THE INTERNATIONAL CAMPAIGN FOR JUSTICE IN BHOPAL (ICJB)
www.bhopal.net
For Immediate Release CONTACT: [Rox Chwaluk , 905 650 1305]
30th Anniversary of Bhopal Chemical Disaster Prompts Actions Around the World
International Community Calls on Dow Chemical to Clean Up Poisoned Groundwater and Face Criminal Trial in India
Tens of Thousands in Bhopal Still Suffering from Toxic Chemical Exposure
On the 30th anniversary of the deadliest industrial catastrophe in history, the International Campaign for Justice in Bhopal stands with survivors of the Bhopal gas disaster. We demand that the disaster site be cleaned up, survivors receive adequate and just compensation, and Dow Chemical and Union Carbide be held accountable once and for all.
The passage of over two decades has exacerbated rather than abated the Bhopal gas disaster. Tons of waste remains on site, residents have had no choice but to drink poisoned drinking water, and thousands continue to suffer from chronic, life-long conditions without adequate healthcare. The horror of the disaster has been transmitted to subsequent generations of survivors as birth defects continue to appear in newborns.
Nonetheless, survivors have persevered and achieved a number of landmark victories. Five survivors recently concluded a waterless fast after the Indian government agreed to seek additional compensation and to update official death and injury figures to reflect the 22,917 who have been killed and the 508,432 who have been permanently disabled by the disaster.
On December 3rd, 1984, 40 tons of methyl isocyanate (MIC) gas leaked from a pesticide plant owned by the American company Union Carbide in the North Indian city of Bhopal, poisoning thousands of residents in the small watches of the night. In 1989, Union Carbide settled out of court with the Indian government for an exceedingly paltry sum of $470 million, not even enough to cover more than a handful of hospital visits per survivor.
Despite repeated attempts to hold Dow Chemical accountable both in the US and India, the multinational corporation, along with its wholly owned subsidiary Union Carbide, has consistently eluded justice and denies responsibility for the disaster. Not only has the US government blocked attempts to hold Dow Chemical accountable on US soil, the Indian government has been complicit in the disaster from the very beginning. Recently, Dow Chemical failed to produce Union Carbide in Indian court to answer outstanding criminal charges.
We welcome the Indian government’s decision to reopen the 1999 settlement and renew our commitment to justice for survivors of one of the worst contemporary examples of the confluence of corporate subterfuge and government intransigence. Whether the disaster site is cleaned, survivors compensated, and Dow Chemical and Union Carbide held accountable tomorrow or in another 30 years, we remain steadfast in our commitment to justice. For more information about the Bhopal gas disaster, the 30th anniversary, and actions in your area, visit www.bhopal.net.
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