Greenpeace joins Bhopal survivors to protest moves by the Indian government to reduce homicide charges against Warren Anderson, former Union Carbide CEO, to negligence.
Greenpeace today joined protests in India to support survivors
of the Bhopal disaster in their struggle for justice from Union
Carbide, the U.S. multinational responsible for the disaster, and
its new owner, Dow Chemicals (1).
The protests took place in Delhi, Bangalore and Mumbai following
moves by the Central Bureau of Investigation of the Indian
Government to reduce outstanding charges of culpable homicide
against Warren Anderson, former CEO of Union Carbide, to
negligence. (2) Three of the protestors, two of which are survivors
of the gas disaster, have been on hunger strike in Delhi for twelve
days, since the CBI's impending move was announced. (3)
Anderson is still the subject of an Interpol warrant but has
been hiding in the United States since the Union Carbide pesticide
factory in Bhopal leaked 40 tonnes of lethal gas in 1984, killing
20,000 people to date. If the Indian Government reduces the charges
against him, Anderson would face a small fine or a maximum sentence
of two years' imprisonment rather than a maximum custodial sentence
of 10 years. He would also not have to appear for trial in
India.
"The Government of India plays a major role in making sure that
everyone responsible, the U.S. multinational Union Carbide - now
Dow Chemicals - and its former CEO, are held accountable and liable
for this ongoing disaster, just as they would be had it occurred in
the United States," said Ananthapadmanabhan Ananth, Executive
Director of Greenpeace India, speaking from the demonstration in
Delhi. "It must not betray its people by allowing these corporate
criminals to walk away from the death and contamination they have
caused in Bhopal," he added.
Union Carbide cut safety corners at its Bhopal factory. That
purely economic decision meant that, on the night of the poisonous
gas leak, six safety measures designed to prevent such a leak had
either malfunctioned, were turned off or were otherwise inadequate.
In addition, the safety siren, intended to alert the community, was
turned off. Afterwards, it failed to paid sufficient compensation
and abandoned the factory, leaving tonnes of dangerous, highly
toxic chemicals strewn around the site. (4)
"If the Indian government does not reject this move, it will
give a clear signal that India is open to exploitation by other
multinational corporations," concluded Ananth.
Greenpeace and Bhopal survivors' organisations (5) are
campaigning to ensure that Dow Chemicals cleans up the factory site
at its expense, as would be required in the U.S., to secure
long-term medical treatment facilities and medical rehabilitation
for the survivor's of the poison gas leak, to ensure economic
compensation for the gas-affected people and their families, and to
provide clean drinking water to communities that are forced to
consume contaminated groundwater.
Take
Action!
Tell Dow to do the right thing - take responsibility for the
Bhopal disaster.
Notes: (1) In 2002, Union Carbide shed its name by merging with Dow Chemical, making Dow the worlds biggest chemical company. In buying Union Carbide for US$9.3 billion, Dow not only bought the companys assets but also its liabilities in Bhopal.So far, it has refused to accept Carbides pending liabilities for environmental and human rights violations in Bhopal. (2) The court hearing is scheduled to take place in Bhopal on 17th July.(3) The hunger strikers are: Satinath Sarangi (48); Rasheeda Bee (45) and Tara Bai (35). Tara Bai, was three months pregnant at the time of the disaster. She miscarried as she fled the poisonous gas. Since then she has been unable to conceive and suffers from breathlessness, diminished vision and panic attacks. (4) In 1999, Greenpeace and Bhopal community groups visited the abandoned factory to assess the environmental condition of the site and its surroundings. The team documented the presence of stockpiles of toxic pesticides as well as hazardous wastes and contaminated material scattered throughout the factory site. The survey found substantial and, in some locations, severe contamination of land and water supplies with heavy metals and chlorinated chemicals.(5) Greenpeace is working in Bhopal as part of an international NGO coalition including the Bhopal Gas Affected Women Stationery Workers Association, Bhopal Gas Affected Pensioners Association, Bhopal Group for Information and Action, National Campaign For Justice in Bhopal, The Other Media and CorpWatch.