Previous protests on the 17th anniversary of the Bhopal disaster
Representatives of survivors of the world's worst chemical
disaster in Bhopal, India, travelled with Greenpeace and other
support organisations to Dow Chemical's annual shareholders meeting
in Michigan, the United States today to confront the company on its
pending liabilities.
The coalition called on Dow Chief Executive Officer, Michael D.
Parker, to ensure Dow accepts responsibility for the 1984 gas leak
at the Union Carbide pesticide plant in Bhopal that killed
thousands and left many more with serious injuries. Dow became the
world's biggest chemical company when it purchased Union Carbide in
2001(1) but has so far refused to accept Carbide´s pending
liabilities for environmental and human rights violations in
Bhopal.(2)
"Dow´s ownership of Union Carbide has not changed the need for
the contaminated Bhopal site to be cleaned up or for the survivors
to be rehabilitated. U.S. law doesn´t absolve responsibility for
contamination due to transition of ownership. A lesser standard
outside the US is unconscionable," noted Dr. Mary Elizabeth Harmon,
of Greenpeace. "Dow's shareholders should question the morality of
a company that puts so much effort into platitudes about
responsible care while paying no regard to the suffering it
inflicts on people," she added.
Bhopal survivors requested a private meeting with Dow last week
to discuss the issue of Bhopal but the US chemical giant refused.
Despite Dow's claims that it "believe[s] in the inherent worth of
people and will honour our relationships with those whom let us be
part of this world" (3) it stated that it would only be interested
in making a "humanitarian gesture" to Bhopal survivors and any
further discussion "would not be a productive use of anyone's
time".(4)
"It's my hope that the gravity of our situation can be
understood by our willingness to travel around the world to state
our case to Dow for just five minutes," said Dr. H. Trivedi, a
Bhopal survivor who addressed Mr. Parker during the question and
answer session of the meeting in Midland, Michigan. "How can Dow
tout its dedication to corporate responsibility while turning a
cold shoulder to us?" he added.
The Bhopal survivors built a replica of the memorial statue
originally dedicated to the victims of the disaster and donated it
to the Midland Centre for the Arts as a mark of solidarity to
people living in Midland, where the Dow annual meeting is taking
place. Widespread dioxin pollution has recently been discovered
downstream from the Midland Dow plant and poses a serious threat to
the community. At an unveiling ceremony today, Midland and Bhopal
were named sister cities, united in their chemical legacies and by
Dow´s lack of commitment to clean up its toxic waste. Yet, unlike
the people of Bhopal, Midland residents are protected to some
extent under US law. Although legal procedures often delay toxic
clean up, US law dictates that Dow is liable for its
contamination.
Former Attorney to the US Senate, Mr. Curtis Moore stated: "A
Bhopal type event in the United States would have been cleaned up
by now, no question about it. If the company didn't want to clean
it up then the government would have done it, and given the bill
for three times the cost of cleanup to the company. Every corporate
executive in the United States of America knows that those are the
sorts of liability that are attached to releasing chemical
poisons." (5)
An international coalition including Bhopal survivors has formed
to ensure that Dow Chemical takes responsibility for the toxic
legacy in Bhopal. The coalition, which includes Greenpeace, 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 India, are demanding that Dow:
- cleans up the abandoned Union Carbide site in Bhopal, India; -
provides long term medical assistance and services to the Bhopal
victims; - ensures economic rehabilitation for the victims; - faces
criminal liability charges as owners of Union Carbide in the
ongoing case pending in the Bhopal District Court.
For more in depth information about the Bhopal disaster, go to
http://www.greenpeaceusa.org/features/dow_bhopal.htm
Notes: (1) Dow's annual sales exceed $30 billion - more than the national economies of more than two-thirds of the world's nations. World Bank – 2000 World Development Indicators.(2) Dow has settled another case brought against its subsidiary Union Carbide. In January 2002 Union Carbide, prior to being acquired by Dow, was one of the companies named in a suit brought by workers exposed to asbestos in their work place. Having acquired Union Carbide, Dow became responsible for the case and reached a settlement.(3) Sam Smolik, Vice President, Environment, Health & Safety, Dow Chemicals at the 6th Asia Pacific Responsible Care Conference 2000 Singapore, November 5-8, 2000.(4) Letter from Dow to Greenpeace dated 2nd May 2002 (see Greenpeace website for copies).(5) Interviews with Curtis Moore (by telephone or VNR) can be arranged on request from the Greenpeace press office.