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For the National Campaign for Justice in Bhopal
NEW DELHI, 10 JULY, 2002 - More than 250 people joined in a march from Mandi House to Parliament Street to support the indefinite protest staged by the survivors of the Bhopal gas disaster and their supporters in New Delhi since 26 June. The march was led by eminent people from New Delhi including veteran Janata Dal leader Shri Surendramohan and Dr.Vandana Shiva. Three activists, including two women survivors - Rasheeda Bee (45) and Tara Bai (35) - and Satinath Sarangi (48) are on their 12th day of hunger strike to protest recent government decisions that will effectively bury the Bhopal disaster despite numerous outstanding issues. The protesters demanded that the Government withdraw its move to dilute criminal charges against Prime Accused Warren Anderson, Chairman of Union Carbide at the time of disaster, and cancel its decision to misappropriate the balance of compensation funds set aside for survivors for distribution among 20 non-gas-affected wards in Bhopal.
Pointing to evidence that the directions
to the CBI (the prosecuting agency for the Government) recommending
leniency in dealing with Warren Anderson came from the Ministry of
External Affairs, survivors have denounced the Government for succumbing
to US pressure on the matter. Various political parties, including the
Congress, CPI, CPI (M) and CPI (ML) have stated that they will raise the
issue in the parliament. Trade unions and various people's organisations
have also expressed their active support to the campaign for justice by
the Bhopal survivors. A delegation of Bhopal survivors and supporters that
visited the National Human Rights Commission on 8 July, said "the
Chairperson Justice (retd) J. S. Verma was fully abreast of all legal
developments on the Bhopal issue. He gave us a very sympathetic and
reassuring hearing".
"With the Government's new decisions, it feels like another gas disaster
has just happened. We will not allow the Government to betray us to
multinational interests and begin a new cycle of victimisation," said Tara
Bai, member of the Gas Peedit Nirashrit Morcha. Tara Bai, who was three
months pregnant at the time of the disaster, miscarried as she fled the
poison gas flume. Since then she has been unable to conceive, and suffers
from breathlessness, diminished vision and panic attacks. On the 11th day
of her hunger strike, Tara Bai is quietly resolved in her fight for
justice.
"Warren Anderson will have to face trial in India on the original charges
of culpable homicide. Dow Chemicals will have to own up to the liabilities
of its new acquisition. Only then will justice be done and seen to be
done," said Rasheeda Bee of Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Stationery
Karmachari Sangh. In February 2001, Midland, Michigan-based chemical
giant Dow Chemicals acquired Union Carbide. Dow Chemicals, whose products
include dangerous and infamous chemicals such as Agent Orange and Dursban,
has refused to accept Union Carbide's liabilities in Bhopal. This, despite
the fact that the company has owned up to Carbide's asbestos-related
liabilities in the United States.
In solidarity with the ongoing dharna in New Delhi, supporters of the
Bhopal survivors' cause have initiated simultaneous actions in Washington
D.C., London, Geneva, Mumbai and Bangalore. Supporters from other cities,
including Chennai, Trivandrum and several European and Asian countries are
planning activities in the coming days. In London, activists from the
Bhopal Justice Campaign have organised a day-long hunger strike in front
of the Indian embassy in London.
"Our actions are more than in solidarity. Companies like Union Carbide and
Dow are threatening the lives and health of people everywhere, and the
very survival of the planet. The crimes of Bhopal are crimes against
humanity. If these go unpunished because of the Indian Government's
complicity, it will be a black day for all of us," said Tim Edwards of the
London-based Bhopal Justice Campaign.
India Together
July 2002