PRESS STATEMENT
January 26, 2012
Five organizations of the survivors of the Union Carbide disaster in Bhopal today felicitated Ms. Meredith Alexander, who resigned as Chairperson of the ethics committee of the London Olympics Committee over sponsorship of the London Olympics by Dow Chemical, current owner of Union Carbide.
Placing a bouquet of pink roses before a picture of Ms Alexander, Rashida Bee, President of the Bhopal Gas Peedit Stationery Karmchari Sangh said. “By speaking the truth so boldly Meredith has nailed Dow Chemical’s lies that the London Olympic Committee and its Chairman, Lord Coe believed and propagated till recently. We hope this will make LOCOG dump Dow Chemical as a sponsor of the London Games.”
Rachna Dhingra of the Bhopal Group for Information and Action expressed hope that Ms. Alexander’s resignation will prompt the Indian government to express its opposition to Dow Chemical’s sponsorship more effectively. “To be taken seriously by the London Olympic Committee, the Indian Government has to do more than send a protest note. It is time for LOCOG to be told that India will not take part in the London Olympics if it continues to be sponsored by a corporation responsible for continuing death and suffering in Bhopal.”
The felicitation of Ms. Alexander was part of the day long fast by Bhopal survivors seeking withdrawal of criminal cases on 2000 survivors and release of the 14 persons who are in jail for over six weeks in connection with the protest action on the 27th Anniversary of the disaster.
“We are demanding that the Chief Minister keep his promise of setting up an independent inquiry on the incidence of violence and withdraw the false cases on the protestors till that happens.” said Balkrishna Namdeo, president of the Bhopal Gas Peedit Nirashrit Pension Bhogi Sangharsh Morcha.
Nawab Khan, President of the Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Purush Sangharsh Morcha said “The state government has not filed a single criminal case against Dow Chemical or Union Carbide for their ongoing crime of poisoning the ground water and over 40 thousand people and has charged 2000 victims of the corporations with offences punishable by life imprisonment for peacefully demanding adequate compensation”.
Holding the district administration and the police responsible for the violence on December 3, 2011, Safreen Khan of Children against Dow Carbide said “Despite reminders from the State Human Rights Commission the district and police officials have failed to answer any one of the 13 questions on the violence during our peaceful protest. The officials hope to cover up their own misdeeds by putting people in jail and charging us under as many as 17 criminal sections.”
Rashida Bi,
Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Stationery Karmchari Sangh
94256 88215
Nawab Khan,
Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Purush Sangharsh Morcha
9302792493
Balkrishna Namdeo,
Bhopal Gas Peedit Nirashrit Pension Bhogi Sangharsh Morcha
Satinath Sarangi, Rachna Dhingra,
Bhopal Group for Information and Action
9826167369
Safreen Khan,
Children Against Dow Carbide
Please visit www.bhopal.net for more information on the Campaign for Justice in Bhopal.
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