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THAT NIGHT, Shortly after midnight poison gas leaked from a factory in Bhopal, India, owned by Union Carbide Corporation. There was no warning, none of the plant's safety systems were working. In the city people were sleeping. They woke in darkness to the sound of screams with the gases burning their eyes, noses and mouths. They began retching and coughing up froth streaked with blood. Whole neighbourhoods fled in panic, some were trampled, others convulsed and fell dead. People lost control of their bowels and bladders as they ran. Within hours thousands of dead bodies lay in the streets. Read a survivor's account of "that night". More background here. WWW.BHOPAL.CON Bhopal.con's critique deals solely with statements made by Dow-Union Carbide in its bhopal.com PR website, which are here reproduced verbatim.
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'Walk Your Talk' campaign ends in victory!!!
New Delhi. August 8th, 2008 -- Today, at last, after a punishing 500 mile walk over 38 days, a 73 day dharna in Delhi and a 60 day worldwide relay hunger strike, Bhopal survivors celebrated a historic victory in their 23 year battle for rehabilitation and a life of dignity and health when the government of India announced it would set up an Empowered Commission on Bhopal and take legal action on the criminal and civil liabilities of Union Carbide and Dow Chemical. The victory was hard won, following on from the longest sustained campaign by survivors since Union Carbide's disaster in Bhopal. The Bhopal padyatris completed their exhausting, epic, 38 day march to Delhi on March 28th. Read the news of their arrival . Having reached Delhi with sore feet but unflagging spirits, Bhopali survivors of Dow & Union Carbide set up camp on the pavement at Jantar Mantar, refusing to leave until Prime Minister Manmohan Singh agreed to meet promises made two years ago concerning economic, social and medical rehabilitation, and provision of clean drinking water. On March 31st, In a strong message of solidarity, two national party leaders joined the dharna. This less than 48 hours after Delhi police arrested 30 Bhopalis at India Gate. On April 16th, 11 year old contamination affected Yasmin wrote the PM a letter in blood. One day later, the Group of Ministers on Bhopal endorsed the Bhopalis' demands, leaving cabinet ministers the sole obstruction to the Bhopal marchers being finally able to return home. On April 21st, 280 eminent legal professionals declared proposals to immunise Dow against ongoing court proceedings to be both unconstitutional and illegal. On April 29th, children physically affected by water contamination - Bhopal's 'generation-next' - accused officials of criminal negligence. On May 12th, survivors found an unlikely ally in their insistence on Dow's legal liability for Bhopal: the Indian Law Ministry. On May 21st, in frustration at his continued inaction, 40 survivors chained themselves to the PM's fence and were arrested. On June 9th, following a 'die-in' outside the PM's offices, police arrested Bhopali women and children and among those beaten was a girl of six. The next day, nine Bhopalis began an indefinite hunger strike. On June 19th, the day the 22 detained Bhopalis were finally released from Tihar jail, over 200 Indian groups castigated the PM over Bhopal. On July 1st and after 22 days without food the nine hunger strikers broke their fast and were immediately replaced by nine others, who later handed on to fasters from across the world. Five weeks later came the news of victory. 'Walk Your Talk' films See Al Jazeera's footage of the Feb 20th send-off 'Walk Your Talk' coverage Major events of the 'Walk Your Talk' campaign Hunger strike for justice and dignity: June 10-August 8 Daily blog and photos from the Delhi dharna: March 28-June 10 Daily blog and photos from the march: February 20-March 28 Selected solidarity actions Parliamentary and written pleas to the PM Delhi citizens rally for Bhopal 100 Bhopal protestors raise ruckus in New York Second protest hits Washington UK supporters confront Indian officials UK parliamentarians support the padyatris Chennai vigil supports the padyatra Bhopal campaign reaches Washington Delhi IIT students sign up for justice Resources: The 2008 Padyatra: why we had to walk again Survivors' demands to the Prime Minister See a map of the route the 2008 padyatra took Factsheets from the 2006 padyatra 500 village women halt Dow's mega-centre in Pune
Chakhan, Pune. January 19th, 2007 -- Dow's plans for a Rs. 4 billion research and development centre near Pune - its blue chip entry card into commercial respectability in India - are today in profound crisis. Over the last four days more than 500 women associated with the local 15-village Bhamchandragarh Bachao Warkari Farmer Sangharsh Samiti have blocked all entry into the construction site, dug up the only road leading to it and told Dow that it will not be allowed to set up its operations until it addresses its unmet responsibilities in Bhopal. The event marks an astonishing escalation of resistance to Dow's expansion into India that must now be described as nothing less than a national uprising. More: Victory to women agitators! Govt. releases all protestors, agrees to halt work at Dow site Villagers hold protest rally, say Dow go back Bhopal tragedy comes to haunt Dow R&D unit, villagers block road to site Villagers dig up road; block construction of Dow R&D centre Protestors halt work at Dow Chemical centre Bhopal gas leak controversy continues Irregularities in Dow plant sanction Kicked out: now Dow is ostracised from IIT Delhi
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Stop Dow in Pune: send a free fax direct to the Chief Minister of Maharashtra
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