Category Archives: The LowDOWn Newsletter

The Bhopal LowDOWn is our monthly newsletter. It includes media coverage, past events, ongoing events, and upcoming events.

The LowDOWn is your way to stay connected to the campaign! If you have something to submit, please contact us by the end of the month.

September 2014 – LowDOWn Newsletter

Brought to you by:
The International Campaign for Justice in Bhopal, North America


  1. Hot Off The Press

US Judge rules in favor of The Union Carbide Corporation

Dow Clean Up Bhopal NowAs has been done on several previous occasions, Judge Keenan of the Southern District of New York recently ruled in favour of The Union Carbide Corporation (UCC) (a wholly owned subsidiary of Dow Chemical) on the issue of ongoing soil and groundwater contamination. This is despite evidence,  presented by the survivors’ US-based legal defense (EarthRights International, Sharma & Deyoung LLP, and the Law Offices of Curtis V. Trinko), proving that the Union Carbide Corporation played a central role in designing and maintaining their Bhopal plant.

This decision will be appealed in the Second Circuit Court of Appeals, which has previously reversed several of Keenan’s prior dismissals of cases against The Union Carbide Corporation.

Continue reading September 2014 – LowDOWn Newsletter

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The LowDOWn – May 2014

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The LowDOWn – March 2014

 

This Newsletter is brought to you by
The International Campaign for Justice in Bhopal, 
North America

Newsletter Contents:

1.  A message of solidarity from hacktivist, Jeremy Hammond

2.  ICJB NA – Our Actions

3. Meet the 2014 Advisory Board

4. Take Action!

5. Join ICJB NA – Dow Chemical Coordinator & Volunteers needed

1.  A message of solidarity from hacktivist, Jeremy Hammond!

On February 27th, 2012 WikiLeaks began to publish hundreds of e-mails that exposed DOW’s involvement with the global intelligence agency Stratfor. It became clear that DOW was spying on the Bhopal Campaign, but this came with a price, including the freedom of one brave man named Jeremy Hammond. 

Jeremy was at the forefront of using the information from Stratfor to expose DOW, and has since been sentenced to 10 years in prison. Hammond recently released a statement of solidarity to ICJB.

“Two years ago I hacked the intelligence company Stratfor and handed over all of their private email correspondence to WikiLeaks for publishing. Amongst the revelations was proof that Dow hired Stratfor to monitor the activities of Bhopal survivor activist groups.” Read full article here

              

2. ICJB NA – Our Actions

February 10th Day of Action

On February 10th, ICJB activists in India were required to appear in a Mumbai court to face chargesfrom the Dow Chemical Company! Imagine, the company that gave us Napalm and Agent Orange is suing activists who have non-violently struggled for a clean environment, clean water, healthcare, social and economic rehabilitation, proper compensation and other basic rights. We asked all those who are outraged by this to question Dow on why it is suing these activists, why it has not taken responsibility for the Bhopal gas disaster, and why Dow won’t accept the summons issued by the Indian courts.

Please continue to take action!

ICJB Launches Year-long United Nations Campaign

United Nations Social Justice Day occurred on February 20th, where Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon delivered his message of justice and the post-2015 agenda for equality around the world (see full message here)

On the occasion of the United Nations Social Justice Day, ICJB launched our year-long United Nations campaign. The Bhopal gas disaster has reached its 30th year, and has gotten significantly worse for the affected communities. We ask:

(1) Why the United Nations has been silent on the ongoing plight of the victims of the Bhopal gas disaster, and;

(2) Why it has chosen to partner with the Dow Chemical Company, which in purchasing the Union Carbide Corporation (UCC), has inherited the legal liabilities of the Bhopal gas disaster.

Finally, we ask that UN agencies be involved in easing the plight of survivors, and specifically for technical assistance from UNEP for the scientific assessment of the contamination of soil and groundwater in and around Union Carbide’s abandoned factory in Bhopal, India.

International Women’s Day – March 8th, 2014

We continued our year-long UN campaign on International Women’s Day. Our letter calls for an expansion of the definition of violence against women to include the impact of toxic environments on women’s reproductive health, urges UN Women and The World Health Organization (WHO) to commission studies on the effects of toxic exposure on Bhopali women’s reproductive health, and calls on the Government of India and The Dow Chemical Company to commit to Bhopal’s SHE imperative. Please click here for the full letter.

3.  Meet the 2014 Advisory Board

ICJB – North America welcomes a new Advisory Board for 2013. Click hereto meet the members!

4. Take Action!

This year marks the 30th anniversary of the Bhopal disaster. A worldwide relay fast has been put into action for 365 days to show our solidarity for the survivors and activists in the ongoing disaster in Bhopal.

Fast today!

Please sign this petition, which expresses our disappointment at Trailblazers’ collaboration with The Dow Chemical Company on the ‘Multiply the Message’ campaign. Don’t let Dow get away with greenwashing their image. Watch the video here!

You can also help through a financial donation. Click here to donate or here to donate by cheque.

Please visit our websiteand like us on Facebook

5. Join ICJB NA

As the 30th anniversary approaches, we need your time and effort to put pressure on DOW.

We are seeking support in the following voluntary, work-from-home positions:

Advisory Board Position – Dow Action Coordinator (4 hours a week)

Media Relations Assistant (3 hours a week)

Campaigns Assistant (3 hours a week)

Education Assistant (3 hours a week)

Apply for any of the intern positions by e-mailing icjb.us.ab@gmail.com with your resume and cover letter.

Apply for the DOW action coordinator by e-mailingicjb.us.ab@gmail.com with a response to the following questions.

A) Why do you want to be a member of the Advisory Board?

B) What will you bring to the Advisory Board and the campaign?

With Solidarity,

The ICJB North American Advisory Board   

 

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The LowDOWn – August 2013

The Bhopal LowDOWn – August  2013

Brought to you by the International Campaign for Justice in Bhopal, North America


In this issue:

1. Upcoming Screening Tour of the Documentary Bhopali

2. Opportunities to Donate to the Campaign

3. Hot Off the Press!

4. On the Ground

5. Take Action


1. Screening Tour of Documentary Bhopali

This Fall, Van Maximilian Carlson’s critically acclaimed documentary Bhopali will be screened throughout the US & Canada in a city near you!  Please join us!  Sanjay Verma, survivor-activist, whose story of profound loss & hope is told in the film, will be present. He is traveling all the way from India to be at each screening to share his perspective and to answer questions. 

The tour will take place October – November 2013. There will be stops in: New York City NY, Buffalo NY, Toronto ON, Montreal QC, Chapel Hill NC, Yellow Springs OH, Boston MA, Iowa City IA, Chicago IL, Lafayette LA, Baton Rouge or New Orleans LA, Austin TX, Los Angeles & San Francisco, CA, Seattle WA and Vancouver BC.  

Up to date information about the tour and campaign will be posted on our Facebook Page. If you live near any of these cities, please come out and support the screening! If you or your organization would like to help in some capacity (co-sponsoring, fundraising, connecting us with local groups, etc.) we would love to hear from you. Please email us at reena.shadaan@icjb.org 

2. Opportunities to Donate

December 3, 2014, will mark the 30th anniversary of the 1984 Bhopal Gas Disaster. We at ICJB are planning various events over the next sixteen months that will bring communities throughout North America together to learn about Bhopal, build solidarity with Survivors, and witness the approach of this somber date. The screening tour mentioned above will kick off this 16 month approach, and we need your support.

There are two upcoming opportunities for you to contribute, and we are grateful for whatever you can offer to the campaign!

  • Firstby snail mail in the next few weeks, many of you will receive an Appeal Letter written by activist/volunteer Wendy Crumrine, providing a campaign update and asking for support, so please keep a lookout! The mailing is also available online here. If you would like to receive future Donor Mailings, please email us your mailing address! 
  • Second, by email you will receive an Online Appeal in September to raise funds for the upcoming 2013 Fall Screening Tour of Bhopali. Our goal is to cover all expenses, and we believe we can do it. If you wish to donate for the tour now, click here and write “screening tour” in the special comments box.

3. Hot Off the Press!

4. On The Ground

In December 2011, in response to long and sustained pressure by survivors, the State Government made 3 promises to Bhopal Gas Victims.

  1. To accurately count the number of Bhopal disaster survivors in the Supreme Court’s Curative Petition to ensure proper compensation.
  2. To meet with the Indian Prime Minister in the company of survivors in order to ensure #1.
  3. To create an independent investigation into the violence used against activists during Rail Roko, a protest held in Bhopal in 2011.

These promises were all made in writing and not a single one has been implemented to date. On August 30th at 11:45 AM gas survivors will walk from Neelam Park to the Chief Minister’s residence to remind him of this two year old promise. Follow the story on our Facebook Page and express your support.

4. Take Action

  • Email us with your ideas about campaign building. We would love to make connections and collaborate with other groups on these issues that affect us all.

  • Make a donationto ICJB. Your support is crucial to the campaign.

This LowDOWn is brought to you by Advisory Board members of ICJB North America.

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The LowDOWn – July 2013

The Bhopal LowDOWn – July  2013           

 Brought to you by the International Campaign for Justice in Bhopal, North America


In this issue:

1. EXTRADITE WARREN ANDERSON PETITION

2. A Sad Day for Bhopalis and The World

3. DOW Shareholder Meeting Update and Moving Forward

4. Annual Conference

5. Take Action!


1. EXTRADITE WARREN ANDERSON!

Please sign (and share!) this petition to extradite Warren Anderson (former CEO of the Union Carbide Corporation) for his role in the Bhopal Gas Disaster and aftermath. If we reach 100,000 signatures, the Obama administration must respond to the petition. For more information on the corporate crimes of Warren Anderson, please visit: http://studentsforbhopal.org/WarrenAndersonPetition.  Continue reading The LowDOWn – July 2013

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