Bhopal survivors ask Dow to come clean, be accountable

Bhopal survivors ask Dow to come clean, be accountable
YOGESH VAJPEYI

BHOPAL, MARCH 13: Organisations representing the Bhopal gas victims are determined to ensure that those responsible for the world's biggest industrial disaster do not go unpunished. They have launched Campaign for Justice in Bhopal -- a move directed to hold the Dow Chemical Company accountable for the 1984 Union Carbide disaster.

Leaders of the organisations who returned last week after meeting the country director of Dow Chemical International Private Ltd in Mumbai, outlined the future course of action to be followed nationally and internationally to secure justice.

Survivors' organisations in Bhopal and their supporters have been demandingthat following its merger with Union Carbide Corporation, USA, the DowChemical Company must accept the criminal and environmental liabilities ofBhopal.

``After merging with Union Carbide, Dow now has the blood of the people ofBhopal on its hands. On February 28th, 300 of us stormed Dow's Mumbai officeand told them so,'' said Rashida Bi, president of the Bhopal Gas PeeditMahila Stationery Karmachari Sangh -- a trade union of women survivors.

``The management was so scared by this small action they felt the need tohave a police officer armed with a gun sitting next to Dow's countrydirector during our discussion,'' said a smiling Rashida.

Balkrishna Namdeo, convener, Gas Peedit Nirashrit Pension Bhogi SangharshMorcha, said that they were very frustrated with their meeting withRavi Muthukrishnan, Dow's country director in India. ``He was actually verynice on a personal level. He said he was well aware of the continuing deathand suffering in Bhopal and expressed his sympathies. But when it came todiscussing our demands, he just mechanically repeated his masters' words,'' said Namdeo.

``More than seven times, he repeated the lie that Union Carbide had no pending criminal liabilities and refused even to take a look at the legal, medical and scientific information that point to the culpability of Carbide and now Dow,'' Namdeo added.

Abdul Jabbar, convener Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Udyog Sangathan, stressed that ``the fight to make Dow accountable for Carbide's crimesin Bhopal will be very much a part of the movement against globalisation inthis country.''

``Here is a brain damaging chemical, invented by the Nazis, that Dow isselling as a household insecticide. Because of its serious health impacts,Dow had to withdraw it from the US market last year. In India, itis their leading brand,'' he pointed out, accusing Dow of following a racist policy of blatant double standards in matters of human health and safety.

``The disaster in Bhopal occurred because of Union Carbide's doublestandards. The people of India will not allow slow and silent Bhopals intheir households due to Dow's double standards in the production andsale of Dursban,'' said Satinath Sarangi of the Bhopal Group for Information and Action, an activist group working to support Bhopal survivors.

``The Campaign for Justice in Bhopal,'' said Jabbar, ``is now being formed nationally and internationally. Trade unions, students organisations, women's groups and human rights networks in Bombay, Delhi, Bangalore and other cities have already expressed strong support to the struggle to nail the culprits of the disaster.''