Events are being organized around the world to remember those tens of thousands who have died owing to the gas disaster in Bhopal caused by negligence by Union Carbide on the night of December 3rd, 2004 as well as in solidarity with thousands whose life has been living hell since.

Some of these groups are also demanding that Dow take responsibility for cleanup at the plant site that has been the cause of severe contamination of the groundwater in the area.

In Delhi, a student group “We for Bhopal” is leading the effort along with AID-Delhi, Greenpeace-Delhi and The Other Media and includes petitions and essays on the subject and a concert in Mid-December for raising funds to help the affected in Bhopal. We for Bhopal will also release a film produced and edited by the students who participated in the Fact Finding Mission, documenting their visits to the factory grounds, government officials and others.

In the USA, campaigns are being planned across the US, by numerous organizations including International Campaign for Justice in Bhopal and Association for India’s Development. Other local groups such as the UC Davis Student Government, the Environmental Policy & Planning Commission and the Ethnic & Cultural Affairs Commission, South Asian Development Alternatives, Environmental Concerns Organization, South Asia Collective, South Asian Law Students Association, South Asian Students at Hopkins, Green Party, Human Rights Project, United Students Against Sweatshops (NYU), INSAF,

Numerous university campuses will screen movies on Bhopal such as “Bhopal Express”, and “Twenty Years Without Justice”. This include Arizona State and University of Arizona, University of California campuses at Davis, at Berkeley, and at San Diego, Stanford University, Georgia State University, Emory University, Georgia Institute of Technology, University of Indiana, University of Illinois, Northwestern University, Louisiana State University, University of Maryland, Wheaton College, Tufts University, University of Minnesota, University of Nebraska, Princeton University, St. Benedict’s Preparatory High School, University of New Mexico, Marymount Manhattan College, New York University, Duke University, University of Cincinnati, University of Pennsylvania, Penn State University, University of Houston, University of Texas, Garfield High School, Seattle, University of Washington, North Seattle Community College, University of Wisconsin – Madison,

Rallies, exhibitions of photographs, performances, hunger strikes, candle light vigils or petition drives are also being organized in numerous campuses. These include UC Davis, UC Berkeley, UCSD, Stanford, Emory University, University of Chicago, University of Illinois, Louisiana State University, Johns Hopkins University, University of Michigan, University of Minnesota, St. Benedict’s Preparatory High School, Grand Valley State University, Albany Medical College, Bard College, University of New Mexico, New York University, Duke University, University of Cincinnati, University of Pennsylvania, Penn State University, Highland Park High School at Dallas, Brown University, University of Houston, University of Texas, University of Washington, University of Wisconsin at Madison, Milwaukee,

Talks and discussions follow these exhibitions and screenings where numerous individuals connected with various efforts for justice in Bhopal have been invited. Numerous university campuses are also presenting a copy of the book “Trespass Against Us”, and the new film about Bhopal, “Twenty Years Without Justice”, to their respective libraries or boards.

Some are even petitioning their boards to refuse funding from Dow or asking their student bodies to pass resolutions citing Dow for its unwillingness to take responsibility for the toxic wastes that have polluted the plant site and the area around it.

Numerous events are being organized elsewhere in the world as well. The biggest-ever youth organization in Togo, will be airing several Bhopal documentaries as a part of its weekly TV program, and is also organizing a public debate on the Bhopal event and on the use of chemicals in general. Students of Environmental and Resource Management at Brandenburg University of Technology in Cottbus, Germany, will organize a presentation about the Bhopal Disaster, what happened and what the current situation is in Bhopal for the members of their department.

The Central American Institute of Studies on Toxic Substances, a part of the Universidad Nacional, Heredia, in Costa Rica, will screen the documentary “Twenty Years Without Justice”. On November 24th, the new film Bhopal: The Search for Justice was screened at the Engineering Teaching and Learning Complex at the University of Alberta, Canada. University of Windsor and McGill University in Canada also have events commemorating the event.

Individuals from across race, nationality and class backgrounds have become involved in this effort to present the irresponsible face of Dow and to demand justice for Bhopal 20 years after the incident.

Events continue to happen through out the month of December. Ryan Bodanyi (rbodanyi@studentsforbhopal.org), coordinator of ICJB, says that he would be happy to help you organize events in your area.

For more information, please visit the following sites

www.bhopal.net
www.studentsforbhopal.org
www.bhopal.org
Bhopal: A Glimmer of Hope
Thinking about Bhopal in the Era of Globalization
Bhopal: 20 years later
BHOPAL: A Heinous Corporate Crime, A Humanitarian Disaster