You can shine a spotlight on injustice and shame the US government into changing how it deals with corporate criminals by signing our petition to demand the US Government stop shielding Dow Chemical from accountability for its crimes in Bhopal, India .
Greed, carelessness, and a callous disregard for human life – these words sum up the causes of the 1984 Bhopal gas disaster. Dow Chemical, an American corporation, and its subsidiary the Union Carbide Corporation are legally responsible for the 1984 Bhopal disaster. But Dow-Carbide has refused to show up to court and face criminal charges that have been pending in India for 25+ years. Dow-Carbide has gotten away with thisbecause the US government keeps acting as Dow’s special protector, guarding it from all accusations and accountability.
Right now the White House and the US Department of Justice are shielding Dow-Carbide from FOUR court notices sent by the Indian Judicial system, which per international treaty must be served to Dow. It’s time we told the US Department of Justice to do its job properly and abide by international law! Sign the petition now!
“The record settlement of $18.7 billion that the oil company BP has arrived at in the Deepwater Horizon environmental disaster case in the United States has naturally revived the debate on the denial of justice to the victims of a far bigger catastrophe — the Bhopal gas leak. As industrial accidents go, the blowout in BP’s well in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010 was staggering, killing 11 people and spectacularly devastating an already stressed marine ecosystem with millions of barrels of oil. Five State governments and the federal government of the U.S. have been vigorously pursuing penalties and compensation claims with the company, resulting in the settlement. Yet, the impact of the oil spill pales in comparison with the magnitude of what happened at the Union Carbide plant in Bhopal in 1984.
At a press conference today, five organisations fighting for the rights of the survivors of the December ‘84 Bhopal gas disaster expressed anger at the repeated non-appearance of The Dow Chemical Company, USA, current owner of Union Carbide, in response to the notice sent by the Bhopal District court.
The organizations blamed the Indian government’s weak- kneed attempts and the US government’s continued support to the offending corporations for the non-appearance of The Dow Chemical Company (TDCC), USA for the second time yesterday. The organisations have sent letters to the Indian Prime Minister and the American President seeking effective action on this matter.
दिसंबर ’84 के यूनियन कार्बाइड हादसे के पीड़ितों के हकों के लिए लड़ने वाले पाँच संगठनों ने आज एक पत्रकार वार्ता में भोपाल जिला अदालत के नोटिस पर यूनियन कार्बाइड के वर्तमान मालिक अमरीकी डाव केमिकल कम्पनी के लगातार हाजिर न होने पर गुस्सा ज़ाहिर किया।
The survivors of the Bhopal gas disaster never want anyone else to suffer the way they have.
Click on the image below or download (PDF) the ICJB Road Map to Justice, which outlines exactly what steps must be taken to ensure a life of justice and dignity for those poisoned by Dow-Carbide
In order to ensure justice is done and the future well-being of others is secured, the Bhopal survivors’ organizations and ICJB have the following demands for Union Carbide and Dow Chemical, the United States government, the Government of India, and the Government of Madhya Pradesh:
American Multinationals must:
Union Carbide / Dow Chemical must pay a minimum of 8 thousand US dollars to each Bhopal survivor as additional compensation for personal injuries as claimed in the Supreme Court of India.
Union Carbide / Dow Chemical must pay for the clean-up of the soil and groundwater up to international standards.
Union Carbide / Dow Chemical must pay compensation for health and environmental damage caused by contamination of soil and groundwater.
Dow Chemical must respond to summons issued by the Bhopal District Court to appear before November 13, 2019 in the ongoing criminal case.
Government of USA must:
The US government must serve the summons from the Bhopal District Court upon Dow Chemical without delay
Acknowledge and express regret for financing, through its EXIM Bank, the construction of the hazardously designed plant that caused the world’s worst industrial disaster.
Acknowledge and express regret for rejecting requests by the Indian government for extradition of Warren Anderson, prime accused in the criminal case on the disaster.
Government of India must:
The Indian government must make Union Carbide / Dow Chemical pay compensation for health and environmental damage caused by contamination of soil and groundwater.
The Indian government must ensure that the criminal trial of accused Indian corporate executives is concluded within the next six months.
Indian government must ensure comprehensive scientific assessment of the depth, spread and nature of soil and groundwater contamination in an around the abandoned pesticide factory.
The Indian government must ensure that standardized treatment protocols are developed for gas exposure related chronic diseases. The Indian government must establish a population based registry for all deaths, births and congenital malformations in the gas exposed families. The Indian government must ensure that NIREH (National Institute for Research on Environmental Health ) fulfil its commitment to the Bhopal survivors by generating scientific information on the long term health damage by the gas disaster and most effective means of ameliorating them.
The Indian and MP state governments must ensure that a monthly pension of Rs. 3000/- is paid to all women widowed by the disaster and all those left without means to support themselves as a consequence of gas exposure.
Not allow Dow Chemical to make any investments in this country, directly or indirectly, till it accepts Union Carbide’s liabilities in Bhopal.
Government of Madhya Pradesh must:
Ensure that all hospitals run by the Bhopal Gas Tragedy Relief and Rehabilitation Department are adequately staffed, stock quality medicines, use standardized treatment protocols and offer free treatment to people exposed to contaminated ground water.
Ensure that every person known to be disabled or turned destitute including widows as a result of the disaster receives a lifelong monthly pension of at least Rs. 3000/- as social support.
Start providing rehabilitation and medical care to all children of gas and contaminated water exposed parents with congenital disabilities.
Punish corrupt officials involved in misappropriation of Rs. 18 Crores in the work of economic rehabilitation.
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An international coalition working to address the grave injustices suffered by half a million Bhopalis.
