By Pervez Bari, MM News,
Bhopal : Representatives of five organizations working for the welfare of the survivors on Sunday presented their list of demands and recent achievements of their struggle.
Addressing a Press conference on the occasion of the 30th Anniversary of the Union Carbide disaster, world’s worst industrial catastrophe, held the two US corporations, Union Carbide and Dow Chemical, primarily responsible for the ongoing disasters in Bhopal. The organizations charged both the US and Indian governments of aiding corporate crime. They demanded that Union Carbide and Dow Chemical answer criminal charges and obey Bhopal court’s summons, pay additional compensation, and arrange for clean up of the toxic contamination in Bhopal.
The organizations demanded that the US government acknowledge and express regret for financing the hazardously designed Union Carbide plant in Bhopal through the EXIM bank. They demanded that the US government also express regret for refusing to extradite prime accused Warren Anderson who died about a month back while absconding from Indian courts.
The organizations called upon the Indian government to move on extradition of John McDonald, secretary of Union Carbide, and not allow Dow Chemical to make any investment in the country until it accepted Union Carbide’s liabilities in Bhopal.
The organizations also demanded that the Indian government set up a commission on Bhopal for effective medical care and economic rehabilitation and social support and create a special prosecution cell for speedy prosecution of the accused Indian corporate officials including Keshub Mahindra.
Some of the notable achievements of the struggle of the survivors in the last four years are: Completion of the project for supply of clean drinking water to 50,000 residents of the communities with contaminated groundwater in August this year; Dow Chemical’s withdrawal of its corporate logo from the Olympic stadium wrap in 2012; the blacklisting of Dow Agro-sciences by the government in 2011 and most recently the summoning of Dow Chemical to the Bhopal district court.
Meanwhile, the five organizations that have been working together for the last five years are organizing a “festival of alternatives” till December 2, showcasing sustainable solutions in healthcare, energy, education, livelihood and agriculture. 46 organizations from different parts of the country are participating in this festival.
A delegation with representatives from 10 trade unions of Scotland and members of Friends of Earth, Scotland, ANOREV, Hong Kong, Hazards Network, UK, Minamata Solidarity Network, Japan, Bhopal Medical Appeal, UK, Pesticide Action Network Asia Pacific, Malaysia are among the international supporters of the Bhopal justice struggle who are arriving in Bhopal to express solidarity.
Condolence to martyrs of Bhopal disaster
Meanwhile, Special Children (kids born with congenital disabilities to women gas tragedy survivors) of Chingari rehabilitation centre paid condolence to martyrs of Bhopal Union Carbide/Dow gas tragedy by conducting a small peaceful candle vigil at historic Iqbal Maidan after sunset, on Sunday evening.
These special kids also presented a small play highlighting the plight and pain in the life of the people affected by the Bhopal Gas Tragedy. Children with different types of congenital disabilities like cerebral palsy, down syndrome, muscular dystrophy, hearing impaired etc. participated in the candle light vigil and play. The main motto of this peaceful candle light vigil and play was to remember the pain and trauma their loved ones have gone through. And these children in ample measure also demonstrated to the world to learn a lesson from this tragedy and to take preventive measures to avoid the occurrence of any such disaster in future.
According to Rashida Bee & Champa Devi Shukla, Managing Trustees, Chingari Trust has undertaken care of the children born with congenital disorders such as deformed body, with cut lips, under developed or without fingers, with mental retardation, hand – legs are bend, deaf and dumb, etc. and to parents affected by poisonous gas released from the Union Carbide/Dow pesticide factory and ground water contamination thereafter.
—————–
As of today near more than 700 children are already registered with Chingari Rehabilitation Centre, with about 200 children coming every day with their mothers to receive physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, special education, sports sessions, supplementary nutrition provisions and transportation facilities – all free of charge, they informed. (pervezbari@eth.net)