SATYAGRAHA ON THE MOVE

DAY 8: Indefinite Hunger Strike for Justice in Bhopal

Hold Dow Criminally Liable;
Extradite Warren Anderson;
Distribute Balance of Compensation Money to Gas Affected Persons

Update: Saturday 6 July, 2002


As they enter their 8th day of their indefinite hunger strike, the spirits of the Bhopal protestors are buoyed by the fact that numerous mass organisations, trade unions, political leaders and public interest groups have openly expressed their support for the demands of the survivors of the 1984 Union Carbide gas disaster.

Most notably, several political parties including the CPI, CPM, CPI (ML) and Congress have assured that they will raise the issue in the Parliament. Trade unions will also raise the issue in their 9 July meeting of all National Trade Unions with a view to issuing a resolution among other things.

Mrs. Rasheeda Bee, the energetic activist from Bhopal is stronger in spirit than she is physically. Dr. Matthew Verghese, who is monitoring the hunger strikers, has expressed some concern over the elevated ketone levels in the urine and has put her under continuous monitoring. According to him, she is showing symptoms of starvation and her frail health condition due to the effects of the gas exposure may cause complications.

The remaining two - Mrs. Tara Bai and Satinath Sarangi - are doing well. However, all three protestors have falling blood sugar levels and have lost at least 5 kg since they began their fast.


THE DAYS AHEAD:

On 6 July, 2002, a large delegation of survivors and their supporters will visit the Prime Ministers Office to present a memorandum. A press conference and street play by Jana Natya Manch is scheduled for 4 p.m. at Jantar Mantar.

On 8 July, 2002, survivors will brief the Chairperson of the National Human Rights Commission about the human rights violations associated with the Government’s decisions with regard to the Bhopal disaster.

On 10 July, 2002, a massive rally is planned in New Delhi with the participation of mass organisations, including trade unions and public interest groups. We appeal to you to set aside this day for solidarity actions in your city.


WHY THE HUNGER STRIKE:

The Indian Government has taken decisions aimed at burying the ongoing saga of suffering of the survivors of the 1984 Union Carbide disaster in Bhopal. These decisions are a direct result of behind-the-scenes pressure by Dow Chemicals, which has acquired Union Carbide, the company responsible for the Bhopal gas disaster. Until now, criminal proceedings against Union Carbide were difficult to enforce legally because Union Carbide does not have any assets in India, and the accused refused to appear in Court. However, Dow’s acquisition of Union Carbide opened up great possibilities of enforcing criminal liability against the Corporation. Dow has four subsidiaries and substantial assets in India. In fact, the intensified campaign by the Bhopal survivors and their international supporters to hold Dow liable for the crimes of Carbide, its newly acquired company, has directly resulted in Dow’s insecurity and their resultant pressure on the Government of India to effectively close the files.

The Central Bureau of Investigation has moved to dilute charges against prime accused Warren Anderson (the chairman of Union Carbide at the time of the disaster) from homicide to negligence. This move will, in effect, end the criminal proceedings against the company responsible for the worldís worst industrial disaster. Simultaneously, the Group of (Union) Ministers on Bhopal has recommended that the compensation money held in trust for the survivors of the Bhopal disaster be distributed to 20 non-gas-affected municipal wards. This proposal is aimed solely at winning votes from the residents of the 20 wards and will rob the gas-affected people of what is rightfully theirs.


WHAT YOU CAN DO on 10 JULY 2002:

(WHATEVER YOU DO, Please inform us by emailing  nity68@vsnl.com and  admin@del3.vsnl.net.in)

1. Organise a 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. hunger strike at a prominent location in your city or at the Indian embassy in your city if there is one. Issue a press statement incorporating the key demands of the Bhopal survivors. You can download the demands from the Take Action section of www.corpwatchindia.org.

2. Organise a simple demo outside the Indian embassy with banners that say ìJustice for Bhopal. Extradite Warren Anderson. Distribute compensation money to survivors.î Hand over a petition with demands to the Ambassador.

3. Organise candle-light vigils or other peaceful gatherings.

4. Call the Indian embassy in your city to echo the demands of the survivors.

5. Call the Ministry of Chemicals (India Tel: +91-11-338.15.73). Ask to speak to the Minister and demand that the Ministry should rescind its decision to distribute the survivorsÇ compensation money to the 20 non-gas-affected wards, and instead move towards rapid and just compensation of survivors in the 36 gas-affected wards of Bhopal.

6. Call the Ministry of Home (India Tel: +91)11-378.23.97). Ask to speak to the Minister and demand that the Ministry should direct the Central Bureau of Investigation to withdraw its application that the charges against Warren Anderson be diluted from homicide to negligence. Demand that Warren Anderson and Union Carbide representatives be extradited and made to face trial in India for their crimes against the people of Bhopal.

7. Write letters to the editor emphasising the following points:
a) Government of India is complicit in the crimes against the people of Bhopal by shielding the accused à Union Carbide and its new owner Dow Chemicals à from the pending criminal liabilities in the Indian courts. This is a travesty of justice and a sell-out of the interests of the victims of the worldÇs worst industrial disaster.
b) Warren Anderson and Dow Chemicals, Union CarbideÇs new owner, have to face trial in India for their complicity in the 1984 Bhopal gas disaster which has claimed more than 20,000 lives and left 150,000 with serious health effects.
c) The Central Bureau of Investigation should withdraw its application to dilute charges against Warren Anderson from homicide to negligence and instead move to quickly extradite Anderson;
d) The Ministry of Chemicals should rescind its order to distribute the compensation money, that rightfully belongs to the survivors, among 20 non-gas-affected wards. Instead, the Government should arrange to distribute the money to the victims of the disaster, 94 percent of whom have till date received a meagre Rs. 25,000 ($500) for lifelong health impacts and lost livelihoods.

You can send these letters to:
 feedback@hindustantimes.com (Hindustan Times)
 toieditor_delhi@indiatimes.com (Times of India)
 letters@thehindu.co.in (The Hindu)
 http://www.expressindia.com/about/feedback.html (Indian Express)

Join the fax action directed towards the Indian Government at
 http://www.corpwatchindia.org/action/PAA.jsp?articleid=1843
(IF CORPWATCH STAYS DOWN SEE END OF THIS MESSAGE FOR ALTERNATIVES)

THE UPDATE: FROM 26 JUNE TO 6 JULY:

On 26 June, more than 150 survivors of the 1984 Union Carbide gas disaster in Bhopal arrived in New Delhi and launched an indefinite protest (dharna) to demand that:
1. The Home Ministry instruct the CBI to withdraw its application to dilute charges against Warren Anderson, and instead act rapidly on extraditing him to face criminal trial in India;
2. The Ministry of Chemicals rescind its decision to distribute the Rs. 1,370 crores (Rs. 13.7 billion) compensation money among the 20 non-gas-affected wards, and instead use it for what it was originally intended - for distribution as compensation among the gas-affected people. 94 percent of the survivors have received a meagre compensation of Rs. 15,000.
3. The Government move towards seizing Dow Chemicals assets in India and holding Dow liable in lieu of Union Carbide, the company it has recently acquired.

On 28th June, more survivors from Bhopal arrived to participate in the dharna. More than 300 people, including survivors and their supporters, marched to the Parliament Street and a delegation delivered memorandums detailing their demands to the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Ministry of Chemicals.

After their ultimatum of 24 hours for a response from the Government was past, six people began an indefinite hunger strike at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi at 3 p.m. on 29 June, 2002. The protestors included 5 survivors à four women namely, Pheroza Bee, Chandan Devi, Rasheeda Bee and Tara Bai, and one man, Sunil - and Satinath (Sathyu) Sarangi, a long-time Bhopal activist.

However, draconian rules restricting non-violent protestors from going on a hunger strike at a public place have made it very difficult for the survivors and their supporters to make their case heard. As Rasheeda Bee said: 'It is ironical that in Gandhi's land, going on a hunger strike in a public place is illegal. This is worse than the times of the British.'

On July 1, 2002, Sunil had to end his fast on medical advice because of his gas-exposure-induced psychiatric problems. Pheroza Bee and Chandan Devi, who are also suffering from the effects of the poison gas, were unable to continue.

Written reminders were sent to the Home and Chemicals ministries on 29 June and 2 July. On 2 July, 2002, Sathyu spoke to the Minister of State for Home Mr. I.D. Swamy to seek an appointment. He was assured a response. Despite repeated phone calls to the Minister, an appointment with the fasting protestors is yet to materialise.


VOICES OF SUPPORT:

IN DELHI:
Because of the time and space restrictions placed by the Government on hunger strikes, the survivors have taken to wheels. They have taken their protest to leaders of political parties, trade unions and mass organisations.

Congress MP Suresh Pachauri visited the dharna site and has promised to raise the issue in Parliament. A 50-member delegation of survivors is set to meet Congress leader Sonia Gandhi at 5.30 p.m on 5 July.

Leaders of the the Communist Party of India, including Gurudas Das Gupta, A.B. Bardhan and D. Raja have promised to take up the issue in the parliament and have conveyed their wholehearted support to the survivors. Nilotpal Basu (Communist Party Marxist), Prakash Karat (CPM) and the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) General Secretary P.K. Ganguly have also confirmed their solidarity with the protestors, and assured us of their support during the parliamentary debate on the issue.

Amarjeet Kaur of All India Trade Union Congress visited the Dharna site on Day 1 of the protest, addressed the survivors and assured them of AITUCís support.

AITUC and CITU will table the issue at the meeting of all national trade unions on 9 July, and will issue a resolution against the Government decisions.

Leaders of various political parties have also promised to raise the issue during the meeting of Opposition parties on 15 July (to prepare for the Parliament session).

Janata Dal veteran Surendra Mohan, who visited the dharna site, has also expressed his solidarity and promised to assist in accessing political leaders.

Medha Patkar of the Narmada Bachao Andolan and the National Alliance of Peopleís Movements, Saeeda Hameed (former member of the National Council of Women), Swami Agnivesh and other members of the Bandhua Mukti Morcha, Gautam Navlakha, and Advocate Prashant Bhushan visited the dharna site in solidarity.

Disabled Rights Group convenor Javed Abidi (NCPEDP) held a press conference at the protest site on 3 July 2002 and demanded that the Government and concerned Ministers give an audience to the protestors.



NATIONALLY, INTERNATIONALLY:

Noted author Dominique Lapierre (author of 'City of Joy' and 'Five Minutes Past Midnight in Bhopal') has sent off a strong protest to Home Minister L.K. Advani and several other Ministers.

More than 300 people have faxed the Indian embassy in the United States echoing the demands of the people of Bhopal.

Numerous people from India have also written to the Ministry of Chemicals, the Home Ministry and the Prime Minister's Office protesting the Governmentís betrayal of the Bhopal survivors.

You can join in the action by visiting:
 http://www.corpwatchindia.org/action/PAA.jsp?articleid=1843


This bulletin issued by:
The National Campaign for Justice in Bhopal
B 14, Second Floor, Gulmohar Park New Delhi 110 049
Tel: +91-11-656.17.43 & +91-11-651.48.47

For more information email:
 nity68@vsnl.com
 admin@del3.vsnl.net.in
 othermedia@vsnl.com


HAS THE CORPWATCHINDIA WEBSITE BEEN NOBBLED?

The CorpwatchIndia site, through which a mass fax-action is being carried out in support of the Bhopal Hunger Strikers (latest update follows) has mysteriously gone out of action.

People trying today to send faxes have found the site unavailable today. Uh, oh. Echoes of the indymedia site in Genoa which mysteriously went down during the G7 talks last year. Paranoia? Maybe, but anyway, if you can't get onto Corpwatchindia.org you can still get your message through.

Leave a personal message for Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee:
 http://pmindia.nic.in/writetous.htm

Write to Home Affairs Minister L.K. Advani (soon to be Deputy Prime Minister)
 mhaweb@mhant.delhi.nic.in

Fax your local Indian Embassy or High Commission. Find it in this list:
 http://www.thokalath.com/embassy/index.php

If you live in the US, fax the Indian embassy or your nearest consulate, from this list:
 http://www.thokalath.com/embassy/index.php#us

You can write letters to the Indian papers:

 feedback@hindustantimes.com (Hindustan Times)
 toieditor_delhi@indiatimes.com (Times of India)
 letters@thehindu.co.in (The Hindu)
 http://www.expressindia.com/about/feedback.html (Indian Express)

So that we can keep track of the level of support, please cc your emails to
 nity68@vsnl.com
 admin@del3.vsnl.net.in

Thank you for your support.