DAVOS, Switzerland — Davos, Switzerland 27 January 2004- As the most powerful and influential exponents of the economic world gather together in a new edition of the World Economic Forum (WEF), under the slogan "Taking Responsibility for Tough Choices", Greenpeace activists showed the world that, at least one major multinational company, DOW Chemical, is far from being responsible and trust worthy.
60 Greenpeace activists dressed in dead skeleton suits protest in front of the World Economic Forum conference building. The action is carried out to denounce DOW Chemicals, one of the members of the WEF and responsible for the 20 years of suffering of the victims of the world's worst chemical disaster in Bhopal.
Despite intense military safety precautions, 60 Greenpeace
activists succeeded in carrying out a protest in front of the
entrance of the Davos Congress Centre against DOW's refusal to pay
compensation and clear up the affected area in Bhopal.
Matthias Wuthrich, of Greenpeace, commented on the WEF slogan
'Taking Responsibility for Tough Choices' saying: "DOW should dare
to make the tough choice and take full responsibility for the
Bhopal disaster. After 20 years of suffering, the least they can do
is to take action for the ongoing tragedy in Bhopal".
The activists lay on the street, dressed in dead skeleton suits
that testified for the over 20,000 victims who died due to the
world's worst chemical disaster in Bhopal, India from 1984 till
today. Crosses were stamped with the Dow Logo and the label "DOW!
Clean UP Bhopal NOW!" demanding DOW to take heed of their
responsibility and to clear debts for Bhopal, for which they still
deny liability in spite of world-wide protests.
Rachna Dhingra, representative of the Survivors' Organizations
of the Bhopal Disaster, said that "people in Bhopal are still dying
and suffering because the disaster in Bhopal persists 20 years
later. DOW's behaviour in Bhopal shows just how irresponsible
companies can be. Bhopal has become an icon of a corporate crime.
DOW has to clean up
Bhopal NOW! ".
On 26 January 2005, DOW was given the first-ever Violations of
Human Rights Award by the WEF Protest Event "Public Eye on Davos".
Greenpeace Switzerland nominated the US Company on behalf of the
International Campaign for Justice in Bhopal.
Thousands of people still suffer from the consequences of the
chemical disaster, for which the American multinational is not
ready to take responsibility.
At the World Social forum in Porto Alegre, the Bhopal case will
be discussed during sessions and seminars on Corporate
responsibility that Greenpeace is organising, as this case is an
icon of a corporate crime and shows the necessity of an
international set of rules for corporate responsibility and
liability for damage.
Also see the Greenpeace Report on Bhopal
Click here to see the nominations"Public Eye on Davos"
For more information, contact: Rachna Dhingra, International
Campaign for Justice in Bhopal +4179 538 15 72 Matthias Wuthrich,
Toxics Campaigner, Greenpeace Switzerland +411 447 4131(in Davos)
Wangpo Tethong, Press Officer, Greenpeace Switzerland, +411 447 41
54 (in Davos)