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Bhopal disaster still unresolved

Greenpeace activists on their way to Dow headquarters in the Netherlands to deliver a deadly cargo of waste from the Bhopal site in India, in big yellow barrels. From left to right: Rashida Bi, Bhopal survivor, Monique Harthoorn, Dutch campaigner, and Ganesh Nochur, Indian campaigner. Enlarge Image

Dow refuses to take back its waste

Activists from the International Campaign for Justice in Bhopal wanted to give something back to Dow today: a few barrels of the waste the chemical giant refuses to clean up. Dow's response: arrests of over twenty activists.

Thirty Greenpeace activists, constituent of the International Campaign for Justice in Bhopal, delivered eighteen barrels of poisonous waste collected from Bhopal, India to Dow's European headquarters in Horgen, Switzerland today. Enlarge Image

Toxic waste from Bhopal returned to Dow

While Dow executives chatted with fellow business leaders at the World Economic Forum's 'Building Trust' annual meeting, we delivered a reality check. Thirty Greenpeace activists representing the International Campaign for Justice in Bhopal (ICJB) transferred eighteen barrels of poisonous waste to Dow's European headquarters in Horgen, Switzerland. Others beat drums urging the US chemical giant to stop poisoning people and clean up its toxic mess in India.

Skulls of the victims of the disaster used to investigate the effects of the gas leak on the brain Enlarge Image

Dow's 'Vision of Zero'

After a very successful international call-in day to Dow Chemical, it is clear that Dow does not care what the public thinks. Dow shut down its public lines and refused to answer questions from thousands of concerned callers.

Greenpeace activists protest at the entrance of the Dow Chemicals factory in Tsing Yi, China today demanding that Dow admits liability for the Bhopal gas disaster and immediately cleans up the site to prevent further poisoning of local inhabitants. Enlarge Image

Dow: clean up your mess for the Chinese New Year

According to Chinese tradition, every household busies itself cleaning out the mess from the old year before welcoming in the Chinese New Year. Greenpeace is demanding that Dow clean up its mess in Bhopal too.

The International Campaign for Justice in Bhopal (ICJB) returns contaminated drinking water from Bhopal, India, to Dow Chemical's Texas headquarters. Enlarge Image

Bhopal waste returned to Dow

"Our message is simple," said Greenpeace's Casey Harrell. "Dow must clean up Bhopal now and accept full responsibility for the health and environmental damage in that city. Until it does so, Dow will never be a responsible corporate citizen."

Greenpeace demands corporate responsibility from Dow Chemicals by holding a demonstration at the South Africa plant. Enlarge Image

Diane vs. Dow

"When you can smell your own fear you are on the right track." This is the slogan that Diane Wilson, a famed "shrimp-boat-captain-turned-activist and merciless scourge of Dow" lives by. But the only fear we smell in this case is Dow's.

Union Carbide accident survivor's weekly meeting, Bhopal, India Enlarge Image

Step closer to justice for Bhopal

The government of India has finally bowed to pressure and agreed to allow a US Court to possibly rule that Dow Chemical should clean up the site of the ongoing Bhopal disaster. Mounting pressure from three determined hunger strikers, intensive lobbying by us, other Bhopal groups and thousands of online activists helped turn round the position of the Indian government.

Burial of an unknown child. This unknown child has become the icon of the world's worst industrial disaster, caused by the US multinational chemical company, Union Carbide. Enlarge Image

Bhopal disaster has no parallel in human history

It all began 18 years ago during the night of 2 December 1984 when 40 tonnes of lethal gases leaked from Union Carbide Corporation's pesticide factory in Bhopal, India. People just did not know what had hit them. There was no warning. Before anyone could realize the full impact of the disaster an area of about 40 square kilometres, with a resident population of over half a million, was engulfed in dense clouds of poison.

Living. Poisoned daily! Enlarge Image

Dow fights for its image, but not the victims in Bhopal

"Did you know... that Dow Chemical is responsible for the birth of the modern environmental movement?" So begins an internet spoof of Dow Chemical Company's smarmy public relations website which has caused a bit of a web sensation over the last few weeks.

Celebrations on the streets of Bhopal. Now almost 20 years later all survivors will finally get meagre compensation. Full justice will require Dow Chemical to clean up the polluted site. Enlarge Image

Bhopal survivors continue fight for justice

India's Supreme Court has ordered the government to release millions of dollars in compensation for victims of the 1984 Bhopal gas disaster. This, and other recent positive developments, are good news for the Bhopal survivors but far from the end of their battle for justice. Our Indian campaigner, Shailendra takes up the story.

Ruby, who survived the disaster outside the abandoned plant Enlarge Image

Bhopal disaster - twenty years on

Almost 20 years have passed since the World's worst industrial disaster took place in Bhopal, India. To commemorate the anniversary and remind people about the environmental crimes committed by Dow we are running a series of features; part one 'Growing Up' follows two childhoods spent in the shadow of toxic pollution.

The river in Midland now has a danger sign warning people of the pollutants in it. The pollution comes from the Dow plant upstream and Dow has refused to clean up its own pollution. Enlarge Image

Bhopal disaster - twenty years on II

Imagine waking up one morning to find that dangerous chemicals have contaminated your home and community, and that the culprits are ignoring your plight. That is the reality that both Paul and Ruby faced at a very early age. But rather than become victims, they chose to become warriors.

Local families play beside the river unaware that it is being polluted by effluent from Dow's plant up stream. Enlarge Image

Bhopal disaster - twenty years on III

On different continents in two very different communities, Paul and Ruby are battling Dow Chemical's refusal to take responsibility for its legacy of pollution, shady dealings and disregard for human life. In Part 3 of our feature, we hear from Paul and Ruby as they strengthen their resolve to keep up the fight - wherever they are in the world.

Skulls discarded after research at the Hamidia Hospital in Bhopal. Medical experts believe that the gas inhaled by the people of Bhopal may have affected the brain. Enlarge Image

Nightmare in Bhopal

This December 3rd marks the 20th anniversary of the world's worst industrial disaster. Twenty years later, the legacy of tragedy continues. This is a story of the struggle of ordinary people asserting their basic human rights in the face of the power and greed of a giant multinational corporation.

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