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From: Somnath Mukherji <[email protected]>
Date: 15 June 2010 22:45
[Attachment(s) <#1293debf62b06718_TopText> from Somnath Mukherji included
below]
*PRESS RELEASE
Monday, June 14, 2010*
*
*
*For Immediate Release*
*Contact: *Somu Kumar, *[email protected]* <[email protected]>,
703-728-8987
Aquene Freechild, *[email protected]* <[email protected]>,
617-378-2579
*Polluter Should Pay: Outrage at Dow Chemicals and Union Carbide officials
going scot-free in Bhopal*
*Protestors draw comparision to the huge liabilities being slapped on BP in
the US*
*Demand to the Indian PM to extradite Anderson and force Dow Chemicals to
accept liability, and ensure appropriate sentencing for the Indian accused*
*Washington, DC *– Bhopal activists haunted the Gandhi statue in front of
the Indian Embassy echoing a cry for justice from Dow Chemical heard loudly
in India. The advocates and concerned Indian citizens raised their voices in
alarm after the weak sentencing of the Indian accused, and a failure to
prosecute the Americans accused of causing the Bhopal Disaster.
A guilty verdict was handed down on June 7, 2010 against the defunct Union
Carbide India Limited and 7 individuals accused in the Bhopal Disaster
criminal case. The accused posted $2,000 bail for their 2 year jail sentence
the day of the verdict. Absconding parties included Dow-owned Union Carbide
and its former CEO Warren Anderson. The verdict has been met with outrage by
Bhopal survivors and their supporters worldwide.
Members of the International Campaign for Justice in Bhopal and Association
for India’s Development called on India to extradite Warren Anderson and Dow
representatives for criminal and civil liability for ongoing poisoning and
death in Bhopal. They also called on Prime Minister to address this
injustice by setting up a Special Prosecution Cell to expedite the case, to
set up an Empowered Commission on Bhopal to rehabilitate survivors and their
children, and for India to blacklist Dow Chemical.
At the heart of the denial of justice is the fact that Union Carbide
Corporation (UCC) and its former CEO Warren Anderson, the principle accused
in the case, have thus far escaped trial. Dow Chemical-owned UCC and
Anderson have been charged with culpable homicide, but have ignored summons
to appear in court. In 1992, the Indian Government declared them absconders.
Dow is also named in a case pursuing clean up of the ongoing water pollution
from the abandoned factory site, which dubiously began polluting the city
well before the 1984 gas leak.
“It is mind-boggling to see the amount of corruption revealed within a week
of this too little, too late verdict for the Indian accused,” said
University of Maryland Ph.D student Lakshmi Gorrepati. “The events only
prove wide collusion among elected politicians, bureaucrats and corporates
to the extent of putting an accused criminal in a government jet and letting
him escape justice. It makes a sham of Indian democracy and the judicial
system, that criminals involved in deaths of 25,000 people walk out on bail
on the day of the verdict.”
Prof. Mohan Bhagat, Director of Association for India’s Development (AID)
said, “It is ironic that in the US Gulf Coast disaster, BP is being slapped
with several billion dollars of expenses and thousands of lawsuits within
the first month; whereas in Bhopal, 26 years after the worst-ever industrial
disaster in the world with 25,000 lives lost, those responsible are being
let off with barely a sentence and with paltry compensation for the victims.
It is time for all concerned – in India and in the US – to stand up and
demand justice for the Bhopalis.”
#The International Campaign for Justice for Bhopal (ICJB) is a coalition led
by four survivor organizations along with environmental, social justice,
progressive Indian, and human rights groups and supporters around the world.
ICJB works to hold the Indian Government and Dow Chemical Corporation (the
current owner of Union Carbide) accountable for the ongoing chemical
disaster in Bhopal, India. It was set up to address the grave injustices
suffered by the half million Bhopal Chemical Disaster survivors and their
children.
#Association for India's Development (AID) is a volunteer movement promoting
sustainable, equitable and just development. AID supports grassroots
organizations in India and initiates efforts in various interconnected
spheres such as education, livelihoods, natural resources including land,
water and energy, agriculture, health, women's empowerment and social
justice. www.aidindia.org
More at: *www.bhopal.net* <http://www.bhopal.net/> – *
http://bhopal.aidindia.org/* <http://bhopal.aidindia.org/> - *
www.studentsforbhopal.org* <http://www.studentsforbhopal.org/>
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Attachment(s) from Somnath Mukherji
1 of 1 Photo(s)
[image:
bhopal-dc2.jpg]<http://groups.yahoo.com/group/arkitectindia/attachments/folder/715169076/item/1472206311/view>
bhopal-dc2.jpg<http://groups.yahoo.com/group/arkitectindia/attachments/folder/715169076/item/1472206311/view>
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