Ruby in Bhopal in front of the Union Carbide factory, 20 years after the disaster.
Ruby
The world is progressing at a new speed these days - but does
anyone stop to think what sacrifices are made at the altar of this
progress? We cannot even begin to estimate the many things that we
have sacrificed in the name of progress; technology may have made
our lives simpler, but the very same technology can be misused for
destructive purposes.
Some companies are focussed only on their profits, to the extent
of being inhuman - and Union Carbide (now owned by Dow Chemical) is
the prime example of these. In all its years of operating in
Bhopal, the company focused entirely on its own profits, regardless
of the cost of human life.
In my college in Bhopal, my friends and I spend most of our free
time discussing the corporate crimes of Union Carbide in Bhopal.
Most of my classmates are residents of other states, and knew very
little about Bhopal before coming here. In fact, they only knew
what the newspapers had told them about the Bhopal gas disaster.
But I have related my story to them, and revealed the fact that the
disaster was not an accident, but a premeditated acceptance of the
"risks" and a callous approach toward safety systems that "cost too
much" to be kept in operation. Once they have heard the full story,
there is an almost unanimous understanding that none of us would
ever want to work for a firm like this one!
My classmates and I recently attended a seminar on health
problems of survivors. My classmates were very moved by this
seminar, and offered to help out with putting up posters, inviting
people to the subsequent programs and generally spreading the word.
In fact, they all told me that they were keen to help our campaign
for justice in Bhopal whenever they can.
One day, we were all sitting around and talking about our
experience with this seminar, when someone came up with a brilliant
suggestion - why not form a youth club to support the Bhopal
campaign, and to oppose the work of irresponsible companies like
Dow in other parts of the country! I knew this would prove to be a
brilliant idea, because the power of youth joining our campaign
would make a world of difference to the campaign. It will also
ensure that the campaign gets another lease of life, with a new
generation joining in to take it forward.
When I first read Paul's story, it seemed almost eerie - to
think that he is going through almost the same kind of battle that
our community is, and that too, because of the same company. His
story and mine seem disturbingly similar. When I read his story, it
seemed as if we're both living in the same city.
Paul's story also strengthened my resolve further - I am now
convinced that the battle against Dow Chemical needs to be fought
on the global scale, and spread the word, involve more youngsters
in the campaign, and fight them more effectively.
I sincerely wish Paul and his community all the very best in
their struggle. Maybe we can swap e-mails with ideas and tactics to
help both our campaigns. While writing my own serial stories, and
reading Paul's stories, I have realized the global nature of our
campaign. I also feel like I have found a friend in Paul, learned
about his life, and presented our two different, yet similar
stories to the millions of readers who log onto the Greenpeace
website from around the world.
I can only hope that in 20 years time, when we are both in our
40s we can reflect on the day Dow accepted its responsibilities and
did the right thing in Bhopal and Michigan.
Paul
Since I found out Dow Chemical had quietly been polluting the
area around my home for years I have been constantly amazed by this
company. I have to give it credit for the amount of hard work and
millions of dollars it spends in order to make the public believe
it is a responsible company. Rather than tackle the pollution
problems of its own making it does all it can to avoid this. Its
story is the same, be it here in the United States or in India.
When it was discovered Dow had polluted areas downstream of its
[Michigan] plant with levels 9,000 times the state clean up levels,
the Dow denial machine went into overdrive. First, it denied it
caused the pollution. Next, it hired the best PR firms and lawyers
and lobbied local politicians to ensure it didn't get the blame.
Even so, it was proved that Dow caused the pollution. Oops! So then
it spends more money on PR, lawyers and lobbying politicians to say
dioxin is harmless. But test results prove levels are dangerously
high. Dow now spends money on more PR, trying to spin the test
results. It even tried but failed to get the state of Michigan to
raise the clean up levels, in an attempt to instantly make the
problem disappear.
All this denial, lobbying and muddying of these dirty waters
costs Dow millions. Just imagine if it had owned up straight away
and spent this cash on tackling the problem. That is what the
affected communities and I are fighting for. We don't have millions
of dollars or fancy lawyers but we have the most powerful weapon -
the truth on our side. I am campaigning for a clean up of the
river, and ideally medical monitoring of all contaminated
individuals' health. Would it have been smart to admit to the
dioxin contamination and clean up the problem at the outset, so
saving Dow millions? Yes, for sure! I don't understand Dow's
thinking, it must have some egotistical management that doesn't
like to be proven wrong, maybe that is why they refuse to clean up
the river. If only women ran Dow, right?
Not
everything Dow does is wrong and some people in the area have
benefited from Dow's presence. But I firmly believe that Dow can
make a profit without trashing the environment and harming people's
health. Shame on Dow for unethical business practices and shame on
their board members who have denied and denied for years the truth
and refuse to except law and moral responsibility for their
business actions. Couldn't Dow just take one year's profits and
instead of giving it to lawyers, PR firms, politicians or
shareholders, resolve the problems of its own making? That is all I
ask and many others the world over would like to know. Is that a
lot to ask for? I think not.
The opposing side will probably say, people like me don't
understand business and just want to harm Dow. But it seems Dow can
do this itself with poor judgments involving the use of its money.
I am not trying to destroy businesses; I just feel a business
should have some moral values, at least one moral value. A business
shouldn't destroy the lives of others in order to make a few extra
bucks. No person or company should do that. A company should
respect its workers and their communities.
Ruby shouldn't have to wait 20 years or more for justice after
the disaster in Bhopal. People in Michigan shouldn't have to fight
against a company and the state in order to enforce state laws.
People in government have obviously failed both the citizens of
Bhopal and in Michigan, they bend over for Dow at any chance they
get, thinking of only themselves. How many more people have to die
in Bhopal in order for clean up and how many more silent and slow
deaths caused by dioxin pollution do the citizens of Michigan have
to face? Sadly enough for me and Ruby, it seems both of our
countries value profits over precious life. One can make and create
all the money he or she desires, but one can't recreate an aunt,
uncle, brother, sister, grandmother, grandfather, or mom and dad
after they are gone.
More
Read
part I of the feature to understand the terrible events that
lead to Ruby and Paul and thier communities being affected by toxic
waste.
Read
part II of the feature where Paul and Ruby discuss what
motivated them to become active in the fight for justice in both
communities by battling against a huge chemical
corporation.
Discover more about the issue of the ongoing Bhopal disaster and the
campaign to get Dow Chemical to clean up its own
mess.