Bhopal, 31 October 2014: Led by the leaders of the five NGOs (non-government organizations) working for the welfare of survivors of the December 1984 Bhopal gas tragedy, the world’s worst industrial catastrophe, a condemnation meeting was held on Friday following the receipt of the news of the death of Warren Anderson, former chairman of the erstwhile American multinational Union Carbide, which spewed death and destruction.
Soon after the news of Anderson’s death was received in Bhopal the survivors from the worst affected communities who lost their family members to the disaster gathered outside the Union Carbide’s abandoned factory to spit and smash slippers and shoes on an enlarged photograph of the deceased executive.
The organisations alleged that due to the protection offered by the US government and due to the deliberate negligence of the Indian government in bringing him to justice, the world’s worst corporate criminal died unshackled.
Meanwhile, as soon as news of his death spread, a group of survivors reached the office of the NGO Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Udyog Sangathan, (BGPMUS), and started distributing sweets. Convener of the BGPMUS, Abdul Jabbar, has been one of the most vocal activists for the survivors.
“It was an instantaneous reaction on part of the people who have suffered extremely for all this years. The fact that they could think of distributing sweets over a death shows the extent of their resentment and anger”, Abdul Jabbar said.
“He faced grave criminal charges of homicide, grievous assault and killing and poisoning of animals and if convicted would have spent a lifetime in jail. Yet this man who killed more than 25 thousand people and poisoned over half a million people never spent a day in jail because the US government protected him to his dying day”, said Rashida Bee, president of the Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Stationery Karmchari Sangh.
Balkrishna Namdeo of the Bhopal Gas Peedit Nirashrit Pensionbhogee Sangharsh Morcha blamed successive governments at the centre for the negligence towards extraditing Anderson from USA. “The Indian government took 11 years to send its first request for extradition of Anderson and then did nothing when the government of USA rejected that request on specious grounds. A second request still remains pending with the US State and Justice Departments and there has been no attempt by the Indian government to expedite matters in the last three years”, he moaned.
“There is enough evidence to establish that Anderson was directly involved in decision making and oversight concerning design, operation and maintenance of the Bhopal factory and was fully aware of the hazards the factory posed on the lives and health of the residents of the city. He is also guilty of approving the faulty waste management system used in the Bhopal factory that is responsible for the ongoing contamination of soil and groundwater. Hopefully, Anderson’s life in hiding and his ignominious death would be a lesson for all corporate criminals”, saidSatinath Sarangi of the Bhopal Group for Information and Action.
According to Nawab Khan, President of the Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Purush Sangharsh Morcha the criminal, civil and environmental liabilities of Union Carbide and Dow Chemical for the ongoing disasters remain unchanged with Anderson’s death. “Dow Chemical has been summoned by the Bhopal District Court to explain by November 12th why it is not making Union Carbide appear in the criminal case. We will pressure the Indian government to now seek extradition of John Macdonald, Union Carbide’s secretary”, he said.
“From our childhood we have been looking at Anderson’s face as the face of evil. Now that man has died. I suppose the face of Andrew Liveris, Dow Chemical’s CEO, which has bought over the Union Carbide, will now be the new face of evil”, said Ms Safreen Khan of Children Against Dow Carbide.
It may be recalled here that on the intervening night of December 2-3, 1984 Union Carbide pesticide manufacturing factory had spewed poisonous Methyl Iso-cyanate gas whereby 3000 people had perished virtually instantly and over the years more than 25000 have kissed death and the sad saga is still continuing uninterruptedly. About half a million are suffering from the side effects of the poisonous gas and several thousands of people have been maimed for life.
Meanwhile, Anderson was highly praised for his courage in going to Bhopal four days after the accident, where he was immediately arrested. But after quickly paying bail, he never returned to face trial.
In August this year, a US court dealt a blow to hopes of gas tragedy victims by ruling that the Union Carbide Corporation (UCC) could not be sued for the ongoing contamination from the abandoned chemical plant.
Non-governmental organisation EarthRights International had filed the lawsuit in the Southern District of New York on behalf of residents of Bhopal, saying land and water of the citizens are being contaminated by waste from the plant.
EarthRights said as per the court’s ruling, Union Carbide could not be sued despite evidence that construction of the plant was managed by an employee of the company. It expressed confidence that there was enough evidence against Union Carbide that would lead to a reversal of the “erroneous decision on appeal”. (pervezbari@eth.net)