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Investment firms tell Dow to invest in Bhopal clean up

Warren Anderson, former CEO of Union Carbide in India, at his door in Bridgehampton, Long Island, New York. Enlarge Image

Carbide Criminal found

Warren Anderson, former Union Carbide CEO at the time of the world's worst industrial disaster in Bhopal, India in 1984, has been found living a life of luxury in New York State. He is wanted in India to face charges of culpable homicide over the deaths of 20,000 people since the disaster.

Lone survivor. This elderly woman was badly injured when exposed to the poisonous gas, but survived. Everyone else in her family died. Suffering from her injuries, she has an uncertain future. Enlarge Image

Dow shuns responsiblity for disaster

Dow Chemical is shunning their responsibility for cleaning up the worst industrial disaster in history. When they bought out Union Carbide, they only saw the assets it would bring, they turned a blind eye to the to the 8000 that died in the immediate aftermath of the explosion in Bhopal. They ignored the 20,000 people who have died from exposure-related illnesses since. They continue to ignore an estimated 120,000 who remain chronically ill. Their attention is focused firmly on the bottom line which just reported third quarter sales of US$ 7 billion.

Greenpeace activists and locals are arrested before starting to clean up contamination site in Bhopal. Enlarge Image

Bhopal cleanup team arrested

Within a half hour of arriving on site to clean up Bhopal, around 60 protesters including local residents and Greenpeace activists were arrested. It was estimated that more than 100 police in riot gear swarmed over the peaceful action, which was taking place at the former Union Carbide factory, now owned by Dow, where a deadly gas leak in 1984 killed thousands and blinded and maimed thousands more. Former Union Carbide CEO Warren Anderson has been wanted for culpable homicide for more than a decade for his role in the accident.

Victims of the Bhopal disaster protest outside Dow's headquarters in Bombay. Enlarge Image

Dow gets what it deserves

Eighteen years is a long time to wait for anything. If you are waiting for the day your drinking water is free of poisons, a time when you have more than a few dollars compensation to help relieve the pain of chronic illnesses and an environment not littered with toxic wastes, then it is an eternity. When the company responsible for 18 years of suffering is the world's richest chemical company there is a clear message - Dow clean up Bhopal now!

Bhopal activist Nity Jayaraman arrested in Bhopal. Enlarge Image

Charges dropped and apologies offered

Specialists and trained activists from the International Campaign for Justice in Bhopal were brutally assaulted by the police last week when they entered the derelict Union Carbide factory site trying to contain a fraction of the tonnes of hazardous waste lying abandoned at the factory site. But now charges will be dropped and the brutal treatment acknowledged.

Victims of the Bhopal disaster protest outside Dow's headquarters in Bombay. Enlarge Image

How low can Dow go?

In a stunning example of corporate insensibility, Dow Chemical, the world´s largest chemical company, and new owner of Union Carbide, is to sue survivors of the 1984 Union Carbide gas disaster in Bhopal, India. While the site of the disaster lies covered in toxic waste and survivors struggle with continuing ill health and deadly pollution from the site, Dow has decided to add to their woes with an Indian lawsuit.

Victims of the Bhopal disaster protest outside Dow's headquarters in Bombay. Enlarge Image

Bhopal protests move online

Dow Chemical is going to court soon in India. Not as the defendants for their ongoing responsibility for the Bhopal disaster, but as the plaintiffs. They're suing (we're not making this up) the SURVIVORS of the disaster for protesting at a Dow plant.

Warren Anderson, former CEO of Union Carbide in India, at his door in Bridgehampton, Long Island, New York. Enlarge Image

Justice for Warren Anderson?

George Bush is willing to spend billions, sacrifice many innocent lives, break international laws and dole out summary justice in the pursuit of his misguided 'war on terror'. However if you are a rich American ultimately responsible for the death of more than 20,000 poor people in far off India, you can expect a life of luxury safe from the long arm of the US law.

On the 19th anniversary of the world's worst industrial disaster, the Bhopal gas tragedy of 1984, activists from Greenpeace held a protest activity at the headquarter of Dow Chemical Europe as part of the Global Day of Action against Corporate Crime. Enlarge Image

Message in a bottle for Dow

It's 19 years since the world's worst industrial disaster in Bhopal, India. Deadly gas leaked from the poorly maintained and understaffed plant owned by Union Carbide, killing up to 20,000 people and leaving 120,000 chronically ill. For 19 years the companies responsible have done almost nothing to help. Now you can do a little something to help the survivors of the ongoing disaster and send a message to Union Carbide's new owner Dow Chemical that it should be cleaning up its toxic mess.

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.

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