[IMC Bombay] Mumbai Call to Action
PUKAR @ IndyMedia
pukar at bol.net.in
Sat, 31 Aug 2002 00:38:02 +0530
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HOLD DOW CHEMICAL LIABLE FOR THE BHOPAL GAS DISASTER
JOIN THE WORLDWIDE CAMPAIGN FOR JUSTICE IN BHOPAL
The U.S. multinational Dow Chemical Company - the new owner of Union
Carbide of Bhopal notoriety - is in Johannesburg to talk sustainable
development. Also, in Johannesburg are representatives and supporters
of the victims of Union Carbide's gas disaster in Bhopal. Since July
17, 2002, survivors of the world's worst industrial disaster and
their supporters have been on a worldwide relay hunger strike. More
than 1000 people have fasted till date to protest against
Dow-Carbide's refusal to acknowledge the pending liabilities in
Bhopal, and against the Indian Government's betrayal of the victims
merely to protect the interests of the U.S. multinational.
Dow-Carbide and our Government would like us to forget Bhopal. They
would like us to ignore the ongoing pollution by industries. The
Campaign for Justice in Bhopal is a struggle of memory against
forgetfulness, of mourning the dead and fighting for the living. The
fight goes beyond Bhopal, and applies to everybody who's at the
receiving end of corporate crime and Government insensitivity to the
victims of pollution.
If corporate crimes of this magnitude go unpunished, there's nothing
to stop your neighborhood polluter from getting away with murder. For
those of you living in Chembur, Thane Belapur or even near one of the
filthy creeks, pollution is nothing new. It's not enough to be aware.
To stop pollution, citizens must learn to join hands and take
collective action.
Polite People Get Poisoned; Angry People Get Organised
WHAT: Planning meeting to organize activities in solidarity with
the survivors of the
Bhopal gas disaster and for taking action on social/environmental
issues in Mumbai
WHERE: Meet at Gate of Rani Baug/Jijamata Udyan, Byculla
WHEN: Saturday 31 August 2002
TIME: 2.30 p.m.
=46or more information, contact:
Shweta Narayan, Toxics Link, 4/F Engineers House, Bombay Samachar
Marg, Mumbai 400 021. Tel: 2677385. Email: tlmumbai@vsnl.com or
nity68@vsnl.com
=46or more information, visit www.bhopal.net
BACKGROUND
December 3, 1984: More than half a million people were hit by a
poison gas cloud released from Union Carbide's ill-designed pesticide
factory in Bhopal. At least 8,000 people died agonizing deaths in the
immediate aftermath. The death toll has risen to 20,000 till date.
=46ebruary, 2001: U.S. multinational Dow Chemical acquires Union
Carbide despite being warned by Bhopal survivors of Carbide's pending
liabilities in India.
Today in Bhopal: At least 150,000 people in Bhopal, including
children born to gas-exposed parents, continue to suffer debilitating
exposure-related chronic health effects. The death toll has risen to
over 20, 000 and more than 30 persons still die each month from
exposure related causes. More than 80,000 are too ill to work.
Treatment of the victims is impeded because Dow-Carbide still refuses
to share medical information on the toxic effects of the gases
released that night. Dow-Carbide, which has abandoned thousands of
tons of toxic wastes on the factory site, has refused to clean up the
mess. The poisons have seeped into the community's groundwater and is
showing up in mothers' milk.
Nearly 95 percent of the survivors have received $500 or less for
lifelong injury and loss of livelihood. This works out at 7=A2 a day -
enough for a cup of tea every day - for 18 years of suffering. Adding
insult to injury, Dow Chemical's PR official, one Ms. Kathy Hunt
maintains that "$500 is plenty good for an Indian."
Still Waiting for Justice: The disaster occurred because Dow-Carbide
knowingly installed a poorly designed factory in Bhopal, and cut
costs by compromising on safety and maintenance systems. For this, a
criminal case was filed against Warren Anderson - chairman of Union
Carbide at the time of disaster - and Union Carbide. Neither Anderson
nor any official of Dow-Carbide has appeared for trial in India. The
Indian Government is yet to move on the orders of the Court to
extradite Anderson. The reluctance is reportedly because of pressure
from the US government which is said to have warned that any action
against U.S. corporations for their crimes in Bhopal will adversely
affect the corporate investment climate.
The Ultimate Betrayal: The Indian Government has decided to reward
Anderson and Dow-Carbide's criminal acts and contempt of the Indian
court by diluting criminal charges in absentia from "homicide" to
"negligence." This dilution would reduce the world's worst industrial
disaster to the legal status of a car accident, and in effect allow
the criminal corporation to get off the hook.
Separately, the Government is planning to use a portion of the funds
set aside to compensate victims of the disaster to pay for the clean
up of the toxic wastes abandoned by Dow- Carbide. Again, this act is
meant solely to avoid having to make the polluter - Dow-Carbide - pay
for the substantial costs involved in cleaning up.
=46or more information, visit www.CorpWatchIndia.org and www.bhopal.net
_____
"PUKAR @ IndyMedia" is an information service managed jointly by
PUKAR and the Bombay Independent Media Centre (IMC), and is broadcast
on e-mail through the Bombay IndyMedia list-serv. It purpose is to
disseminate news, opinions, articles, and information about events in
Mumbai, and serve as a networking tool for activists, journalists,
students, media makers. Posting and forwarding of information by
PUKAR @ IndyMedia does not construe any connection with, or
endorsement by either PUKAR or the Bombay IMC of the groups,
organisations or individuals from whom the messages have originated,
unless otherwise mentioned. To join the Bombay IndyMedia list-serv,
please visit http://lists.indymedia.org/mailman/listinfo/imc-mumbai.
To post information directly to the network, please send your e-mails
to <imc-mumbai@lists.indymedia.org>.
=46or more information, kindly contact:
PUKAR (Partners for Urban Knowledge Action & Research)
P.O. Box 5627
Dadar, Mumbai 400014, India
E-Mail <pukarsecretariat@vsnl.net>
Phone +91 (022) 2077779, +91 98200.45529, +91 98204.04010
Web Site http://www.pukar.org.in
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--></style><title>Mumbai Call to Action</title></head><body>
<div><font face=3D"Arial" size=3D"-3" color=3D"#000000"><b>HOLD DOW CHEMICAL
LIABLE FOR THE BHOPAL GAS DISASTER<br>
<br>
JOIN THE WORLDWIDE CAMPAIGN FOR JUSTICE IN BHOPAL<br>
</b></font><font face=3D"Times New Roman" size=3D"-3"
color=3D"#000000"> <x-tab>
</x-tab><x-tab> </x-tab><br>
<br>
The U.S. multinational Dow Chemical Company - the new owner of Union
Carbide of Bhopal notoriety - is in Johannesburg to talk sustainable
development. Also, in Johannesburg are representatives and supporters
of the victims of Union Carbide's gas disaster in Bhopal. Since July
17, 2002, survivors of the world's worst industrial disaster and
their supporters have been on a worldwide relay hunger strike. More
than 1000 people have fasted till date to protest against
Dow-Carbide's refusal to acknowledge the pending liabilities in
Bhopal, and against the Indian Government's betrayal of the victims
merely to protect the interests of the U.S. multinational.<br>
<br>
Dow-Carbide and our Government would like us to forget Bhopal. They
would like us to ignore the ongoing pollution by industries. The
Campaign for Justice in Bhopal is a struggle of memory against
forgetfulness, of mourning the dead and fighting for the living. The
fight goes beyond Bhopal, and applies to everybody who's at the
receiving end of corporate crime and Government insensitivity to the
victims of pollution.<br>
<br>
If corporate crimes of this magnitude go unpunished, there's nothing
to stop your neighborhood polluter from getting away with murder. For
those of you living in Chembur, Thane Belapur or even near one of the
filthy creeks, pollution is nothing new. It's not enough to be
aware. To stop pollution, citizens must learn to join hands and take
collective action.<br>
<br>
<i>Polite People Get Poisoned; Angry People Get Organised<br>
<br>
</i>WHAT:<x-tab> </x-tab>Planning meeting to organize activities in
solidarity with the survivors of the<br>
Bhopal gas disaster and for taking action on social/environmental
issues in Mumbai<br>
WHERE:<x-tab> </x-tab>Meet at Gate of Rani Baug/Jijamata Udyan,
Byculla<br>
WHEN:<x-tab> </x-tab>Saturday 31 August 2002</font></div>
<div><font face=3D"Times New Roman" size=3D"-3"
color=3D"#000000">TIME:<x-tab> </x-tab>2.30
p.m.</font></div>
<div><font face=3D"Times New Roman" size=3D"-3" color=3D"#000000"><br>
=46or more information, contact:</font></div>
<div><font face=3D"Times New Roman" size=3D"-3"
color=3D"#000000"><br></font></div>
<div><font face=3D"Times New Roman" size=3D"-3" color=3D"#000000">Shweta
Narayan, Toxics Link, 4/F Engineers House, Bombay Samachar Marg,
Mumbai 400 021. Tel: 2677385. Email:<u> tlmumbai@vsnl.com</u> or<u>
nity68@vsnl.com</u></font></div>
<div><font face=3D"Times New Roman" size=3D"-3" color=3D"#000000"><br>
=46or more information, visit<u> www.bhopal.net</u></font><br>
<font face=3D"Times New Roman" size=3D"-3"
color=3D"#000000"><u></u></font></div>
<div><font face=3D"Times New Roman" size=3D"-3" color=3D"#000000"><u><br>
</u></font><font face=3D"Times" size=3D"+1"
color=3D"#000000"><u><b> BACKGROUND<br>
<br>
</b></u></font><font face=3D"Times" size=3D"-3"
color=3D"#000000"><b>December 3, 1984:</b></font><font
face=3D"Times New Roman" size=3D"-3" color=3D"#000000"> More than half a
million people were hit by a poison gas cloud released from Union
Carbide's ill-designed pesticide factory in Bhopal. At least 8,000
people died agonizing deaths in the immediate aftermath. The death
toll has risen to 20,000 till date.<br>
<br>
</font><font face=3D"Times" size=3D"-3" color=3D"#000000"><b>February,
2001:</b></font><font face=3D"Times New Roman" size=3D"-3"
color=3D"#000000"> U.S. multinational Dow Chemical acquires Union
Carbide despite being warned by Bhopal survivors of Carbide's
pending liabilities in India.<br>
<br>
</font><font face=3D"Times" size=3D"-3" color=3D"#000000"><b>Today in
Bhopal:</b></font><font face=3D"Times New Roman" size=3D"-3"
color=3D"#000000"> At least 150,000 people in Bhopal, including
children born to gas-exposed parents, continue to suffer debilitating
exposure-related chronic health effects.<i><b> The death toll has
risen to over 20, 000 and more than 30 persons still die each month
from exposure related causes</b></i>. More than 80,000 are too ill to
work. Treatment of the victims is impeded because Dow-Carbide still
refuses to share medical information on the toxic effects of the gases
released that night. Dow-Carbide, which has abandoned thousands of
tons of toxic wastes on the factory site, has refused to clean up the
mess. The poisons have seeped into the community's groundwater and is
showing up in mothers' milk.<br>
<br>
Nearly 95 percent of the survivors have received $500 or less for
lifelong injury and loss of livelihood. This works out at 7=A2 a day -
enough for a cup of tea every day - for 18 years of suffering.
Adding insult to injury, Dow Chemical's PR official, one Ms. Kathy
Hunt maintains that "$500 is plenty good for an Indian."<br>
<br>
</font><font face=3D"Times" size=3D"-3" color=3D"#000000"><b>Still Waiting
for Justice:</b></font><font face=3D"Times New Roman" size=3D"-3"
color=3D"#000000"> The disaster occurred because Dow-Carbide
knowingly installed a poorly designed factory in Bhopal, and cut costs
by compromising on safety and maintenance systems. For this, a
criminal case was filed against Warren Anderson - chairman of Union
Carbide at the time of disaster - and Union Carbide. Neither Anderson
nor any official of Dow-Carbide has appeared for trial in India. The
Indian Government is yet to move on the orders of the Court to
extradite Anderson. The reluctance is reportedly because of pressure
from the US government which is said to have warned that any action
against U.S. corporations for their crimes in Bhopal will adversely
affect the corporate investment climate.</font></div>
<div><font face=3D"Times New Roman" size=3D"-3" color=3D"#000000"><br>
</font><font face=3D"Times" size=3D"-3" color=3D"#000000"><b>The Ultimate
Betrayal:</b></font><font face=3D"Times New Roman" size=3D"-3"
color=3D"#000000"> The Indian Government has decided to reward
Anderson and Dow-Carbide's criminal acts and contempt of the Indian
court by diluting criminal charges in absentia from "homicide"
to "negligence." This dilution would reduce the world's
worst industrial disaster to the legal status of a car accident, and
in effect allow the criminal corporation to get off the hook.<br>
<br>
Separately, the Government is planning to use a portion of the funds
set aside to compensate victims of the disaster to pay for the clean
up of the toxic wastes abandoned by Dow- Carbide. Again, this act is
meant solely to avoid having to make the polluter - Dow-Carbide - pay
for the substantial costs involved in cleaning up.<br>
<br>
=46or more information, visit www.CorpWatchIndia.org and
www.bhopal.net</font></div>
<div>_____<br>
<br>
"PUKAR @ IndyMedia" is an information service managed
jointly by PUKAR and the Bombay Independent Media Centre (IMC), and is
broadcast on e-mail through the Bombay IndyMedia list-serv. It purpose
is to disseminate news, opinions, articles, and information about
events in Mumbai, and serve as a networking tool for activists,
journalists, students, media makers. Posting and forwarding of
information by PUKAR @ IndyMedia does not construe any connection
with, or endorsement by either PUKAR or the Bombay IMC of the groups,
organisations or individuals from whom the messages have originated,
unless otherwise mentioned. To join the Bombay IndyMedia list-serv,
please visit http://lists.indymedia.org/mailman/listinfo/imc-mumbai.
To post information directly to the network, please send your e-mails
to <imc-mumbai@lists.indymedia.org>. <br>
<br>
=46or more information, kindly contact:<br>
<br>
PUKAR (Partners for Urban Knowledge Action & Research)<br>
P.O. Box 5627<br>
Dadar, Mumbai 400014, India<br>
E-Mail <pukarsecretariat@vsnl.net><br>
Phone +91 (022) 2077779, +91 98200.45529, +91 98204.04010<br>
Web Site http://www.pukar.org.in</div>
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