Bhopal survivors and their supporters are calling for a boycott of Indian Oil.
The government owned Indian Oil Corporation wants to buy Union Carbide technology from Dow Chemical, Carbide’s 100% owner.
But Union Carbide Corporation is a criminal fugitive from justice in India, its assets were confiscated for refusing to appear to answer charges of criminal homicide before a court in Bhopal. Thirteen years later, the corporation continues to refuse to appear. Dow Chemical, which does a lot of business in India, claims it has no power to compel Carbide to appear. Bhopal survivors and supporters believe that Dow should be named as defendant in the criminal case in place of its absconding subsidiary and that if it too does not appear, its asssets should also be confiscated and it should be banned from India.
To find out how you can help or join the boycott, email icjb bhopal.net
Say No to Union Carbide-Indian Oil Tie-up
BOYCOTT INDIAN OIL:
Don’t Put Bhopal in Your Petrol Tanks
Union Carbide is a fugitive from justice in India, where it is wanted in connection with the deaths of thousands of Bhopalis in the 1984 gas leak from its pesticide factory in Bhopal. In 1992, the Chief Judicial Magistrate of Bhopal declared Union Carbide an absconder after it repeatedly failed to honour summons of the Indian court. According to Dow spokesperson John Musser “[Union Carbide’s] position on the matter is that the Indian Government has no jurisdiction over Union Carbide. . .therefore, they are not appearing in court.” The disaster has killed more than 20,000 people till date, and injured 500,000 others. Union Carbide’s intentional compromises on safety within the plant Dow Chemical, Carbide’s new owner, has said that it has no intentions of making Union Carbide honour the summons of the Indian court.
Rather than delivering justice to the survivors of the Bhopal disaster, the Government of India is more concerned about foreign investment. It is reluctant to take action against Carbide or Dow for fear of reprisal from the powerful corporations and the corporate-controlled US Government. Even worse, the Government is sitting by idly while Dow-Carbide once again seeks to expand its toxic trade in India.
In early 2004, Dow Chemical expressed its interest in expanding its business in India by offering technology to the Government-owned Indian Oil Corporation for its 300000 mtpa MEG plant in Panipat, Haryana. The technology that is proposed to be supplied by Dow Chemical is a patented Union Carbide technology. This clearly shows the double standards of Dow Chemicals which on one hand is abetting a crime by not producing Union Carbide in the Indian Courts but does not mind selling Union Carbide technology to India for making more profits.
The people in Bhopal are, meanwhile, awaiting justice. In May 2004, Bhopal survivors announced that they will fight Dow Chemical’s plans to expand in India, Asia and other places where Bhopal supporters reside.
We can make Dow Chemicals and Indian Oil Corporation listen:
1. Write to the following:
Mr. Mani Shankar Aiyar
Minister of Petroleum,
Room No 201, Shastri Bhavan,
New Delhi 110 001
Tel: 011 23381462 or 2336622.
Fax: 011 23386118
General Manager,
Indian Oil Corporation Bhavan,
139, Nungabakam High Road,
Chennai – 600 034
Phone – 044-28339009
Fax – 044-28279458
Demand that:
1. Indian Oil must not do business with Dow Chemical
2. Dow Chemical and Union Carbide should be blacklisted, and prevented from doing any business in India;
3. Dow Chemical’s assets in India should be attached to force it to produce Union Carbide to face criminal trial in the Bhopal case.
4. Dow Chemical must be made to clean up the toxic contamination in Bhopal, and pay for medical and economic rehabilitation of the survivors and their children.
2. Boycott petrol from the Indian Oil Corporation depots.
3. Write to your local IOC petrol dealer to inform him about your decision to boycott the petrol from IOC depot and urge him to communicate the decision to the concerned officials in IOC.
4. Collect as many signatures in support of the boycott and fax it to the following address:
General Manager,
Indian Oil Corporation Bhavan,
139, Nungabakam High Road,
Chennai – 600 034
Phone – 044-28339009
Fax – 044-28279458
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