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At a time when the world is focused on corporate accountability in the wake of the BP's Gulf Oil Spill, a leaked email from the Obama administration shows that it values profit over people, when the profit benefits American corporations. The victims of the world’s worst industrial disaster were disappointed to see today that the White House is not pursuing the same levels of accountability from American Dow Chemical as it has from BP.  When Dow purchased Union Carbide in 2001, the corporation acquired outstanding liability for the ongoing disaster in Bhopal, which has led to the deaths of an estimated 25,000 people in Bhopal, India following the 1984 Gas Disaster.

Mumbai-based Times Now published an email chain between White House Deputy National Security Advisor Michael Froman, and Indian Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission, Montek Singh Ahluwalia. In response to an Ahluwalia’s email requesting assistance as India faces a sharp restriction in the World Bank’s lending, Froman replied:

Here Obama’s Deputy NSA apparently tied potential development aid to India with Dow Chemical’s liability in Bhopal. The White House denies any linkage between the IBRD lending and Dow’s ongoing lack of responsibility. Forman’s statement shows callous disregard for ongoing injustice and lack of accountability 26 years after the disaster.  The survivor organizations in India, 5 of which have been protesting in Delhi this past month, have faced infringements on their basic rights, especially through discriminatory police abuse.  A threatening statement from the Obama office could further repressive action from Indian Central Government of India. 

Following months of safety cuts, on Dec 3, 1984 the Union Carbide pesticide plant in Bhopal leaked deadly gas containing Methyl isocyanate (MIC) over the city of Bhopal. In the immediate aftermath 8-12,000 people died.  Currently the death toll has risen to approximately 25,000 people. Over 100,000 people are still too sick to work because of long-term health disability.

The Indian Government has been forced to address the Bhopal issue in the recent months following a June 7 verdict convicting the officials of Union Carbide's former Indian subsidiary on charges of criminal negligence. The charges and sentence, equivalent to a traffic violation, enraged the Indian public, as did the fact the Union Carbide and it's former CEO Warren Anderson have refused to appear in court to face charges of culpable homicide. Bhopal survivors say that Dow Chemical should not be allowed to continue doing business in India until its subsidiary appears in court and cleans up the site of the disaster.

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 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 Gas Disaster survivors.

Aug 18 will be the 22nd and final day of the Bhopal activists’ dharna, or sit in protest. Throughout the dharna, the police have not allowed the Bhopalis to stay overnight at the Jantar Mantar. The challenge of finding adequate overnight shelter for everyone as well as daytime shelter from the heat has proved too great. Although the dharna will end, it has accomplished a lot and the work will continue with renewed strength. This past week has been abuzz with government petitioning and education outreach.  As Shalini writes in the descriptive Dharna Blog, “On an average we get some two to three minutes to explain our cause. In most cases we do not leave till the MP [Member of Parliament] either reads the petition and endorses it or dismisses us with some standard statements like- I will read and get back.”

By the end of last week, leading activists Shalini and Rachna had collected 50 signatures from Members of Parliament.  They will continue to collect signatures until they submit the petition tomorrow.  A press conference will be held too, and hopefully several supporting MPs will attend.

During a meeting with Bhopal activists, the Minister of Environment Jairam Ramesh agreed toxic waste from the Union Carbide factory would not haphazardly go to Pithampur, as the Madhya Pradesh State Government had planned.  Also, NGOs will be involved in remediation strategy and building a memorial. Ramesh will co-opt the peer review committee on the faulty contamination reports by government agencies NEERI and NGRI.  During the review he will refer to the survivors input.  Because the Chairman of the Group of Ministers, Chidambaram, refuses to meet with the survivors, Ramesh will ask for support from Congress Party president, Indra Gandhi or the PM himself. 

Finally, after their difficult journey the Bhopalis will return to their home city in the spirit of celebration.  Some now have clean water pipelines; by March 2011, pipelines are expected to run throughout the city.

Stay connected for press updates tomorrow when the petition is released.

Take Action Against a Lie - झूठ बोले कौवा केट     [If you tell a lie, the crow will bite (Indian proverb)]

 “The Prime Minister has authorized me to say: On the demand for setting up a specially Empowered Commission to carry out medical, economic and environmental rehabilitation of Bhopal Gas victims – The central Government is ‘in principle’ agreement with this demand. The Central Government will take the initiative in speedily working out the modalities for setting up such a Commission by subsuming the various Committees on different rehabilitation aspects set up by Supreme Court, the Government of India, The Government of M.P. and the high court of M.P. This will be done in consultation and the concurrence of the government of M.P. and the concerned courts of law.”

-Prithviraj Chavan, Minister of State in the PM’s office, May 2008 Statement

Two years later, and where is the Empowered Committee on Bhopal?  Has the Central Government done any effective work for the survivors?  As Rachna said during the International Solidarity Meeting this past Saturday, “how can the government give compensation to 42,000 and leave out 530,000 who all have been identified as been affected by the government itself?”

Prime Minister Singh and his Minister of State, Chavan, have lied, so survivors and their supporters will “bite.”  Turn your thoughts, feelings, and opinions on the Bhopal issue into something tangible—an origami crow!  Crows will be delivered via mail or in person to your closest U.S. Indian consulate or embassy.  Details and sign up for the day of action here.

Responsibilities

“[Tagore] believed that this idea of the free person—critical, self-critical, sympathetic, physically and mentally alive—was important not only for the personal life but also, and especially for citizenship.  True self-rule requires citizens who can think for themselves, who can imagine the situation of others, and who are continually challenging themselves by seeking examples from other cultures and other ways of life."

-Martha C. Nussbaum, The Clash Within, page 89

The Clash Within: Democracy, Religious Violence, and India’s Future is law professor Martha C. Nussbaum’s detailed interpretation of religious tensions facing the world’s largest democracy, India.  In her book, she speaks of the prominent Indian figure, Rabindananth Tagore, an artist and intellectual in the 20th century.  Tagore and Nussbaum have shared wise ideas with us; a democracy is an involved social structure.  If you live in a democracy, theoretically you have the right to participate in your government, and moreover you have that responsibility.

If you take the time to follow the Bhopal issue, you most likely have some of the characteristics that Tagore held in high esteem for democratic citizens: sympathetic people, free thinking people, people who look to other ways of life to enrich and their own.  As you go about your daily routines—working, cooking, cleaning, socializing—remember that theses values lie within you, and can benefit society at large.

If you feel strongly about the U.S.’s inaction following Bhopal gas tragedy twenty-five years ago, don’t let your values go unnoticed.  Bring them forth and share them with your government; after all, as a democratic citizen you have this right.  A week from now, Tuesday, August 24th, you have an opportunity to join other Bhopal supporters in delivering a crow to your nearest Indian Embassy or Consulate, as an expression of your sympathy, your outrage, and your compassion.