The world's worst industrial disaster has been reduced to the equivalent of a road accident. On June 7, seven persons, who knowingly approved cost-cutting measures compromising the safety and disaster mitigation in the plant, who knowingly approved an inferior technology that resulted in this disaster, have been let off on bail. Meanwhile, the real perpetrators (Warren Anderson & Union Carbide) are getting away scot-free.
People around the world are angry. Angry at the Indian Government for betraying its people; angry that the world's largest democracy has succumbed to the power of a corporation. TAKE ACTION: Send a Fax to the Prime Minister.
The government announced new compensation for victims, which will reach less than 10% of the victims. Seven billion Rupees (US$150mil) will be given out among 46,000 people, which leaves 525,000 victims with nothing.
The government has approved a clean-up of the toxic waste to non-existent Indian standards by shoddy scientific organizations like NEERI. Bhopalis fear that a hasty clean-up will put another community, where the waste will be taken, in danger.
The cabinet decided that Dow’s liability will be left to the court to decide. The Indian Government has allowed Dow to continue operating in India with no consequence.
While the proposal does include a new extradition request for Warren Anderson, Union Carbide will not be pursued by the Government, even though it too has been charged with culpable homicide.
Over the last 3 weeks, Bhopal has been the top news story in India and has received media attention worldwide. Here are some of the top recent stories:
People all over the world have responded with outrage in the last few weeks to the 26-year denial of justice in Bhopal.
INDIA No More Bhopals: An evening of Protest, Songs, Poetry in Delhi On Saturday a demonstration was held in Jantar Mantar in New Delhi to protest against the recent shameful Court Verdict on the Bhopal Gas tragedy of 1984. Mammoth protest against Bhopal verdict On June 22, 2010, hundreds of activists of KRRS, DSS and other progressive organizations gathered at K.R. Circle in Mysore to protest the recent verdict on the Bhopal gas tragedy.
Kirk Robinson is one of the newest interns to join the ICJB team. He has just finished his second year at UC Berkeley where he is pursuing a major in Political Science with a concentration in International Relations. Issues that extend across borders are a great interest of his which is why he is excited to work with Students for Bhopal! This summer he will be helping with the database cleanup, contacting donors, and working with the website and other social networking sites. He also enjoys biking, eating, and playing the trombone!
Samantha Balasubramanian is very passionate about human rights issues and excited to be interning with ICJB this summer. She graduated from UC Irvine in 2008 with a BA in International Studies. She has worked at a law firm specializing in bankruptcy law for the last year and a half. She is also involved with the Project Vietnam Foundation and will be traveling to Vietnam this summer on a medical mission to help set up medical/dental clinics in rural areas and rehabilitate orphanages.
Justice will be done in Bhopal only if the individuals and corporations responsible are punished in an exemplary manner. Union Carbide's disaster was foreseeable and foreseen and still allowed to happen. The punishment of the corporations and their individual officials must be sufficient to deter other corporations and corporate officials from also acting with such reckless indifference to human life and health. -Rashida Bee, president of the Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Stationery Karmchari Sangh.
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
Submitted by SfB.Website on Thu, 06/24/2010 - 12:03
Unbelievable: Govt of India sells out
New Delhi - On Thursday 24 June, while Bhopal Survivors rallied in the streets of Delhi against the proposal by the Group of Minister on Bhopal, the Union Cabinet approved the measures. The $280 million (Rs 1265.56 crore) plan does little to bring real justice or help to the thousands still suffering in Bhopal.
Here are the ways in which this plan betrays Bhopalis:
The government announced new compensation for victims. It turns out that this compensation will reach less than 10% of victimes. They will dole out Rs. 7 billion among 46,000 people, leaving 525,000 people with nothing.
Survivors have demanded that Dow Chemical pay for proper clean up of the toxic waste it's subsidiary left behind. Under this plan, clean up will be to non-existent indian standards by shoddy scientific organisations like NEERI. Bhopalis fear that a hasty clean up not protect them and will put another community, where they will bring the waste, in danger.
Dow Chemical bought Union Carbide and it's liability in Bhopal. Yet, the Indian government has allowed Dow to continue operating in India with no consequence. The cabinet has decided today that Dow's liability will be left to the court to decide. The Government will do nothing.
While the proposal does include a new extradition request for Warren Anderson, Union Carbide will not be pursued by the Government, even though it too has been charged with culpible homicide.
Submitted by SfB.Website on Wed, 06/23/2010 - 11:41
PRESS RELEASE- For Immediate Release
Protest against injustice in Bhopal continues in America; Overseas Indians protest in New York City, Boston and San Francisco.
Protest held to coincide with ongoing Indo-US CEO forum meet.
Protestors demand the Indian Government shun Backroom deals with corporations and the CEOs respect Law of land and clean up their own mess.
New York City, NY – Overseas Indians outraged by the injustice in Bhopal continued the protests against Indian Government’s lackadaisical attitude towards Bhopal tragedy survivors and against the DOW chemical company’s refusal to own up the responsibility and clean up the mess from the disaster that occurred 25 years ago. Protestors showed their solidarity with Bhopal survivors by carrying placards which read “We all live in Bhopal” written in multiple languages. They highlighted the road map released by Bhopal survivors group and demanded that the Group Of Ministers (GoM) appointed by the Prime Minister implement the demands of the survivors in a timely manner.
BhopalMedAppeal: Angela and Ray's Wedding to Benefit the BMA! http://fb.me/w7z98DW6 (10 hours 45 min ago)
Justice4Bhopal: Dow wanted a 400-cror research center near Pune, but locals protested the proposal away. People can and will stand up to corporations! (21 hours 35 min ago)
BhopalMedAppeal: Water still a killer at Bhopal's ground zero... http://fb.me/yWRmgQRO #Ground Zero #Obama #Bhopal (6 days 11 hours ago)
No More Bhopals: An evening of Protest, Songs, Poetry in Delhi
Kirk Robinson is one of the newest interns to join the ICJB team. He has just finished his second year at UC Berkeley where he is pursuing a major in Political Science with a concentration in International Relations. Issues that extend across borders are a great interest of his which is why he is excited to work with Students for Bhopal! This summer he will be helping with the database cleanup, contacting donors, and working with the website and other social networking sites. He also enjoys biking, eating, and playing the trombone!
Samantha Balasubramanian is very passionate about human rights issues and excited to be interning with ICJB this summer. She graduated from UC Irvine in 2008 with a BA in International Studies. She has worked at a law firm specializing in bankruptcy law for the last year and a half. She is also involved with the Project Vietnam Foundation and will be traveling to Vietnam this summer on a medical mission to help set up medical/dental clinics in rural areas and rehabilitate orphanages.
