« March 2005 | Main | May 2005 »
April 28, 2005
Vietnam 1975 – 2005: Thirty years later Agent Orange still kills
PARIS 30 APRIL 2005:
SYMBOLIC GATHERING AT 1500 AT THE ESPLANADE OF BEAUBOURG
It's exactly 30 years ago Vietnam recovered peace.
- 30 years after, whole families still suffer from the effects of the american chemical war, which took place between 1961 and 1971.
- More than one million people suffer from serious diseases, different types of cancer and handicaps as a result of the spreading of defoliants and herbicides, and in particular AGENT ORANGE containing very big amounts of DIOXIN.
- 200 000 children are now a third generation of victims affected by malformations and serious dysfunctions of the immune and the nervous system due to the environment contamination by those chemical weapons.
30 years after, the situation has improved in Vietnam, but some families haven't yet found peace again.
At the 30th of April 2005, through our symbolic action:
- We show our solidarity to the victims of Agent Orange in Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos
- We support the Vietnamese association of victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin in its legal action against the american manufacturers of Agent Orange
- We act so that a social and medical help can be brought to all the families victims of Agent Orange
In this day of commemoration of peace, we raise against any use of chemical weapons of mass destruction in the world
Vietnam-Dioxin Collective
30 APRIL ACTION AT THE POMPIDOU CENTRE, PARIS
The Vietnam-Dioxin Collective calls for a gathering to support the families affected by Agent Orange which will be organized at 3 p.m. at the Centre Georges Pompidou centre in Paris.
Drums from Viêtnam, draped in orange, will accompany information to the public: distribution of fliers, signing of a petition to support the victims, exhibition of photos.
Portraits of victims from Agent Orange will be exhibited to the public, signed by Alexis DUCLOS (France), former reporter photographe at Gamma Agency, Philip Jones GRIFFITHS (United States), great reporter from the Viêtnam war, former director of the Magnum Agency, Renaud Khanh (France), independent Photographer.
Personalities from the International committee in support of Vietnamese victims will hold speeches to show their support.
A DAY OF INTERNATIONAL ACTIONS
Several actions of information and support to the victims will be organized the week of the 30th of April 2005:
London
25 April, Projection of the film: "Battle's Poison Cloud" at the Frontline Club (Club of Journalists and media responsible) about Agent Orange organized by the Britain-Vietnam Friendship Society – contact : Len Aldis / : LenAldis@compuserve.com
Brussels
30 april, Solidarity dinner at the favor of the victims of dioxin - Contact : Tam Hau : tamtamhoo@yahoo.fr
Torino
30 april, Public meeting of information and debate, projection of documentaries - organized by the Centre of Vietnamese studies, and the Association of friendship Italy - Vietnam – contact : Sandra Scagliotti / info@italia-vietnam.it
New York
26 and 28 April, Exhibition of posters on Agent Orange realised by students at the university of New York - Contact Diane Fox / dnfox@hamilton.edu
Chapel Hill (North Carolina)
29 april, Projection of the film "Hearts and Minds" at the Université of North Carolina - Contact Trude Bennett. tabennet@email.unc.edu
San Francisco
13 april, Projection of the film "Battle's Poison Cloud" organised by the VietUnity-group at the Galeria de La Raza
Posted by bhola at 01:54 AM | Comments (0)
April 27, 2005
Research Opportunity in Bhopal, "Dancing in the Streets: the Woman Gas Victim as Survivor of the Bhopal Gas Tragedy"
Click here for more details
Organisation: University Grants Commision (UGC) Major Grant at Nehru Memorial Musuem and Library
Organisation Description:
Project Associate to UGC Fellow at Nehru Memorial Musuem and library
Country: India
City/Town: New Delhi
Closing Date: 20th May 2005
Restrictions: No restrictions.
Description:
Title of the project, "Dancing in the Streets: the Woman Gas Victim as Survivor of the Bhopal Gas Tragedy". The job involves extensive field work and working with the impacted community in Bhopal. Taking interviews, and talking to survivors, doctors, bureaucrats, activists, survivor group leaders and politicians. Data collection from archival material and interpreting offical documents. The project is for a period of 3 years ending on 31 December 2007. Consolidated salary of Rs 10, 000 per month
Applicant Requirements:
Candidate should have post graduate degree in any discipline, Science or Arts, having cleared NET/JRF/SLET. Below 35 years of age with proficiency in Hindi and English and ability to translate from one language to another. Experience in community based research with good communicatiion skills will be preferred.
Application instructions:
Please apply to the address given below on plain paper with all academic and work experience details. Any further queries can be made on email, but application only by post.
Other Contact Details:
P/62, Sector XI, NOIDA, UP 201 301 Tel: 09818029882, 0120 5335794
Contact Person: Dr Suroopa Mukherjee
Email: suroopa.mukherjee@touchtelindia.net
Posted by bhola at 11:17 PM | Comments (0)
Dow loses Supreme Court case
Supreme Court Affirms Right to Sue For Pesticide Harm
The Supreme Court today ruled that citizens damaged by pesticides have the right to sue companies of these toxic products, saying that federal pesticide law does not offer adequate protection from "manufacturers of poisonous substances." Dow Chemical Company argued that, because its products are registered by EPA, chemical manufacturers should be shielded from litigation. The Bush Administration joined the case in support of Dow.
Washington, DC, April 27, 2005 - In a landmark decision, the Supreme Court today upheld the rights of citizens to sue for damages caused by pesticides, after Dow Chemical Company and the Bush Administration argued that the chemical industry should be shielded from such litigation. "This decision affirms a moral value that life is more precious than chemical company profits," said Jay Feldman, executive director of Beyond Pesticides, a Washington, DC-based environmental group. The Bush Administration filed a brief in support of Dow Chemical, arguing against the rights of citizens who are poisoned or damaged from pesticide use.
The case, Bates et al v. Dow AgroSciences LLC, involves Texas peanut farmers, who argued that the Dow herbicide Strongarm (diclosulam) ruined their crops, but were prevented from suing after Dow successfully argued in a lower District court that registration of pesticides under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) insulates it from citizen suits, or preempts litigation. The Bush administration weighed in the case on the side of Dow, officially reversing the position of the Clinton administration (see Etcheverry v. Tri-Ag Service, Bayer Corp, et al.). The Justice Department brief filed before the high court in late November, 2004 was designed to protect pesticide manufacturers when their products cause harm. Advocates cite that this position is contradictory to the administration's public support of states' rights.
The court decision reads, "The long history of tort litigation against manufacturers of poisonous substances adds force to the presumption against pre-emption, for Congress surely would have expressed its intention more clearly if it had meant to deprive injured parties of a long available form of compensation." The decision continues, "Moreover, this history emphasizes the importance of providing an incentive to manufacturers to use the utmost care in distributing inherently dangerous items. Private remedies that enforce federal misbranding requirements would seem to aid, rather than hinder, the function of FIFRA [the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act]."
The Court criticized Dow and the Bush Administration's attempts to undermine public protection, stating, "Dow and the United States exaggerate the disruptive effects of using common-law suits to enforce the prohibition on misbranding. FIFRA has prohibited inaccurate representations and inadequate warnings since its enactment in 1947, while tort suits alleging failure-to-warn claims were common well before that date and continued beyond the 1972 amendments. We have been pointed to no evidence that such tort suits led to a 'crazy-quilt' of FIFRA standards or otherwise created any real hardship for manufacturers or for EPA."
According to Beyond Pesticides, the court decision is extremely important because: (i) "Pesticides are registered by the Environmental Protection Agency under a risk assessment review process that implicitly does not consider all aspects of potential harm," (ii) "The potential for court review of cases in which people are harmed creates a strong incentive for the development of safer products," and (iii) "The same companies or their trade associations, including Dow Chemical Company, that have successfully lobbied for weak national laws and standards do not want people who are harmed as a result to seek redress."
Beyond Pesticides joined an amicus brief in the case with Earthjustice, Defenders of Wildlife, Farmworker Justice Fund, Natural Resources Defense Council, Physicians for Social Responsibility, Public Citizen, Sierra Club, and Trial Lawyers for Public Justice.
See decision at: http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/27apr20050800/www.supremecourtus.gov/opinions/04pdf/03-388.pdf
Posted by bhola at 11:14 PM | Comments (0)
Sambhavna Inaugurates New Clinic Building
S a m b h a v n a T r u s t
44, Sant Kanwar Ram Nagar, Berasia Road, Bhopal 462 018 Tel: 91-755-2730914 / 2743157
________________________________________________________________
April 25, 2005
The new building of the Sambhavna Trust Clinic for survivors of the Bhopal Gas disaster will be inaugurated by internationally renowned social and political activist Swami Agnivesh on April 27, 2005 at 11 AM. The building situated at Bafna colony, is in the middle of communities severely affected by the December 1984 disaster.
Awarded the International Right Livelihood Award (known as the alternate Noble Prize), in 2004 Swami Agnivesh is a spiritual leader who has long fought for the rights of the poor and oppressed. He continues to provide critical support to the Bhopal survivors’ struggle for justice and a life of dignity.
Designed and built by the House of Consultants, Bangalore the building makes full use of natural light and wind, has facilities for harvesting rain water and recycling waste water and uses solar energy for heating, electricity and disinfection of medical waste. Next to the building is a one acre garden of medicinal plants that supply fresh herbs to the clinic.
Funded by the Fondation Pro Victimis, Geneva, Dominique Lapierre City of Joy foundation, Paris and the Greenpeace, Netherlands the Sambhavna Trust Clinic’s new building is one of the finest combinations of ecological, aesthetic and economical considerations. With a built up area of over 20, 000Sq.ft the stone and brick building’s estimated cost is Rs. 1 Crore 30 lakhs including cost of landscaping.
Sambhavna will be offering free medical care to three times more persons at the new building compared to the old and will have several new facilities such as Ultra sonography and microbiological investigations, medicine production, computerized registration and monitoring.
Among the Clinic’s present staff of 38, there are 5 doctors, two therapists and one Yoga instructor. The Trust is administered by a board of seven trustees including city physician Dr H H Trivedi and has internationally renowned scientist, Padma Bhusan Dr P M Bhargava as its Chairperson.
Since its inception in 1996, the Clinic has offered free medical care through Modern medicine, Ayurveda and Yoga to over 14, 000 survivors of the disaster and those affected by ground water contamination. The Clinic’s community health workers have achieved remarkable results in controlling Tuberculosis and other diseases in the communities and the documentation unit’s surveys have helped survivors win their legal rights in the Supreme Court of India. The Clinic’s work has been published in international medical journals and has earned the Trust two international awards. The funds to run the Clinic mainly come as small donations from a large number of individuals in India, UK and USA. Internationally best selling author Mr Dominique Lapierre contributes to the running of the Gynaecology and other community units.
The inaugural function on 27th April is expected to be attended by thousands of survivors and will include presentations of work and future plans by each staff member of Sambhavna. A “Qawalee” by Saleem Jhankar and his team of 10 co-singers from Gwalior has been organized at 7 PM at the same venue. The Sambhavna Trust has extended an invitation to all citizens to these events.
Satinath Sarangi
Managing Trustee
Please visit www.bhopal.org for more information
Posted by Shevardnadze at 08:10 PM | Comments (0)
April 24, 2005
For 10th Year, Amnesty International Students “Get On The Bus” to New York City to Expose Human Rights Abuses Worldwide
From Maine to Pennsylvania, Students Convene in New York to Condemn Human Rights Abuses in India, Jamaica, China, and Mexico
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
CONTACT: Birgit Werner, e-mail: gotb2005@yahoo.com, phone: 617-230-2712
ATTENTION TELEVISION PRODUCERS: B-Roll of Bhopal is available upon request.
Friday, April 15th, 2005
(Friday, April 15, 2005) -- For the tenth year in a row, more than one thousand high school and college students from ten states are traveling to New York to protest human rights abuses across the world as part of “Get On the Bus,” Amnesty International USA’s largest entirely volunteer-run event.
“Get on the Bus” is organized by Amnesty Group 133 from Somerville, Massachusetts and started ten years ago after the execution of Ken Saro-Wiwa and eight other peaceful environmental activists in Nigeria. Upset about this horrific human rights violation, several members of the group traveled to New York and protested in front of the Nigerian consulate, shouting "Ken Saro-Wiwa...We will not forget!" Each year since 1996, the group has been coming back in memory of Saro-Wiwa’s heroic activism to protest human rights abuses around the world. However, what started out as a small trip of 30 people has grown to include approximately 1500 activists, mostly high school and college students.
A major goal of “Get On the Bus” is the introduction of young people to human rights activism. Rick Roth, activist and father to eight children said: “The great thing about Get on the Bus is not only the actions we take that day for human rights themselves, but that 1,000 students return to their communities and spread the word that ordinary citizens can play a part in changing the world, and also they have some specific plans on how to do it.”
This year, demonstrations are taking place at the Indian, the Jamaican, the Chinese, and the Mexican consulates. At the Indian consulate, students demand that the victims of the 1984 Union Carbide (UCC) disaster in Bhopal, India (the world’s greatest human rights disaster arising from corporate negligence) receive just treatment and compensation and that the Indian government hold UCC/Dow Chemical accountable. "We need the Indian government to bring Dow Chemical and Union Carbide to justice,” said panel speaker Gary Cohen, a board member of the Sambhavana Trust, a free clinic for the survivors of the disaster. “Dow/Carbide has not cleaned up the abandoned pesticide factory even after 20 years, and the company has been declared a fugitive in the pending criminal case in Bhopal. The world can not tolerate companies getting away with murder.”
At the Jamaican consulate, activists are demonstrating for the repeal of sodomy laws and against a political climate that tolerates homophobic violence. Amnesty International has documented a serious pattern of homophobic violence in Jamaica ranging from vigilante attacks to torture and ill-treatment by police. Gay men and women have been beaten, cut, burned, raped and shot on account of their sexuality, and there appears to be little or no accountability. “The situation in Jamaica brings into sharp relief the brutal abuse suffered by lesbians, gay men, bisexuals and transgender people around the world,” said Michael Heflin, Director of AIUSA's OUTfront program for LGBT rights. “All too often, authorities turn a blind eye to such abuse or, even worse, are active participants – and Jamaica is no exception. In ignoring or advocating violence, they are ignoring their commitment to uphold national and international laws and standards that dictate the equal protection of all human beings.”
At the Chinese consulate, protesters are calling for the release of political prisoners such as Buddhist monk Tenzin Deleg Rinpoche. Many Tibetan political prisoners are tortured and ill-treated during their detainment and go without a fair trial or adequate legal support. Geshe Lobsang Tenpa, a former student of Tenzin Deleg Rinpoche, who himself had been detained and tortured in a Chinese prison, is speaking from first-hand experience about human rights abuses in Tibet.
In addition to the three major demonstrations, a smaller side protest is taking place during the lunch break, where activists will gather in front of the Mexican Consulate to call on the government to dedicate energy and resources to end twelve years of abductions and killings of women in the border cities of Ciudad Juárez and Chihuahua. Demonstrators carry pink crosses to remember the over 400 women who have been brutally murdered or disappeared since 1993. The group is also delivering petitions addressed to President Fox, calling on his government to conduct thorough, impartial, and independent investigations into the murders and bring to justice those responsible for the crimes.
Besides being the tenth anniversary, this year’s “Get On the Bus” is also special because, in coordination with the demonstrations in New York, several events will take place in other cities of the US and in India. Today, Students for Bhopal supporters are organizing delegations to visit the Indian consulate in Houston and Washington, DC and call in/fax actions in San Francisco and New Delhi, India. In Chicago and Chennai, India, supporters will hold parallel events in the following days. Members of OUTfront, Amnesty International USA’s campaign for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Human Rights, held vigils in Washington, DC outside the Jamaican Embassy and in Hattiesburg, Mississippi on April 14th.
Posted by bhola at 06:18 PM | Comments (0)