The Bhopal Low DOWn

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Newsletter Contents:

  1. 24 Years of Courage-- Plan an Anniversary Action
  2. Legal Mileston Acheived - Read about the recent legal victory
  3. Can you help ICJB raise money - Help us prepare for our Anniversary Appeal letter
  4. Facebook Contest nears an end - last chance to win top fundraiser!

 

» 24 Years of Courage - Join us to commemorate the 24th Anniversary of the Bhopal Disaster

24 years is a long time. This anniversary is an important opportunity to remind people that the Bhopal Disaster did not end in 1984 – it is an ongoing disaster, and the struggle for justice has been growing for 24 years! This anniversary is an opportunity to bring more people into this important movement, to hold Dow Chemical Company accountable through our grassroots power, and to remind the Indian Government to keep the promises they’ve made to the Bhopal Survivors.

Can you join us? Are you interested in having a candle lit vigil in your town, hosting a fundraising party, or visiting Dow Board members in the next month? Well, the first thing to do is email us (shana@panna.org) to let us know that you're interested. If you're already planning something, great! Make sure to let us know!

Check out the 24th Anniversary Toolkit, which is now online!

We have created new postcards, addressed to the Board of Directors at Dow Chemical Company for the anniversary, which are a great addition to any Bhopal event. If you want the file of the postcard, please ask Shana. If you can't print them out yourself, we might also be able to mail them to you. We have also created a 24th Anniversary toolkit, which is attached. This version includes low-quality copies of the postcards, but you can get a hi-res version (for print) of the postcards from Shana. If you need this in a different file version, please ask.

So, please - Join us to celebrate, campaign, and commemorate the 24th Anniversary of the Bhopal Disaster, this Dec 3, 2008.

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»Legal Mileston Acheived

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit reinstated a lawsuit contending that thousands of people in India were exposed to polluted drinking water from the decrepit Union Carbide pesticide plant in Bhopal, India, the site of the 1984 Bhopal Gas Disaster. According to Reuters, the lawsuit is seeking class-action status and unspecified monetary damages, and contends that there are potentially thousands of people in Bhopal who have suffered injuries linked to the polluted water. The three-judge panel of the appeals court ruled that the lower court had incorrectly granted Union Carbide's request for summary judgement, and had not presented the plaintiffs with pretrial access to documents and other key information that was sought. The lawsuit was filed on behalf of people who suffered ailments such as cancer and neurological damage resulting from contaminated drinking water near the site of the 1984 plant explosion. "We've waited since 1999 to get our day in court and we look forward to proceeding," said Lewis, who represents the plaintiffs.

Read the Reuters Article "U.S. court reinstates Bhopal water pollution case" for more information.

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»ICJB Anniversary Appeal Letter - We need your help to raise money!

As with many of our allies, fundraising, particularly grassroots fundraising, is a top priority for ICJB these days. As we head into the momentous 24th and 25th Anniversaries, we are also heading into a scary and un-precedented economic crisis. But, as we learned last Tuesday night, hope and change is in the air. Now is the time to bring in more supporters for our important work.

Every year, we send an appeal, or donation ask, to our supports near the anniversary of the Bhopal Disaster. We need your help, and here's how:

There are other ways that you can ask your friends and family to support ICJB:

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»Facebook Contest nears an end - last chance to win top fundraiser!

You have just until Saturday November 15 to win the Facebook Contest If you haven't join the Campaign for Justice in Bhopal – 25th Anniversary (you have to be logged into Facebook for the link to work).

The 25th Anniversary of the Bhopal Disaster means 25 years of courage in the face of corporate crime, to call for a toxic free future for all of us! We want to be able to organize major events like films, survivor tours, media outreach, Int'l medical panel, People's Tribunal. Unfortunately, we can’t do these important things without money. So, we are hoping to raise $25,000 for the Anniversary through this Facebook cause. If 1000 people donate $25 or 250 people donate $100 we could raise that much!

How do you win the competition?! The person who fundraises the most money by November 15th to the Campaign for Justice in Bhopal – 25th Anniversary cause will win a gift certificate to their favorite restaurant. The top three fundraisers will also receive one of the very last No More Bhopal t-shirts!

The deadline is November 15, so hurry up and get out there and fundraise! Don’t miss your chance to get a No More Bhopal t-shirt, it’s a limited edition!

If you’re not a part of Facebook, you donate to the cause here. You can also donate directly to the International Campaign for Justice in Bhopal by clicking here, and donate to the campaign through our fiscal sponsor, the Pesticide Action Network. Or, by writing a check to PANNA with ICJB in the memo and sending it to ICJB / 49 Powell Street, Suite 500 / San Francisco, CA 94102.

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Contact: Shana Blustein Ortman
US Coordinator, International Campaign for Justice in Bhopal
49 Powell Street, Suite 500
San Francisco, CA 94102
shana@panna.org - email

www.studentsforbhopal.org - www.bhopal.net - www.truthaboutdow.org

Please donate to the International Campaign for Justice in Bhopal