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March 28, 2006

If you've heard the news, perhaps you want to vomit. Perhaps you want to cry. And while you can do both you should make sure to do this: TAKE ACTION.

About 300 Bhopal survivors were forcefully arrested in a premeditated attack by the Delhi police this morning. This included 35 infants and children. Old women were kicked in the chest; several were hospitalized.

You can read up-to-the-minute news and see the grim photos of the arrest at http://www.bhopal.net/march/.

An update you won't read on the blog:

At 3:45, 45 minutes before the promised allowed time to be in front of the Shastri Bhavan (where the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers is, the dept responsible for taking care of affected Bhopalis) the police took down the barricades and arrested everybody -- a sudden, clear, and vicious backstab.

Many people were carried, dragged, yanked, and shoved into buses. There were several busloads in all. There were about three times as many cops as activists (NYPD style). Lots of huge sticks, big vests, helmets, and about 10 trucks and buses filled with these thugs. The whole street was clogged up with cops. Special effort was made to prevent us from photographing. We had to run away to get out of there without having our camera footage taken away.

They were all singing in the buses as they were driven away.

THIS is how the Indian Government has chosen to treat the Bhopalis, including those who walked 500 miles to meet their Prime Minister.

It is a cause for shame.
It is a cause for outrage.
It is a cause for action.

A hungerstrike appears imminent, and global solidarity will be necessary. More as this develops. In the meanwhile:

Do this for Bhopal.
Do this for justice
Do this NOW

Please take action & forward this widely:

ACTION ALERT! ACTION ALERT! ACTION ALERT!

Approximately 300 Bhopal survivors (including 35 infants and children) have been forcefully arrested and some beaten and hospitalized in a premeditated attack by the Delhi police. They include 50 padyatris - Bhopal survivors who just arrived in Delhi after walking 500 miles from Bhopal over the past five weeks, all in the hopes of meeting their Prime Minister and presenting their demands for clean water, justice and a life of dignity.

TAKE ACTION:
1. Send a fax: http://www.studentsforbhopal.org/FaxAction/fax_action.php. Although the database function isn't working (it should be fixed tonight), the faxes are still getting through. Collect a petition and enter the names and emails manually. Do what it takes, do what you can.
2. Call & Email the embassy. See the draft conversation & email below:

Sample Conversation: (Please personalize your message)
Indian Embassy: (202) 939-7010

Embassy: Hello, Indian Embassy.
YOU: Hi my name is MY NAME, I am calling in support of the survivors of the Bhopal chemical disaster who have been forcibly removed from their protest site at the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers by the Delhi Police after a 800 km march from Bhopal.
Embassy: Ok
YOU: This is an outrage. They were exerting their democratic rights to be heard by their government and should not have been arrested. Additionally several older women were assaulted and had be hospitalized. All of the protestors need to be released and returned to their site of protest. Can you assure me you will pass this message on to the Prime Minister’s office and the Delhi police?
Embassy: Can you e-mail it to me I will pass it on that way.
YOU: I will, thank you. Please pass on this message as soon as possible.

Sample E-mail
Indian Embassy: sprasad@indiagov.org

Dear Ambassador Sen

I am writing to express my outrage and disappointment that the police have arrested 300 Bhopal disaster survivors protesting at the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers in New Delhi. Please forward this request to your government in Delhi and the police: the protesters should be released immediately and returned to their original place of protest, where they should be allowed to remain unmolested. Given that the protesters were assembling peacefully for a permitted protest, no on should have been arrested or harmed. Instead they were forcibly removed and some were beaten - landing several elderly survivors in the hospital and more than 35 infants and children in jail. This kind of suppression of democratic protest is uncalled for and I expect that a full apology to the survivors will be forthcoming immediately.

Sincerely,

Please let us know you've taken action by sending a blank email to: march@studentsforbhopal.org

BACKGROUND:
Read the latest updates and see photos from the arrest: http://www.bhopal.net/march/
Read the survivors demands: http://www.studentsforbhopal.org/MarchToDelhi.htm#Demands
Read more about the March to Delhi: http://www.studentsforbhopal.org/MarchToDelhi.htm

Download a booklet in PDF format of the survivors' demands and supporting factsheets. 5.5mb.

--
Ryan Bodanyi
Coordinator, Students for Bhopal
www.studentsforbhopal.org
rbodanyi@studentsforbhopal.org
(401) 829-6192

Posted by bhola at 08:18 PM | Comments (0)

Urgent action: protest against mass arrest of Bhopalis who had walked 800km to meet the Prime Minister and are now instead in jail

ACTION ALERT! • ACTION ALERT! • ACTION ALERT!

Dear All,

More than 350 Bhopalis have been arrested at the protest outside Ministry of Chemical's office in Delhi. This 350 people also includes the 50 people who just finished their walk from Bhopal to Delhi on March 25th. Bhopalis were protesting outside the Ministry of Chemicals regarding their demands of National Commission on Bhopal, clean water, punishment to guilty, clean up, blacklist Dow Chemical, Memorial. They have walked more than 800 km in 35 days from Bhopal to Delhi regarding the above demands.

All 350 of them have been taken to Parliament Street Police station. Two women Ashraf Bee and Ruksana Bee passed out when police was forcefully trying to remove the Bhopalis. They both have been hospitalized. Nity Shweta , Nimmi and Dharmesh have also been arrested. Shweta's kurta was torn when female cops were trying to remove her forcefully and pushing her into the police van. There are several women who have kids from age range of 1 to 10 years old and they were also forcefully removed.

This is how the Indian Government is treating Bhopalis who have walked more than 800 km. Bhopalis will start their indefinite hunger strike.

PLEASE CALL THE PRIME MINISTER'S OFFICE AND INDIAN EMBASSY and tell them how shameful their behavior is towards people who have been fighting for their rightful demands and have just walked more than 800 kms.

To send Fax to PM’s office: http://www.studentsforbhopal.org/FaxAction/fax_action.php

To call Indian Embassy: Washington DC Embassy: (202) 939-7010 New York Consulate: (212) 774-0632
Chicago Consulate: (312) 595-0412, (312) 595-9235
Houston Consulate: (713) 626-3153
San Francisco Consulate: (415) 668-0998

To email Indian Embassy
Washington DC Embassy: ambassador@indiagov.org
New York Consulate: cg@indiacgny.org
Chicago Consulate: cg@indianconsulate.com
Houston Consulate: cgi-hou@swbell.net
San Francisco Consulate: CG@Indianconsulate-sf.org

For more information please visit www.bhopal.net
Or call 91-9811138987

rachna

EARLIER ALERT

The Bhopal gas survivors who have walked 800 kms from Bhopal, had gathered outside the Ministry of Chemicals demanding to meet Mr Paswan, Minister of Chemicals and Ho'n Prime Minister Mr. Manmohan Singh. The Bhopal survivors were told that the two ministers were not available to meet them, instead what they recieved was the highhanded treatement of this administration.

WRITE OR FAX YOUR REACTION TO THE INDIAN PRIME MINISTER AND ALSO TO THE PARLIAMENT STREET POLICE STATION.

PARLIAMENT STREET POLICE STATION NUMBER
91 11 23361231 EXT 3481

FAX THE PRIME MINISTER RIGHT NOW

Read the incoming reports on the March to Delhi blog.

Posted by bhola at 01:22 PM | Comments (0)

Now or never

AN IMPORTANT MESSAGE FROM ICJB STUDENT CO-ORDINATOR RYAN BODANYI

If you've been reading the daily blog of the March to Delhi, at http://www.bhopal.net/march/, you know that the padyatris have reached Delhi. They've been joined by 600 more gas survivors from Bhopal, and together they are determined to remain in Delhi until their demands are fulfilled by the Prime Minister.

After spending five weeks marching 500 miles on foot, an indefinite hungerstrike looms - still more physical strain on those already poisoned and sickened.

NOW is the time. They need our support.

Over these last few weeks I've been inspired and awed by your commitment. So many of you have taken action; so many of you have been moved to do what you can. But we need you to do more.

Fax the Prime Minister. If you've already faxed, get 10 more people to fax. Collect a petition and enter the names yourself. Hand out lollipops to everyone who faxes. Do what you need. http://www.studentsforbhopal.org/FaxAction/fax_action.php

Take Action. Faxing is the single-most important thing you can do, but you can do more. Call the Prime Minister. Contact the media. Demonstrate outside an Indian consulate. You'll find a full list of ideas at http://www.studentsforbhopal.org/MarchToDelhi.htm#Action.

Remember: we MUST win. NOW is the time. If we do not pressure the Indian Government into conceding to our demands, the march and all our effort will fail. We have to win. And we cannot do so without your support.

Posted by bhola at 10:27 AM | Comments (0)

March 26, 2006

Pictures and report from the Washington DC rally, March 25th

REPORT

More than 30 people came to the protest outside the Indian Embassy on Friday, some from as far away as Boston, Michigan, Alabama and North Carolina. The protest was loud, long and awesome. As you can see from the photos on the front page of aidindia.org (you may have to change the numbers of the photos manually in the address bar; my favorite is Somu in #2) we had many fantastic posters and enthusiastic protestors. Greenpeace loaned us their replica of the fleeing mother and child memorial in Bhopal, and together with the statue of Gandhi in front of the embassy it lent a powerful statement of outrage and dignity to the demonstration.

It all began with a 3-block march from Dupont Circle, led by a motorcade of three policemen on motorcycles; shortly after we arrived we were surprised to see the ambassador himself, accompanied by well-dressed attendants, leaving the embassy and getting into his vehicle; before he did so he cast several long (and fearful?) glances over his shoulder at the noisy crowd. After the Ambassador fled we went inside for our appointment with the Minister of Economic affairs, still disappointed that our tentative appointment with the Deputy Chief of Mission had been cancelled the day before. You can imagine our surprise when not only were we then not allowed to meet with the Minister – instead we met with someone far lower on the totem pole – but we were not even allowed to meet inside! Instead we were forced onto the sidewalk outside and shadowed by a heavy contingent of Secret Service during our conversation. The conversation itself was disappointing: this fellow (he’s not really worthy of a name) was there, he made clear, to accept “a memorandum” only, and not to comment. He had nothing to say about the Indian Government and its response to the March, in fact, though he feigned background knowledge, he knew nothing. Imagine a stone, and imagine how much it might comprehend of Bhopal, and it might be an accurate analogy if it was a particularly small stone.

As you can imagine this was very disappointing, and it symbolizes the Indian Government’s response to Bhopal these past twenty years: that Bhopal is not a priority; that they need not do anything, or pay any attention; that they can insult and spurn and systematically and coldly ignore the concerns of the survivors and the survivors themselves. We were appalled that our delegation, this movement, the March to Delhi and the survivors’ demands to clean water, justice and a life of dignity were treated with such derision and scorn.

Nevertheless Mr. Know-nothing was treated to more than an earful of moral outrage and indignation from Nirveek of AID-JHU, and a full recital of the survivors demands and explanation from our very own and amazing Aquene. Ryan also participated, but mostly spent his time fixing the fool with his evil eye.

Adr!ane, Somnath, and Sherry also led the chants and kept the crowd fired up while we met, keeping the roar of Bhopal outrage echoing outside the building, such that we saw faces peeking from behind the curtains in high windows. Aquene wrote many of the chants, which were brilliant, and she finished the rally with a long and powerful explanation of the survivors demands and the reasons why they must be met. Dr. Bhagat too contributed his wisdom, and Sekhar handled the media – just one of the many jobs he performed efficiently and excellently in organizing the demonstration. And final thanks are due to Adr!ane, who thought of the thing and guided the planning process with vision and skill.

On Friday we embarrassed the Government; our demonstration made the ambassador flee and made the embassy windows rattle. Our chants are echoing in their heads and they will not soon forget our demands or the determination and passion of those who stand with the Bhopalis in their campaign for justice.

Ryan Bodanyi
Coordinator, Students for Bhopal
www.studentsforbhopal.org
401-829-6192

Posted by bhola at 03:40 PM | Comments (0)

March 23, 2006

If you can run, walk, fly, hobble or crawl, get yourself to Delhi and join the padyatra!

JOIN THE PADYATRIS IN THE DELHI RALLY FOR BHOPAL

Date/Time: 27 March, 2006. 9.30 a.m.

Venue: Park opposite Nizamuddin Gol Chakkar (Circle). Opp. Humayun’s Tomb

What: About 50 Bhopal survivors will conclude their 800 km padayatra from Bhopal to New Delhi with a 6 km march to Jantar Mantar.

More than 130 Bhopal survivors began a march on foot to New Delhi on February 20, demanding justice and a life of dignity for survivors of the 1984 Bhopal gas disaster and those poisoned since by ground water contaminated with Carbide’s chemicals. The Bhopal padayatris will have covered the 800 km distance from Bhopal to New Delhi in 35 days, stopping en route to interact with communities and workers.

Upon their arrival, the Bhopalis expect to meet the Prime Minister to present him with a six-point charter of demands. This time, the Bhopalis will not return without having every one of their demands met.

The march is being led by four Bhopal-based survivor and advocacy organisations: Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Stationery Karmachari Sangh, Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Purush Sangharsh Morcha, Bhopal Group for Information and Action, and Bhopal ki Aawaaz. The march is the biggest and most important action ever organized by the Bhopal campaign, but it won’t be successful without your support.

Join the Bhopal Rally to Jantar Mantar

Schedule of Events: Bhopal Padayatra to Delhi

23 March, 2006:

Padayatra from Palwal to Ballabhgarh (28 km). Night stay at Ballabhgarh

24 March, 2006:

Rally – Ballabhgarh to Faridabad. (9 a.m. to 11 a.m.)
Chowk Meeting: 11 a.m. (Venue to be announced)

25 March, 2006:
Arrival in New Delhi.
3 p.m.: Park near Nizamuddin Gol Chakkar. Welcome Program

Issued by the International Campaign for Justice in Bhopal

Press contacts

Posted by bhola at 11:25 AM | Comments (0)

March 21, 2006

DILLI CHALO!

BHOPAL GAS SURVIVORS MARCH FOR JUSTICE AND DIGNITY

800 km Padyatra from Bhopal (February 20)
– Gwalior – Agra – Mathura – Ballabhgarh – Faridabad

Reaches Delhi on March 25

JOIN THE BIG RALLY IN DELHI

From Bharat Scouts & Guides to Jantar Mantar

On Monday, March 27th, 2006 at 10 am

Please reach Bharat Scouts & Guides (Behind Humayun’s Tomb/opposite Nizammuddin Police Station) at 9:30 am

For Details Contact: International Campaign For Justice in Bhopal
Madhumita Dutta 011 26105472
Dr Suroopa Mukhejee 9818029882
Nishant Jain 9811764745
Pragya 9868424692

Visit: www.bhopal.net/march and www.studentsforbhopal.org/MarchToDelhi.htm

Posted by bhola at 01:12 PM | Comments (0)

Bay Area performs for Bhopal

On March 19, 2006, the Bay Area chapter of the Association for India's Development performed a skit about Bhopal to raise awareness and generate support for the March to Delhi.

"The event was a great hit and we got a good number of people to sign the banner and talk to us about Bhopal. Over 200 fliers were distributed and with a visual glance at the banner, i could see around 100 signatures. The 6 minute skit was done about six to seven times in the day. It was a great team work and special kudos to Jayanthi for directing the show and putting it together. We will present the banner to Consulate General after next week's enactments."

Posted by zinda at 01:28 AM | Comments (0)

March 19, 2006

Candlelight vigil for Bhopal gas victims attracts crowds in Delhi

FROM NDTV DELHI

Saturday, March 18, 2006

A group of NGOs got together at the capital's Dilli Haat to express solidarity for the victims of the Bhopal gas tragedy.

A signature campaign was launched to draw the prime minister's attention towards their plight and to press for a greater initiative on part of the government to convict those responsible for the tragedy.

Delhiites turned up in large numbers to light candles in support of this cause.

In the coming days, the NGOs plan to organise a rally in the capital with participation from those affected by the gas leak.

They hope the rally will drum up greater support toward getting the victims of the tragedy a fair deal.

Posted by bhola at 02:47 PM | Comments (0)

March 18, 2006

Bloody love

On Thursday at noon, in a demonstration of solidarity with the Bhopal survivors’ march to Delhi, eight rowdy members of the Ann Arbor Coalition for Justice in Bhopal stormed the University of Michigan campus. Mounted on a shiny red bicycle-built-for-two, the Dow Grim Reaper and the Personified Indian Government road in circles around the main square in front of the graduate library, pursued by the jeers of a few sign-brandishing hecklers. Armed with an Indian hand drum, I led the group in a caustic variation of the well-known schoolyard refrain:

Dow and the Government, sittin’ in a tree,
K-I-L-L-I-N-G!
First comes BLOOD, then comes DENIAL,
then comes Dow absconding from trial!

Meanwhile, two participants handed out flyers with information about the March to Delhi and instructions for faxing the Prime Minister’s office.

After fifteen minutes, student traffic had settled down and our supply of flyers was depleted. Launching the second stage of our demonstration, we embarked on the “Minimarch for Justice”. Dismounting from their mechanical steed, the Reaper and the Gov joined hands to prance at the head of the procession, followed by the hecklers, the drummer, and a valiant marcher who trudged under the burden of an industrial-size steel barrel. At the end of our short trek, we deposited this rusty titan in a small library at the East Quad dormitory, where it will be on display for the next couple weeks. The barrel is painted in fiery hues with images and facts related to the Bhopal disaster. A collage of liquid sitar tones and human voices, juxtaposing quotes from survivors, activists, and Dow-Carbide spokesmen, issues from within the metallic cavern.

Posted by zinda at 03:20 AM | Comments (0)

March 17, 2006

Rally to highlight plight of Bhopal gas victims

FROM THE HINDU

SOLID IN SUPPORT: A rally being taken out in support of the survivors of the Bhopal Gas Disaster, in Chennai on Thursday. — Photo: R. Ragu

CHENNAI: The International Campaign for Justice in Bhopal (ICJB) on Thursday took out a rally here in a bid to draw attention to the plight of the Bhopal gas victims.

Long march

Starting from the Munroe statue, the protesters, including women, walked till the State Guest House, holding placards blaming the "greed of multinational corporations" and "conniving Western Governments." They also highlighted the walk that the 130 survivors had undertaken from Bhopal to New Delhi. They began the walk on February 20.

Exerting pressure

"As the march heads towards New Delhi, various groups and supporters from all over the world are holding solidarity activities to highlight the plight of survivors and also bring pressure on the Indian Government to act," said the ICJB.

Scroll down for Chennai groups rally report and colour pictures.

Posted by bhola at 08:55 AM | Comments (0)

March 16, 2006

Tamilnadu groups rally for Bhopal survivors

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CHENNAI, 16 March, 2006
Human rights, environmental and youth groups from Tamilnadu took out a rally in support of survivors of the December 1984 Union Carbide disaster in Bhopal who are on an 800-km padayatra on foot to New Delhi demanding justice and a life of dignity. Representatives from pollution-impacted communities in Mettur, Cuddalore and Gummidipoondi also participated in the Chennai rally from Monroe Statue to Chepauk Guest House. A delegation of supporters from Tamilnadu will join them on the last stretch of their padayatra.

"Bhopal is of relevance to all us us. More than anything else, Bhopal exposes that the Government does not protect the poor. If the victims of the world’s worst industrial disaster have to walk 800 km to Delhi 22 years after the disaster to get their most basic demands met, what chance do we have to see our demands met for clean water, clean environment, medical assistance and compensation?"

On 10 March, members of Chennai-based youth collective “We Feel Responsible” met the Tamilnadu Governor and handed over a petition addressed to the Prime Minister with signatures collected in support of the demands of the Bhopalis. The most urgent demand in the 6- point charter of demands of the Bhopalis is the supply of piped water from Kolar reservoir in the 16 communities affected by toxic contamination of ground water. Despite a May 2004 order of the Supreme Court, the Madhya Pradesh Government has failed to provide water, and nearly 20,000 people continue to drink water containing cancer-causing chemicals.

The Bhopalis are currently in Agra and are expected to reach New Delhi by 25 March, 2006. They have sought a meeting with the Prime Minister. Depending on the response of the Central Government, the Bhopalis will decide to go on an indefinite fast at the end of their 800 kilometer long march. The four organizations : Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Stationery Karmachari Sangh, Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Purush Sangharsh Morcha, Bhopal Group for Information and Action and Bhopal ki Aawaaz will present their charter of demands to the Prime Minister.

Tamilnadu supporters of the Bhopal padayatra have echoed Bhopalis’ demand that the Government should set up a National Commission on Bhopal, with participation of survivor organisations, to provide facilities for health care, economic rehabilitation, medical research and social support. Other demands relate to the setting up of a special cell within the CBI to expedite prosecution of Union Carbide Corporation and its former chairman Warren Anderson, assessment and clean up of toxic wastes, and a ban on the Government’s purchase of Dow Chemical’s products, including the toxic pesticide Dursban. The survivors have also demanded that December 3 be declared a National Day of Mourning for victims of industrial disasters and include the disaster in educational curricula.

Supporting Organisations:

Human Rights - Tamilnadu Initiative
Penn Thozhilalar Sangam (Women Workers Association)
Corporate Accountability Desk
Tamilnadu Dalit Women’s Movement
Alliance for People’s Movement
Tamilnadu Women’s Forum
We Feel Responsible – A Youth Initiative
Pond’s HLL Ex-employees Association
Consumer Action Group
Tamilnadu Meenavar Munnetra Sangam
South Indian Fishermen Welfare Association
Fisher Movements Coordination of Tamilnadu & Pondicherry
Manali Youth Welfare Association
Annai Sarada Devi Trust
West Konur Farmers Welfare Association
Tamilnadu Women’s Collective
Veeranganai Women’s Organisation
Tamilnadu Green Movement
Tamilnadu Environment Council
AID-India (Chennai)

For more information, contact:
Nityanand Jayaraman. 9444082401. Email: nity68@vsnl.com
C/o International Campaign for Justice in Bhopal
H19/4 Gangai Street, Kalakshetra Colony, Chennai 600 090

Visit: www.bhopal.net and http://www.studentsforbhopal.org/MarchToDelhi.htm

Posted by bhola at 11:55 AM | Comments (0)

March 10, 2006

Tamilnadu supports the Bhopali padyatris

On 5 March 2006, ex-workers from Hindustan Lever's now-closed mercury thermometer factory held a demonstration in solidarity with the Bhopalis on the 5th anniversary of their struggle against the multinational. They are demanding long-term health care and research, and livelihood rehabilitation. All workers were exposed to dangerous levels of mercury in the workplace.

On 9 March, children (12 years and under) began their daily staging of a street play on pollution at the Besant Nagar beach.

Young artists and supporters of Bhopal (our street play team - children from Orur Kuppam in Besant Nagar)

The five minute play talks about the sorry condition of the beach and the sea, and links it to the Bhopal padayatra and the incident through a commentary. At the end of the play, we request people to sign a banner.

Our complete team inckuding adults (special - our banner with the march logo where people are signing, this banner will be sent to the Indian PM)

10 March: Today, 8 youth from We Feel Responsible will meet the Governor of Tamilnadu and deliver a piece of their minds and a banner with signatures addressed to the PM.

A kid signing the banner in support the march

On 16 March, supporters of the Bhopal struggle will take out a rally in Chennai with actors in costumes enacting dance-dramas.

Chennai youth meet the Governor of Tamil Nadu demanding justice for Bhopal

Seven members of the Chennai based youth collective We Feel Responsible met the Governor of Tamil Nadu, Mr. Surjit Singh Barnala today. In a brief conversation which lasted about 15 minutes he was briefed about the Bhopal walk, the present situation in Bhopal and the purpose of our meeting with him.

We told him about the significance of the march and our stand on the issue as youth. He seemed pretty unperturbed and when we were briefing him about the demands he started with a story about him at the time of the disaster. He was at a jail "under arrest" (he did not tell us for what but I did some online search and am assuming that it was due to the Sikh Riots that ensued the assassination of Indira Gandhi in October1984) about 60kms from ground zero and he said he smelt something strange in the air and told the jailor about it but none of them realized until later that it was the gas from Union Carbide.

On the issue of compensation and health he said that UCC had already paid a heavy sum as compensation immediately and also built the best hospital in Madhya Pradesh. He appreciated our effort that went into the signature campaign for the petition to the Prime Minister and suggested that we present the banner with signatures to the PM directly as he was sure that it would not reach him if sent through him. He refused to sign on the petition.

We presented him some literature on Bhopal and a copy of ‘Closer to Reality’ a Bhopal film by the Delhi based youth group, We for Bhopal. He wished us all the best in our endeavor and promised to forward the petition to the Prime Minister.

A seven-member delegation including Anthony, Harini, Saravanan, Someetharan, Senthil, Seena and Dharmesh presented the petition.

Posted by bhola at 04:10 AM | Comments (0)

March 04, 2006

"Bush, come back with Warren Anderson" - a report

At the twilight on March 1st, about a motley group of hundred-fifty youths gathered to awaken the conscience of the society. The order of the day was to expose the flawed notion of progress that rewards the already rich and further marginalizes the poor. What is common between Dubya’s visit to India and the delayed justice to the Bhopalis? The answer is in the title of this report and in the countless posters, banners and signs around the open air theatre of the National School of Drama campus in Delhi. The youths represented organizations such as We for Bhopal, NDS student union, Peopletree, Association for India’s Development and the Jan Natya Manch.

The program began with a satirical street play illustrating the imperialistic designs of the Bush administration. The street play was an unprecedented collaboration between three different colleges in the Delhi University helped by the Jan Natya Manch. It was followed by a chilling performance called ‘Children of the Fog’, a poignant account of an unborn child during the Bhopal gas tragedy, using three different mediums. The narration was accompanied by a bharatnatyam performance by Rashika Ojha, with the visual footage of the disaster, news blurbs and photographs in the background. It was written and narrated by Pawas Bisht (Final Year, Mass Communication, Jamia Milia Islamia). Another brilliant street play – ‘Nahi Kabool (not acceptable)’ – by Jan Natya Manch followed on the effect of new trade and privatization policy by Bush and his cohorts. It communicated how in spite of the ‘booming economy’, the actual food grain consumption has gone down.

The three main performances were interlaced by enthusiastic songs by the NSD students and poetry readouts by Sudhanva Deshpande of the Jan Natya Manch. He also read out excerpts from "Bhopal Gas tragedy, a book for young people" by Suroopa Mukherjee to introduce the gathering to the Bhopal issue. Towards the end, Madhumita Dutta urged everyone to support the ongoing march through actions, and also by physically joining the march in Delhi.

The members from We for Bhopal, collected close to 100 signatures on the petition in support of the march addressed to the Prime Minister. Two main news channels, NDTV and TV 18 (CNN-IBN), filmed the entire proceedings while broadcasting some live action. In the end, the TV channels organized a forum with a few students to talk about the various issues presented in various modes during the evening.

The event was the first in a series of efforts to mobilize the public and media for the Bhopal march in the national capital region. It was meant to elucidate the connected challenges that we face in the light of several struggles for justice around us. Once the cameras went silent, the crowd dispersed resolving to reshape the future of this world in the paints of colors of justice and equality.

Posted by bhola at 07:06 AM | Comments (0)

March 03, 2006

“Bush come back with Warren Anderson” – A report

At the twilight on March 1st, about a motley group of hundred-fifty youths gathered to awaken the conscience of the society. The order of the day was to expose the flawed notion of progress that rewards the already rich and further marginalizes the poor. What is common between Dubya’s visit to India and the delayed justice to the Bhopalis? The answer is in the title of this report and in the countless posters, banners and signs around the open air theatre of the National School of Drama campus in Delhi. The youths represented organizations such as We for Bhopal, NDS student union, Peopletree, Association for India’s Development and the Jan Natya Manch.

The program began with a satirical street play illustrating the imperialistic designs of the Bush administration. The street play was an unprecedented collaboration between three different colleges in the Delhi University helped by the Jan Natya Manch. It was followed by a chilling performance called ‘Children of the Fog’, a poignant account of an unborn child during the Bhopal gas tragedy, using three different mediums. The narration was accompanied by a bharatnatyam performance by Rashika Ojha, with the visual footage of the disaster, news blurbs and photographs in the background. It was written and narrated by Pawas Bisht (Final Year, Mass Communication, Jamia Milia Islamia). Another brilliant street play – ‘Nahi Kabool (not acceptable)’ – by Jan Natya Manch followed on the effect of new trade and privatization policy by Bush and his cohorts. It communicated how in spite of the ‘booming economy’, the actual food grain consumption has gone down.

The three main performances were interlaced by enthusiastic songs by the NSD students and poetry readouts by Sudhanva Deshpande of the Jan Natya Manch. He also read out excerpts from "Bhopal Gas tragedy, a book for young people" by Suroopa Mukherjee to introduce the gathering to the Bhopal issue. Towards the end, Madhumita Dutta urged everyone to support the ongoing march through actions, and also by physically joining the march in Delhi.

The members from We for Bhopal, collected close to 100 signatures on the petition in support of the march addressed to the Prime Minister. Two main news channels, NDTV and TV 18 (CNN-IBN), filmed the entire proceedings while broadcasting some live action. In the end, the TV channels organized a forum with a few students to talk about the various issues presented in various modes during the evening.

The event was the first in a series of efforts to mobilize the public and media for the Bhopal march in the national capital region. It was meant to elucidate the connected challenges that we face in the light of several struggles for justice around us. Once the cameras went silent, the crowd dispersed resolving to reshape the future of this world in the paints of colors of justice and equality.

Posted by zinda at 11:52 PM | Comments (0)

March 01, 2006

Student government at University of Texas, Austin votes against Dow

AUSTIN, TX – The Student Government (SG) and The Graduate Student Assembly (GSA) representing the students of The University of Texas at Austin have voted to support the Bhopal resolution sponsored by Association for India’s Development (AID), Austin chapter. The resolution supports the students meeting the President of The University to urge him to write “to Dow Chemical Company to address its responsibility in Bhopal and ask Dow Chemical to spend matching funds for the environmental clean-up in Bhopal”. Dow Chemical has made a cumulative donation of 4.4 million to the University as of 2003. In addition to supporting the resolution unanimously, the GSA also felt that The University should not accept funds from Dow Chemical Company and that The University should develop a review mechanism to evaluate the ethical standing of its donors.

The resolution was supported by twenty student groups and signed by more than 1000 University of Texas students and 50 faculty members. It cites the company's refusal to accept any outstanding responsibilities of its subsidiary, Union Carbide, in Bhopal, India. The SG and GSA will work with AID to raise the matter with the President of The University, and request him to write to Dow asking the company to submit Union Carbide to criminal trial in India and urging the chemical giant to spend at least as much money as it gives to the University on addressing Bhopal liabilities.

A similar resolution introduced in SG on January 31st lost narrowly after a five hour debate. The support for Bhopal gained a lot of momentum and strength thereafter. "Many now realize the enormity of Bhopal tragedy and how the companies responsible are able to go scot-free even after 22 years of human suffering. The University of Texas's students have now made a powerful statement that such irresponsibility will not go unchecked," the authors of the resolution said of the victory.

On December 3rd, 1984, a poisonous gas leak from Union Carbide’s pesticide plant in Bhopal, India killed more than 8000 in the immediate aftermath and more than 12,000 in the years that followed. More than 120,000 people still suffer from such ailments as blindness, lung fibrosis, long term breathlessness, chronic gastrointestinal symptoms and gynecological disorders. It is estimated that 30 people die every month because of exposure related illnesses. Toxic wastes abandoned by the company have poisoned the groundwater that is being consumed by more than 20,000 people. Despite repeated court summons, Union Carbide has refused to appear to face criminal trial in Bhopal. After its February 2001 acquisition of Union Carbide, Dow Chemical has actively shielded the company from criminal and civil liabilities even while seeking to profit from an increased business presence in India.

Bhopal might be the world's worst chemical disaster, but Dow harbors many other "Bhopals" in its closet through its legacy of human rights and environmental violations: dioxin contamination in Michigan; mass sterility because of Nemagon; Agent Orange; carcinogenic exposures in Mission, Texas; to name a few. Denial of liability for Bhopal also brings forth a case of double standards as Dow set aside $2.2 billion for Union Carbide's asbestos liabilities, yet refuses to accept Union Carbide's liabilities in Bhopal, India.

AID is a 501(C)(3), voluntary, nonprofit organization with over 52 chapters in six countries and undertakes developmental projects related to health, education, women's empowerment, childcare and other issues in India. AID strives to enable a self-sustained and improved lifestyle of millions of people in India and has supported over 365 projects in the last 14 years. More details about AID can be found at www.aidaustin.org.

Posted by zinda at 05:45 PM | Comments (0)