansions, banging their mistresses and driving their BMW's while people like these, working hard to survive get fucked. It's just not right.

[The Sushi Bandit]

6. I first heard about this last year on PBS

it has gotten a lot worse this year

[petronius]

8. The Frontline video from 2005 was very good - perhaps what you saw?

http://www.pbs.org/frontlineworld/rough/2005/07/seeds_of_suicid.html

Drinking pesticide strikes me as a particularly horrid but highly symbolic way to do it...

[The Sushi Bandit]

7. I first heard about this last year on PBS

it has gotten a lot worse this year

[PA Democrat]

9. What a horrible tragedy.