2006, Cambridge City Council Campaign

GOOD NEWS! All three resolutions have been passed by the city council on September 25th, 2006. Thanks to the groups that endorsed the resolution (below).

As residents of Cambridge, we are deeply concerned about the ongoing human rights abuses in Bhopal, India due to the conduct of Union Carbide Corporation and its current owner, Dow Chemical Corporation.

On December 3, 1984, the world's worst chemical disaster took place in Bhopal, India, when a Union Carbide Corporation chemical plant unleashed a cloud of deadly chemicals that killed more than 3,000 people in a single night, and has been responsible for over 20,000 deaths since. In Bhopal, 22,000 people are drinking water contaminated with mercury, benzene, and chromium because of Dow Chemical's refusal to clean up the factory site. Over 100,000 people are permanently disabled and many more are unable to earn a living because of injuries suffered from the 1984 disaster. Despite this, Dow refuses to face the criminal charges brought against it in India for the disaster or to aid in clean up, medical care, and economic rehabilitation of the survivors.

Amnesty International has highlighted the Bhopal case as one of the most horrifying instances of human rights abuse that has gone unresolved.

We respectfully request that the Cambridge City Council resolve to:

Recommend the Board of the Cambridge Retirement System use their Dow stocks to co-file all future Bhopal shareholder resolutions in support of the disaster survivors and divest of any Dow bonds
Recommend that the City Manager report on safe substitutes for Dow products being purchased by the city (list of Dow products and alternatives is available)
Declare the Anniversary of the Bhopal Disaster – December 3rd – to be a Day of Remembrance for Victims of Industrial Disasters and Pollution
Send copies of any such City Resolution to Dow Chemical's CEO and Board

Sign the petition here

Current endorsers of the resolution: