Observing Shahid Bhagat Singh Divas on 23 March, more than 250 survivors of the 1984 Union Carbide gas disaster sat on a day-long fast in support of the Koodankulam struggle against the nuclear power plant. Condemning Tamilnadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa’s act of charging Koodankulam protestors with “Sedition,” Bhopal survivors said that Bhagat Singh’s fate would have been no different in independent India than at the hands of the white colonial masters. In December 2011, after waiting for 26 years, Bhopal victims staged a rail roko to press the Central and State Governments to submit accurate figures of dead and injured in a revised compensation claims case filed in the Supreme Court. Cases, including on serious charges of attempt to murder were registered against 2000 people, including elderly women and children. From Chattisgarh to Madhya Pradesh to Delhi to Tamilnadu, people in the Government are the same. “They see poor as objects of charity, pity, ridicule or as seditious upstarts that need to be taught a lesson for their audacity to speak out,” the survivors said. While the Governments had filed a review petition reopening the 1989 settlement on grounds that casualty and injury figures were under-estimated in 1989, their current submissions too fall far short of the real figures. Survivors have said that Dow Chemical should pay at least $8 billion to address the compensation needs of all survivors and those bereaved. The Central Government is asking only for $1.2 billion. “We’re reminders to the world that the State and Central Governments in India will only protect the rich. The residents of Koodankulam should be ready to accept that the Government will do nothing but hide any pollution from the plant, and will do nothing to rehabilitate or compensate those affected by the plant,” a group of five Bhopal organisations said. The Nuclear Liability Act is the unfortunate result of the Bhopal struggle. Pained by the plight of Union Carbide and Dow Chemical that continued to remain in the eye of legal controversy despite the passage of more than two decades, Dr. Manmohan Singh tabled the Nuclear Liability Act to shield the perpetrators of any future nuclear Bhopals from liability. The survivors have said that they will send a delegation of Bhopalis to Chennai in the coming month. The organisers of the Bhopal hunger strike included Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Stationery Karmachari Sangh, Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Purush Sangarsh Morcha, Bhopal Gas Peedit Nirashrit Pension Bhogi Manch, Bhopal Group for Information and Action and Childre Against Dow Carbide. For more information, contact To, 25 January 2012 Sub: Application for withdrawal of criminal cases against over 2000 gas victims in connection with the incident of violence on the 27th anniversary of the Union Carbide gas disaster in Bhopal. Respected Chief Minister, We, five organisations of victims of the Union Carbide disaster in Bhopal and their supporters are sending this letter to you with the hope that you will consider the facts and arguments regarding the incident of violence on 27th anniversary of the gas disaster (3 December 2011) presented below and arrive at a rational and just decision and accordingly issue directions for appropriate action. 1.The following facts related to the protest action by survivors under the leadership of us, five organizations on December 3, 2011 deserve consideration A.The protest was centered on a legitimate demand We were only demanding that the governments at the centre and state act honestly towards obtaining proper compensation from the American companies and the first demonstration of this would be the presentation of correct figures in the curative petition pending before the Supreme Court because currently the figures are much lower than actual and are wrong. We were not pushing for some new figures. All we were doing was seek revisions in the curative petition on the basis of findings of the scientific institutions and medical documentation of the government’s at the center and the state. B.We had communicated this demand to the state government in July 2011, but for six months we received no reply. We had sent letters to your office on 25 July 2011, 17 October 2011 and on 19 November 2011 demanding revision in the figures of death and injury as presented in the curative petition before the Supreme Court by the state government. However we did not receive a single reply to any of the letters. Likewise, we received no response to the letters we wrote to the Chief Secretary on 28 October 2011 and 19 November 2011 and that sent to the Principal Secretary, Bhopal Gas Tragedy Relief and Rehabilitation Department on 19 November 2011. C.This demand is being raised by us to protect the legal rights of the gas victims. All victims of the disaster of 3 December 84 in Bhopal have the legal right to be adequately compensated for the physical and mental injuries caused by the disaster. Through the Bhopal Act of 1985, the Government of India arrogated to itself sole powers to receive compensation from Union Carbide. In 1985 the Government of India sought $3.3 billion as compensation under the Act. In 1989 the central government, without consulting a single victim entered into a settlement with the American company for $470 million which was approved by the Supreme Court on 14-15 February 1989. Because of the paltry settlement amount, 93% of gas victims received only Rs 25000 as compensation. The state government also had an important role in the violation of the legal rights of Bhopal gas victims. To justify the low settlement amount, the Claims Directorate of the state government followed a faulty system of injury assessment and pronounced 93% of the gas victims as having suffered only temporary injury. At the June 2010 meeting of the Group of Ministers on Bhopal (composed of ministers from both the state and central governments) it was accepted that the legal rights to adequate compensation of the Bhopal victims had been violated. The Group of Ministers decided on presenting a curative petition before the Supreme Court to obtain additional compensation from the American companies and this decision was subsequently implemented. Regrettably, in both the curative petitions the figure of death is about four times less than the actual and 93% gas victims have been said to be only temporarily injured. It is worth mentioning that Union Carbide’s own document says that damage caused by MIC gas is permanent, not temporary. Clearly if corrections are not made in the curative petitions on the basis of scientific figures available with the government, once again Bhopal gas victims will be denied their legal rights. If correct facts are not placed before the court, even if the court is committed to justice, a correct judgment is not possible. D.Our demand is for protection of the constitutional rights of the gas victims. This decision taken by ministers of the central and state governments was clearly against the fundamental constitutional rights of 93% of the victims (Right to Equality, Right to Life, Right to Justice). In the last 27 years because of the utter failure of the central and state governments in providing medical care and economic, social and environmental rehabilitation, majority gas victims are denied their basic needs and this discrimination against them in payment of ex-gratia amounts is clearly unconstitutional. It is worth mentioning that following from the decision by the Group of Ministers on Bhopal 5,27,000 out of 5,74,000 who had earlier received only Rs 25000 as compensation were denied any ex gratia amount and the state government has not taken any steps regarding this. E.The protest action for legitimate demand on December 3, 2011 was peaceful. F.Our peaceful protest was pre announced and the administration had sufficient notice. With regard to the rail roko protest organized on December 3, 2011 we had announced it at a press conference on 17 October 2011 and we had conveyed this information in our letters to the state government on 28 October 2011 and 19 November 2011. Had the state government responded to any of our letters in the six months or discussed the matter with us in the month following the announcement of rail roko, possibly there would have been no need for a rail roko. In this regard it is indeed regrettable that the Collector invited us for a discussion on rail roko protest on December 2, 2011 but he refused to take responsibility to organize a meeting for us with the official of the state government who could take a decision on the matter. G.We had done our best to ensure that rail passengers are troubled as little as possible because of our rail roko. Three weeks prior to rail roko protest we bought Google Ads and through that and through our website publicized the proposed protest action requesting potential passengers to change their journey date or route. Over 2,00,000 people have read our announcement and advice on the internet. Additionally gas victims participating in the rail roko action reached food and water to the passengers on a large scale. 2.The following suggest that District administration and police officials are primarily responsible for the incident of violence at one out of six protest spots on December 3, 2011. A.Lack of preparation. B.Lack of Patience C.Taking away the PA system D.Cane charge without warning E.Profanities by police officials F.Stone pelting by police G.Tear gas and firing without warning H.Police setting fire to vehicles I.Police entered people’s homes, beat them and caused damage to their property after the incident of violence. J.The police arrested innocent people in an illegal manner. 3.District administration and police officials are themselves aware of their role in the incident of violence on December 3 2011. The defensive posture assumed by the District administration and police officials is further evident by the fact that despite our personal and public requests the police officials have not presented a single photographic or video evidence to support the allegation that any of the named accused (leaders of our organisations) were either involved with violence or with instigating violence. 4.Action under severe sections are being undertaken to cover up the irregularities and misdeeds of the police. Legal action is ongoing against 14 persons under 17 criminal sections including Section 307 (murderous assault) and because of the following reasons it is prima facie evident that the accused were not part of the violence. A.6 of the 14 people who are in jail for last one and a half month have got documentary evidence to establish that they were away from the scene of violence and at their workplace during the incident of violence. 1 among the 6, Pooran Vishwakarma lost his father while he was in jail and he was let out on parole for just three hours four days after his father’s death. B.Two other persons have got documentary evidence to show that they were busy in preparations for their sister’s wedding that same evening. Both of them were arrested at a petrol pump 1km away from the place of incident with their motorcycle. C.None of the 14 persons arrested have any previous criminal charge against them. 5.17 grave criminal sections against 2000 gas victims including 35 named accused are without any basis. Because of the following reasons, the criminal cases against the gas victims are prima facie baseless, faulty and ill motivated. A.The named accused include gas affected women who are sick and above 80 years of age and incapable of committing crimes described in the FIR (stone pelting, use of sticks, use of firearms and country made guns, setting fire to vehicles, using sharp edged weapons and causing destruction to public property). B.The named accused include 17 yr old Safreen who is a child of gas affected parents and is herself sick from being exposed to contaminated ground water and is unable to commit the crimes described above. C.The named accused include 8 women, many of whom are above 60 years age, who had been arrested and sent to jail prior to the incident of violence. D.The named accused includes persons who were not at the scene of violence before, during or after the incident. There is video evidence with the police that establishes that one of these persons was 4 kms away from the scene of violence. E.The First Information Report (FIR) lists weapons (sticks, sharp edged weapons, country made guns, firearems) which are not seen in any of the photos or videos while the police claims that the entire incident has been videographed. With regard to the facts and arguments presented in Para 1-4 above, we would like to clarify that we have substantial evidence and documents to substantiate each and every fact and argument presented. We have attempted to make this letter as brief as possible keeping in mind your busy schedule. However a few important documents related to the criminal cases against gas victims are being appended. Finally on behalf of the victims of the world’s worst industrial disaster we request you to set up an independent and impartial inquiry on the incident of violence on 3 December 2011 described above as per your promise. We hope that till such an inquiry is initiated you will give rational and just direction for withdrawal of criminal cases against the arrested persons and 2000 gas victims. Awaiting your reply, we remain Sincerely Rashida Bi, Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Stationery Karmchari Sangh Nawab Khan, Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Purush Sangharsh Morcha Balkrishna Namdeo, Bhopal Gas Peedit Nirashrit Pension Bhogi Sangharsh Morcha Satinath Sarangi, Rachna Dhingra, Bhopal Group for Information and Action Safreen Khan, Children Against Dow Carbide Enclosures: 1. First Information Report of 6 cases January 26, 2012 Placing a bouquet of pink roses before a picture of Ms Alexander, Rashida Bee, President of the Bhopal Gas Peedit Stationery Karmchari Sangh said. “By speaking the truth so boldly Meredith has nailed Dow Chemical’s lies that the London Olympic Committee and its Chairman, Lord Coe believed and propagated till recently. We hope this will make LOCOG dump Dow Chemical as a sponsor of the London Games.” Rachna Dhingra of the Bhopal Group for Information and Action expressed hope that Ms. Alexander’s resignation will prompt the Indian government to express its opposition to Dow Chemical’s sponsorship more effectively. “To be taken seriously by the London Olympic Committee, the Indian Government has to do more than send a protest note. It is time for LOCOG to be told that India will not take part in the London Olympics if it continues to be sponsored by a corporation responsible for continuing death and suffering in Bhopal.” The felicitation of Ms. Alexander was part of the day long fast by Bhopal survivors seeking withdrawal of criminal cases on 2000 survivors and release of the 14 persons who are in jail for over six weeks in connection with the protest action on the 27th Anniversary of the disaster. “We are demanding that the Chief Minister keep his promise of setting up an independent inquiry on the incidence of violence and withdraw the false cases on the protestors till that happens.” said Balkrishna Namdeo, president of the Bhopal Gas Peedit Nirashrit Pension Bhogi Sangharsh Morcha. Nawab Khan, President of the Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Purush Sangharsh Morcha said “The state government has not filed a single criminal case against Dow Chemical or Union Carbide for their ongoing crime of poisoning the ground water and over 40 thousand people and has charged 2000 victims of the corporations with offences punishable by life imprisonment for peacefully demanding adequate compensation”. Holding the district administration and the police responsible for the violence on December 3, 2011, Safreen Khan of Children against Dow Carbide said “Despite reminders from the State Human Rights Commission the district and police officials have failed to answer any one of the 13 questions on the violence during our peaceful protest. The officials hope to cover up their own misdeeds by putting people in jail and charging us under as many as 17 criminal sections.” Rashida Bi, Nawab Khan, Balkrishna Namdeo, Satinath Sarangi, Rachna Dhingra, Safreen Khan, Last month on the 27th Anniversary, Bhopal survivors during their peaceful ‘rail roko’ agitation were brutally beaten up, dragged and then detained illegally by the State Administration. Their fault was to call on the State Government to correct the historic wrong and present accurate figures on disaster related deaths and injuries before the Supreme Court that is due to hear Civil Curative Petition on compensation for Bhopal Gas Victims soon. Faced with massive public condemnation, the Chief Minister met the survivors led organisations and promised an independent and impartial investigation into the matter. CALL Chief Minister & Demand Independent Inquiry For more details stay tuned to www.bhopal.net PRESS STATEMENT Survivors of the Union Carbide disaster in Bhopal today burnt an effigy of Home Minister P Chidambaram to protest against the recent decision of the Group of Ministers on Bhopal of not revising the figures of deaths and injuries caused by the disaster in the curative petition pending before the Supreme Court. Leaders of survivors’ organizations alleged that Chidambaram has a history of being devoted to Union Carbide’s owner Dow Chemical and called for his removal from the post of Chairman of the GoM. “The GoM ‘s decision not to present correct numbers of the people Union Carbide has killed and injured in Bhopal is a decision unilaterally imposed by Chidambaram on the entire group. This decision is against data from scientific studies by the government’s own apex research agency Indian Council of Medical Research” said Rashida Bee, President of the Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Stationery Karmachari Sangh. Presenting a copy of a letter written by Chidambaram to the PMO in 2006, Nawab Khan of the Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Purush Sangharsh Morcha said “Chidambaram had written to the Prime Minister to let Dow Chemical walk away from its liabilities in Bhopal. His latest attempt to downplay the damage caused by the American company shows how devoted he continues to be to Dow Chemical Company”. “Chidambaram was the lawyer for Enron the most corrupt American corporation and a Board member of Vedanta the British company responsible for ecological and human devastation. He should not have been included in the GoM on Bhopal let alone be its Chairman” said Rachna Dhingra of the Bhopal Group for Information and Action. Her organization is among the five that are calling for removal of Chidambaram as the Chairman of GoM on Bhopal. The organizations also sent a copy of a letter addressed to the Chief Minister by the four religious leaders seeking withdrawal of criminal cases against gas victims related to the incident of violence on the 27th Anniversary of the disaster last year. “Religious leaders of Hindus, Muslims, Christians and Sikhs are jointly calling for withdrawal of the criminal cases against 2000 gas victims till the Chief Minister sets up an independent inquiry on the violence on December 3, 2011” said Balkrishna Namdeo, president of the Bhopal Gas Peedit Nirashrit Pension Bhogi Sangharsh Morcha who himself has been charged with murderous assault and other grave offences. He pointed out that the district and police authorities have failed to reply to the questions raised by the State Human Rights Commission in this regard. Rashida Bi, Nawab Khan, Balkrishna Namdeo, Satinath Sarangi, Rachna Dhingra, Safreen Khan, Press Statement – FOR DETAILS OF CHARGES SEE LINKS AT THE END OF PRESS RELEASE “The Chief Minister is yet to keep his publicly stated promise of setting up an independent inquiry in to the incident of violence on the 27th anniversary of the gas disaster and innocent people are being punished without trial. It is supremely ironical that those fighting against the crimes of Union Carbide and Dow Chemical are put in jail while the perpetrators of the massacre in Bhopal remain unpunished for the last 27 years” said Rashida Bee, President of the Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Stationery Karmachari Sangh. Balkrishna Namdeo president of the Bhopal Gas Peedit Nirashrit Pension Bhogi Sangharsh Morcha who is himself accused of murderous assault and other grave offences pointed out that several women older than 80 years and with severe health problems have been named in the First Information Report as participating in violence using swords and country made guns. “The videos and photographs produced by the police officials establish my presence 4 kilometers away from the scene of violence during, before and after the entire incident and yet I am charged under Section 307 and 16 other sections of the Indian Penal Code” said Nawab Khan, President of the Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Purush Sangharsh Morcha. Satinath Sarangi of the Bhopal Group for Information and Action pointed out that the District and police administration have failed to respond to the questions raised by the State Human Rights Commission immediately after the incident of violence. “False charges have been leveled against 2000 gas victims to cover up police brutalities on peaceful women protestors that triggered the violence. The facts can only be established through an independent inquiry.” he said. He said that 6 of the 14 persons in jail for last one and half month had documentary evidence to show that they were at their workplace before and during the incident of violence. 17 year old Safreen Khan, a member of the Children against Dow Carbide who is also charged with attempt to murder and other serious offences said that the Bhopal survivors remain undaunted by the false criminal charges and are continuing with their dharna for the last 15 days. Rashida Bi, Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Stationery Karmchari Sangh 94256 88215 Nawab Khan, Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Purush Sangharsh Morcha 9302792493 Balkrishna Namdeo, Bhopal Gas Peedit Nirashrit Pension Bhogi Sangharsh Morcha Satinath Sarangi, Rachna Dhingra, Bhopal Group for Information and Action 9826167369 Safreen Khan, Children Against Dow Carbide Please revisit www.bhopal.net for more information on the Campaign for Justice in Bhopal. FOR DETAILS, SEE THE LINKS BELOW: SHRC complaint on violations of rights of accused FIR of Aishbag Police Station for Rail Roko As part of the international campaign “200 days to drop Dow Chemical as sponsors” five organizations of the survivors of the Union Carbide disaster in Bhopal today organized a protest action. Victims of the Bhopal disaster and those poisoned due to toxic waste from the abandoned factory in Bhopal, joined victims of Dow Chemical in Vietnam, Nicaragua, United States and England to demand that the organizing committee of the London Olympics, set to begin from July 27 this year, cancel Dow Chemical’s sponsorship. The survivors’ organizations said that through its purchase of Union Carbide in 2001, Dow Chemical has inherited the criminal, civil and environmental liabilities of Union Carbide in Bhopal. They said that by having this corporation as a sponsor the Olympics organizing committee was encouraging it to continue to evade its liabilities in Bhopal. “It is ironical that champion runner Sebastian Coe is helping Dow run away from its liabilities in Bhopal,” said Rashida Bee, president of the Bhopal Gas Peedit Stationery Karmchari Sangh. Standing with raised fists in the shape of a diamond, that of Dow’s logo, hundreds of children with birth defects and survivors of the disaster held up a sign saying “Don’t let Dow contaminate the Olympics”. Balkrishna Namdeo of the Bhopal Gas Peedit Nirashrit Pension Bhogi Sangharsh Morcha said “Dow Chemical has paid compensation to victims of Union Carbide in USA after it took over the company, but in the Indian Supreme Court it is refusing to honour liabilities to pay additional compensation to Bhopal victims.” In a soon to be heard curative petition survivors’ organizations are seeking $8.1 billion as additional compensation for the continuing deaths and injuries caused by the disaster. Safreen Khan of Children Against Dow-Carbide holds Dow Chemical responsible for the contamination of ground water in her community. She pointed out that because of Dow Chemical’s refusal to clean up the hazardous waste left by Union Carbide factory, 40000 people are routinely exposed to cancer and birth defect causing chemicals. She said that by allowing Dow Chemical as a sponsor Lord Coe was encouraging Dow to continue to poison the unborn. Nawab Khan, President of the Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Purush Sangharsh Morcha said that Dow Chemical was sheltering Union Carbide which is charged with culpable homicide for the disaster in Bhopal and is absconding from Indian courts. He said that Dow Chemical is also facing criminal charges for bribing Indian officials. “Sponsorship by a criminal corporation such as Dow Chemical is against the very spirit of Olympics. Lord Coe is not only doing a disservice to the Bhopal victims, he is betraying all who are part of the Olympic movement.” he charged. Meanwhile the indefinite dharna (sit in) for additional compensation from Dow Chemical by the five survivors’ organizations continued on its seventh day at the Yadgare Shahajahani park. The organizations are also demanding withdrawal of criminal cases against 2000 gas victims and release of 15 persons who continue to be in jail in connection with the incident of violence on the 27th Anniversary of the disaster. Rashida Bi, Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Stationery Karmchari Sangh I left my house with my mother and 18 other women from my neighbourhood to be part of the rail roko. At 11:00 am we all reached Barkhedi crossing. We sat on the tracks for almost an hour and there were thousands of people all around us. We were all shouting slogans. There were lots of police and then a few female police started dragging women towards the blue police truck. When police started dragging the women two men pleaded with the cops not to drag women like that. The police did not listen to anyone and must have dragged 3-4 women into the police vehicle. Then I saw total chaos break loose. There must have been 100 cops with lathis who just started to beat up women. They did not bother to see who they were hitting they continued with lathis and whoever came in their way got hurt. During all of this one of the police lathis hit me in my right eye and then came the second lathi which hit me in the back of my head. I saw blood coming out I realised that I had to leave and also had to get my mother out as she is very old and it would be hard for her to run. I grabbed my mother’s hand and then my mother was hit by a police lathi on her head. My mother fell down and she was bleeding profusely. Her entire sari was covered with blood. There was so much blood and it seemed like someone had slaughtered a goat. Then three men came and they picked up my mother gave her some water and put her in an auto. I took her to the nearest private hospital (Mansi Hospital) and she got eight stitches. The hospital asked me for Rs 200 and I told them I had no money to pay them. I was so afraid that if my mother’s injuries were not looked at she just might die from excessive bleeding. We must have reached home by 3:30 pm and for next two days we did not go to the government hospital. We have been scared that police are going to come pick us up and will take us to jail. We have been reading in the newspapers that police have filed charges against 1,500 people and they have been picking up men from their houses at night. We didn’t do anything to deserve such treatment. We had just gone to ask for our rights and we sat on the tracks peacefully. I did not even think that police would beat us so brutally. At around 10:30 am about 45 women from my neighbourhood left to join the Rail Roko agitation. We all reached the tracks by 11:20 am and there were many women laying on the tracks and we also laid down on the tracks. I was surrounded by many women and there were so many people that all men were sitting beside the track. I was sitting with all the women from my neighbourhood as well and we were also listening to slogan chanting happening on the PA system. Then police started asking us to leave the tracks and started dragging one of the women who was wearing blue clothes. They were dragging her into the police vehicle and while she was being dragged one of the police women kicked her as well. I saw a young girl in black clothes was pulled and dragged by two female cops and put into the police vehicle. I continued to sit and so did everyone and when police asked us to leave we told them that we will not leave until our demands were met. Then all I could hear was sound of lathis around me and women around me being beaten up. I also got hit twice. A lot of women were running and I also started to run with them but then I fell. There was massive stone pelting happening from both sides. I cannot remember much, but I do remember that two young boys took me to the 108 emergency vehicle. Inside the vehicle there were 3 policemen. The nurse dressed me up and asked me to leave the vehicle. I could barely see because both of my eyes were swollen and I was in intense pain. At 10.30 I reached there with about 20 women and lay down on the tracks. Some policemen said the photo session is over and now you can go – your work is over. We said we will not go. Bhaiyya was there. I saw smoke and heard a loud blast. After this the train blew its horn and put on its headlights. The women who were lying on the tracks got frightened and stood up. A policewoman with short hair told us not to shout slogans. The ADM came and told the police to drag the women and put them in the police vans. He then asked, who is your leader and we replied that we do not have any leader, we have come with our demands. Poonam (60) hit on head When Namdeo went a little further from us, the police hit Poonam who was sitting near me and is about 60 years, she was hit on the head with the baton. She started bleeding. Three women took her to the cabin. Then Basanti was hit on her hand. I told them to stop all this and also got hit on the hand. They hit Bibbo aged about 65, on the head; I saw blood and started feeling dizzy. They hit another woman who was with me on her legs. With all this, I panicked, at the same time stones started raining. Three or four boys came and surrounded us to rescue us from the lathis and took us away from there. From Aishbagh police station I again came back to the cabin. I took Poonam, Bibbo and Basanti to the No. 108, a madam was there and I told her these people are bleeding please give them some treatment. At the same time five policemen came with minor injuries nor were any of them bleeding, but they were the first to get attention. I asked the madam to put bandage on these old women, she told me to shut up. Another policeman came who was hurt and he said “first put bandages on the mothers”. Then my nephew who is about 13 years came and said a bomb has gone off and a boy has been hurt in the leg. I started feeling sick and just sat down. I reached near Aishbagh railway crossing at about 10.45. There already was a big crowd which had stopped one train. Tara Bai came and gave the banner. The women were sitting peacefully. The boys were shouting slogans. After that we talked with the ADM. He said that your symbolic protest is over; now get up from the tracks. I told him that our protest is indefinite, arrange a meeting with the CM, we will discuss the matter with him and then decide. Then the ADM reached out his hands to catch hold of me and all the women who were sitting on the tracks came and stood around me. The ADM said you people will not listen and then walked away. Then I went to the announcement auto where they were announcing that the protest is peaceful and will continue till the demands are met. Then I went back to the tracks and Safreen came and told me that the police have snatched the mike along with the cord. I told we’ll see about that later. The media people came to me, the slogans continued. There was no inkling that there would be stone pelting. Then a sound came like a cracker bursting, I was standing near the engine, Rashida was near the gate. Somebody said that it was a bomb. People started getting up started shouting ‘Run’ ‘run’. I asked the women to keep sitting but they also shouted ‘run, run’. Some men and boys came near the engine and said that women are being beaten up. I asked the women who were near me to go and see what is happening. At that time there no fire anywhere. Women started to scream. I took some of the elderly women towards the road, took some 10-15 women and made them sit behind the bushes. I saw that the police were beating the women on the tracks with batons. After that the stone pelting started – from both sides, like rain. I then sent the women under the train. The policemen were picking up stones. I took the women from under the train towards Pul Boghda, to the temple and from there to the old ‘Galla Mandi’ and they went away. By that time the police were running on the road with batons, and were throwing tear gas. I waited with the women at the temple. I saw a vehicle on fire. After that Rachna called and said that we have to go and meet the CM, to meet her within 15 minutes. I then went through Barkhedi to Patra and from there to Dwarka Nagar. I remember Monika Shukla saying “beat the bitches with lathis” At 11.00 Nafiza and I along with Yashmeen and 3 other women reached Barkhedi gate and went to the tracks. We sat on the tracks for some time and then came to the auto. Yashmeen and I sat in the auto, Hazra had told us to be in the auto. Yashmeen was announcing, I went to the tracks and sat with the other women, both the gates of the level crossing opened. The police were telling the people to go away. We said we will not move. We saw Rashida Bee talking to the Collector and Hazra Bi speaking to one constable. Then Yashmeen came and said the mike has been snatched – she told this to Rashida Bee, she asked us to go back and she is coming. I then went to Hazra Bee, she was asking the men to go back, some of them were drunk (I can recognise two of them) Hazra Bee was keeping these men away from the women with a small stick. A man in civil dress, aged about 40, wearing white shirt with stripes came and started calling the police. Hazra was keeping the men away and so I called her back. The man in the striped shirt and other police men called the blue police van. Nafisa, Hazra and I felt that they were going to arrest, so we lay on the tracks and the other women also lay down. The man in the striped shirt pulled me; two women came and put me in the van. In the scuffle with the man in striped shirt, I lost my phone. Inside the van I told the police that my mobile has fallen please get it back. The police refused and they held my hand and made me stand up. They brought two more women and after that they brought Hazra Bee, asked her if she has my mobile and she replied no. Nafisa Bee was also brought to the van. I saw that the stoning had started and two police women were pushing Nafisa into the van. I said, Mummy come up inside, they are pelting stones, she came inside and the van started. The doors were open and I jumped out. Outside there was stoning. When I reached the tracks some women were near the engine. I searched for Yashmeen and the mobile; I went and sat with the women who were near the engine. Sitting there I could see that the stoning was from both sides. The women started to move from there. From the Aishbagh side people were throwing stones at the police. I was seeing this from the gate. I saw some people overturning a police vehicle. I saw a woman who was hurt on the head and was bleeding. A woman was taking her to the 108. Two media persons were saying that the police are being beaten up. Soon after I heard gun shots and every body shouted, they are firing. When coming from Barkhedi towards Aishbagh, I saw the police beating the people with batons and removing them from the tracks. I met Rashida Bee who was pacifying the women. She was asking everybody not to throw stones. I was also with her. The people asked us not to go further, we came towards the Aishbagh side of the gate and Aapa spoke to Satyu. When we reached the lane we saw boys running, they were saving themselves from the stones. Near the small bridge we met Shoaib, Naeem and Amir from Budhwara. Then all of us, Yashmeen, Shoaib, Naeem and Amir went searching for the mobile. When we reached the tracks there were lots of police near the gate and they did not allow us to go forward. We saw smoke coming from Barkhedi side and all of us came back to Rashida. We spoke to her about where to go and she told us that it is peaceful at all the other places and that we should go to Nishatpura, that Sathyu has been told. After this we reached Dwarka Nagar by walking on the tracks. By 9:30 a.m. there were 5,000 people near the railway crossing. I got there about 9.45 a.m. just after the crowd had tried to stop the Punjab Mail. The SP (Superintendant of Police), TI and six police (4 male, 2 female) started trying to remove people. It wasn’t yet time and the crowd let the Punjab Mail go. I got there after the train had gone through. Lathis (long clubs) were being shown (brandished) but no one was being beaten. I went and lay down on the tracks. It was 10:30 a.m. when I lay on the tracks – we were saying to the police that we would begin the action at 11 o’clock. Why were they waving their lathis at the public? The police would not allow our protest. They tried to pull me up. Now there were more people. The goods train with the diesel tankers was seen coming from Pul Bogda side. The train continued coming forward blowing its horn. It was stopped before it reached the level crossing gate and then lots of police arrived. They came and stood near the train. It was 11.45; women kept coming and sat on the tracks. The police were saying start the train. The train started moving; there were at least 1,000 people. As soon as the train started, I lay down again and the train stopped. Two women constables picked me up and put me beside the tracks. All the women came towards the train and lay down on the tracks. There was Rahisa, women from Taufeekh Bagh, women belonging to BGNPBSM, women from the shanties along the railway track all came where I was being held by the police. Men, boys and children all came shouting “Hamme hamara haq chahiye – Sahi muawjaa chahiye”. “We want our rights – We want proper compensation”. The railway crossing gate was open earlier but was brought down and closed. The Collector arrived; he was accompanied by the riot police numbering about 50 and two women constables. A man in plain clothes wearing white shirt came and said, come and talk to the Collector. I told him that I have seen the Collector and if he wants to say anything he will come here. He said you should go to the Collector. Then I stood up and shouted slogans. All during this time the train was hooting (its horn) continuously. Our auto with the mike was near the crossing gate. I went to the mike and announced, please do not blow the horn and frighten the people, people are sitting peacefully, blowing horn will frighten them, we want co-operation from the police, you are also gas affected. We are doing everything peacefully, you also maintain peace. After that I went amidst the women and asked everyone to sit down. I asked everybody to shout the same slogan. Somebody was shouting ‘Anna Hazare – zindabad.’ The Collector called me from the other side of the railway gate. I went and he said, get about 10 people and come and meet the Chief Minister. I replied that this is not something I can do individually; we will have to consult among ourselves. He said; take 10 people from here and come. I replied that we have been writing letters for the last 1 to 2 months but the CM did not give us any time. I will have to discuss this with the other organisations and any decision can be arrived at, only after that. The Collector asked me to call Rachna Dhingra. I asked for 10 minutes. I tried several times to call Rachna, but was not able to. Jamal Ayyub came and said to the Collector and to me that some journalist can be asked to contact Rachna. But that also did not happen. Jamal Ayyub said we cannot do this on our own. While all this was going on, the police surrounded us from two sides. During this time thousands of people were sitting on the tracks, from Pul Bogda to Barkhedi crossing. Then the police opened both the gates. They lifted the people by pulling their hair and the male police dragged the women on to the metal (stones) lying on the side of the tracks – Hazra, Nafisa, Baano Bi – four or five, women were hit by the police, they started bleeding. Some women went into the cabin near the tracks. Then the police started caning the boys. Many boys removed the women from the cabin and from the tracks, at this time the lathi charge by the police was going on. The public was running away. I fell down and some people ran over me. Then the public picked up stones, and it started raining stones. The police also started pelting stones. I told the people not to throw stones but nobody was listening. Stones were being pelted by both the public and the police. The police started to run towards Pul Bogda. Three or four vehicles of the police came with RAF jawans and burst tear gas without warning anyone. I called Sathyu on the phone who said, Aapa somehow try to stop all this. On Sathyu’s advice I came in between the police and the public. By that time a white colour jeep was on fire. I then went towards the road and asked people with folded hands to maintain peace. Some boys stopped pelting stones. After that when I went to the gate and 50 to 60 women again came and sat on the tracks. The police started to fire from Pul Bogda side. Some of the boys in the crowd went towards the train and said they will set it to fire. I told them the whole bagh will be on fire. The boys said, put the Pulzar motorcycle under the goods train. But I intervened and somehow managed to turn them off. They stoned the rail engine and broke its window panes. The public scattered due to the firing. By that time more police had reached, and were pursuing people into the lanes and into homes and beating them up. I have seen all this. Then I got a call from Sathyu saying that we have to meet the CM. So I started walking on the tracks towards north. The riot continued behind me. When the collector was talking with me, somebody burnt an effigy on the other side of the gate. There was a cracker in it. The collector told me that I am letting bombs go off. I told him it was just a cracker and went to the other side and managed to get some water and put the fire out. The Collector then said that I will not be able to manage the public and they will manage the situation. To which I told him that on 3rd December people usually burn effigies, he said you people will not understand.
Bhopal survivors support Koodankulam struggle
in Chennai: Nityanand Jayaraman, International Campaign for Justice in Bhopal, nity682@gmail.com
in Bhopal: Rachna Dhingra, rachnya@gmail.comSurvivors ask Chief Minister to withdraw false cases
DOWNLOAD THE LETTER IN THE ORIGINAL HINDI
The Chief Minister
Government of Madhya Pradesh
Mantralaya, Vallabh Bhawan
Bhopal, M.P.
Through this protest, we were demanding that the governments at the centre and state carry out necessary corrections in the figures of deaths and injuries caused by Union Carbide based on figures of Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and hospitals meant for gas affected people in the curative petition filed in the Supreme Court.
In the meeting of the Group of Ministers on June 2010 described above, following the admission that Bhopal gas victims have received inadequate compensation it was decided that families of the deceased and those victims with serious injury would be paid ex gratia amounts as relief.
We had called for peaceful Rail Roko on December 3 2011 in which thousands of gas victims took part at six places between Subash Nagar railway crossing and Nishatpura. In five out of these six places – Nishatpura, Kainchi Chhola, Chhola Naka, Berasia Road Crossing and Bharat Talkies overbridge there was no breach of peace at all. Only at one spot, Barkhedi-Aishbag railway crossing, there was violence that was initiated by District administration and police officials about which we will present facts later. We would like to bring to your attention that to ensure that protest on December 3, 2011 remained peaceful we had explained the method of peaceful protest to the gas victims through a video film that was screened in different communities over a period of one and a half month.
As has been said above in Para A, we five organisations have given detailed information regarding our demand to the state government since July 2011. In addition, through our rally of July 25 2011, successful Bhopal bandh on 11 October 2011 and several press conferences, we have provided detailed information related to our demand and on protest actions organized by us to secure this demand.
As has been mentioned above, because we had made prior announcement and the preparation for the protest action were all in public, the District administration and police officials had more than enough notice for adequate preparation. Despite this there was serious negligence in this respect. Lack of preparedness is a significant reason behind irregularities committed by the officials at the place of incident and this has been taken in cognizance by the State Human Rights Commission that has sought answers from concerned officials.
After the rail roko protest action began on December 3, 2011, the Collector asked one of our colleagues, Mrs. Rashida Bee to come for a meeting with the Chief Minister with 10 persons. Mrs. Rashida Bee sought ten minutes time from him so that she could discuss it with other organisation leaders. However the Collector could not wait for ten minutes and ordered cane charging in 3 to 4 minutes thus, initiating violence.
It is worth mentioning that on 3 December 2011 the means to establish communication with the protestors was the PA system which was taken away by the police following orders from the officials just before the cane charge. After police began the violence we leaders were not able to pacify those protestors who had resorted to counter violence as self protection.
As been mentioned above in Para A & B because of lack of preparation, required patience and knowledge of established rules, the Collector gave an order of cane charging without any warning. The State Human Rights Commission has asked questions in this regard that remain unanswered till date. The first protestors to be beaten up and left bleeding were the old women who were taking part in peaceful protest. The young men who came forward to save the lives of these old women were also beaten with sticks which was the reason for eruption of violence.
Before sticks started raining on the protestors the city Superintendent of Police, Mrs. Monica Shukla publicly abused the women and used humiliating language against the protestors for which there are several eye witnesses.
Following the order of cane charging a few people, in order to protect the old women and themselves, threw stones at the police. In response to this, the police resorted to stone pelting in a huge scale about which we have substantial photo and video evidence.
Following cane charging and stone pelting by the police, tear gas shells were burst without warning that lead to critical injuries to a 14 year old Daud Ansari causing grievous hurt.
Several government and public vehicles were set on fire on 3 December 2011. According to a reliable witness a policemen standing next to her handed over a piece of cloth to man who had covered his face with handkerchief and asked him to set a particular vehicle on fire. We have a photograph of the man with his face covered with a handkerchief.
We have reliable witnesses and evidence that show that one hour after peace was restored in the area, 40-50 policemen entered some 20-25 houses in Umrao Dulha Bag near Gol Kabristan and beat up people with sticks and kicked them. The policemen damaged furniture and broke doors and windows and smashed 10-15 vehicles parked outside.
Following the incident of violence, 14 persons who were gas victims themselves or children of gas affected parents were arrested by the police. They were beaten badly with sticks in presence of several eye witnesses and many of them were also beaten up at the police station. The arrested persons were not informed about the charges against them and they were not allowed to contact their family members and lawyers. They were stripped to their underwear at the police station and were not provided with any food or protection from cold.
It is worth mentioning that since the incident of December 3, 2011 the District administration and police official are busy trying to defend themselves and suppress facts. This is the reason why despite repeated questioning by the State Human Rights Commission the Collector and police officials have not responded to a single question. It is worth mentioning that in order to receive answers to these questions the Commission has sent reminders.
Thanking You
94256 88215
9302792493
9826167369
2. Information on arrested persons Bhopalis praise the honesty of Meredith Alexander
PRESS STATEMENT
Five organizations of the survivors of the Union Carbide disaster in Bhopal today felicitated Ms. Meredith Alexander, who resigned as Chairperson of the ethics committee of the London Olympics Committee over sponsorship of the London Olympics by Dow Chemical, current owner of Union Carbide.
Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Stationery Karmchari Sangh
94256 88215
Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Purush Sangharsh Morcha
9302792493
Bhopal Gas Peedit Nirashrit Pension Bhogi Sangharsh Morcha
Bhopal Group for Information and Action
9826167369
Children Against Dow Carbide
Please visit www.bhopal.net for more information on the Campaign for Justice in Bhopal.Bhopal Action Alert: Please call the Chief Minister, Madhya Pradesh
However subsequently,
Ø 2000 gas survivors are indicted with false charges including that of murderous assault.
Ø 14 men, with no prior criminal record, have been in jail for last six weeks. Out of these, 8 men were not even present at the blockade.
Ø Women as old as 80 years, battling severe health problems, charged with participating in violence using swords and guns.
Release those detained & Drop Charges against All the Gas Victims until inquiry is finished
CALL NOW
Ø S.K.Mishra (Officer on Special Duty to Chief Minister): 91-9425185550
Ø Deepak Khandekar (PS to Chief Minister) 91-9981306364 or 91-755-2441314Bhopal survivors burn Dow’s dog
January 14, 2012
DOW’S DOG GOES UP IN FLAMES: ENJOY THE PICTURES
HIGH RES VERSIONS AVAILABLE ON REQUEST
Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Stationery Karmchari Sangh
94256 88215
BhopalGas Peedit Mahila Purush Sangharsh Morcha
9302792493
Bhopal Gas Peedit Nirashrit Pension Bhogi Sangharsh Morcha
9826345423
Bhopal Group for Information and Action
9826167369
Children Against Dow CarbideSurvivors call for immediate withdrawal of false charges
January 16, 2012
Five organizations of survivors of the Union Carbide today held a demonstration today calling for immediate withdrawal of criminal cases against 35 named and 2000 unnamed gas victims in connection with their protests action on December 3, 2011. The organizations demanded immediate release of 14 persons who are in jail for the last one and half month and setting up of an independent inquiry by the government before taking any penal action.Two hundred days to drop Dow
PRESS STATEMENT
January 9 2012
94256 88215
Balkrishna Namdeo Nirashrit Pension Bhogi Sangharsh Morcha
Nawab Khan,
Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Purush Sangharsh Morcha
9303831487
Safreen Khan, Children Against Dow-Carbide
Satinath Sarangi, Rachna Dhingra, Bhopal Group for Information and Action 9826167369
Police brutally beat old ladies with cudgelsMullo Bai, 65, gas affected and her mother Jamvati, 82
This hospital is situated on the main road and I saw many policemen running on the streets chasing men and even women with sticks. I pleaded with them to stop their violence. I asked them if they would kill us today by beating us. Then two policemen who were blocking our way let both of us leave. After walking 20 steps we were stopped by more policemen and they asked what had happened to us. I told them it was due to their lathis that my mother’s head was bleeding and I had a black eye and swelling on my face. Then the police sent me to the emergency vehicle for dressing of my wounds. I received two stitches on my head and I was asked to go home. Meena, 40
I started to walk and covered one eye with one hand as it hurt too much to keep it open. Then I saw one of my neighborhood women and I called her towards me. She could barely recognize me and it was them who brought me back in an auto. I have been so scared of the police that I did not even go to the government hospital to get any treatment. I can barely afford the private doctor but I have been paying him Rs 200 to come and visit the house every day so that he can give me injection for pain.Tarabai
Namdeo
Safreen, 16
Rashida Bee
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