Bhopal LowDOWn – January 2011

In this issue:

1. Activists Commemorate 26th Anniversary
2. Introducing the 2011 Advisory Board
3. Bhopali Documentary to be Featured at Slamdance
4. Victory–MIC Production Will End in Institute, WV
5. Bhopal Requiem & Revitalization Workshop
6. Solidarity Action for Imprisoned Humanitarian Dr. Binayak Sen
7. Bhopal-Related Books on Sale, $3 Each!

1. Activists Commemorate 26th Anniversary

December 3rd marked 26 years since the Bhopal Gas Disaster; 26 years without adequate health care, without environmental clean-up, without legal justice, and without adequate economic compensation for the survivors. Bhopal supporters worldwide joined together in commemorating the world’s worst industrial disaster. From India, to the U.S., to Istanbul, activists participated in protests, educational events, and candlelight vigils. Check out the activism map of events worldwide, see more photographs, and read more here.

2. Introducing the 2011 Advisory Board

We are please to introduce the 2011 Advisory Board for ICJB North America. Returning members include Shana Ortman (Staff, San Francisco), Claire Rosenfeld (Staff, San Francisco), Leonid Chindelevitch (Boston), Tony Millard (Chicago), and Ellen Shifrin (Toronto). A warm welcome to our new board members, Vinay Panday (Austin), Srikant Sarangi (Boston), and Premnandhini Satgunam (Boston). Read their full biographies here.

Shana Claire Leonid Tony Ellen Vinay Srikant Prem

3. Bhopali Documentary to be Featured at Slamdance Film Festival

Slamdance Film Festival selected Bhopali, the most recent documentary on the disaster, directed by Max Carlson. The festival “for filmmakers by filmmakers” takes place in Salt Lake City, Utah, January 21-27. View the trailer and find out more about the festival here.

4. Victory – MIC Production Will End in Institute, WV

On Janurary 11, Bayer announced it will phase out production of the chemical methyl isocynate. MIC was used for pesticide manufacturing at Bhopal’s Union Carbide plant; when it escaped from the storage tank in a runaway reaction, the toxic fumes killed thousands instantly. The last chemical manufacture in the U.S. to produce the deadly chemical, Bayer’s Institute factory almost experienced a similar catastrophe in 2008, when an explosion nearly breached an MIC storage tank. Read more here.

5. Bhopal Requiem and Revitalization Workshop

From Janurary 23-February 4, The School of Planning and Arcitechure, the Modern Asian Arcitechure Network, and The International Committee for the Conservation of Industrial Hertitage will host a workshop and syposium in Bhopal. Students and professors from all over the world will convene in Bhopal to discuss the tradgey and its fallout, as well as broader themes such as the role of heritage sites and memorials in society. Read more on the workshop here. If you are interested in attending, please email Jan af Geijerstam.

6. Solidarity Action for Imprisoned Humanitarian, Dr. Binayak Sen

On December 24, Dr. Sen, an Indian human rights activist committed to providing healthcare to the poor, was sentenced to life in prison for his alleged ties to Maoists. To learn more, read Human Rights Watch’s statement on the sentencing. If you agree that Dr. Sen has been wrongly sentenced, please sign the petition. To get involved with the campaign please visit the campaign’s website.

7. Bhopal-Related Books on Sale, $3 Each!

Several excellent books on the Bhopal Gas Disaster and its aftermath are now on sale for a mere $3 per piece. Titles include The Bhopal Reader, and outstanding anthology of Bhopal-related writing, and Trespass Against Us, which details Dow Chemical’s toxic legacy worldwide. View the full selection here. To purchase a book at discounted price, please contact Marco Conner at marcoconner@gmail.com. The deadline to order is January 21.