My father worked at the Oak Ridge facilility of Union Carbide in the 60's. He died of lung cancer in 1996. The U.S. government paid my mother $250,000 under the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act. The people of Bhopal, India have also been horrifically affected by Union Carbide's negligence. For them there has been little compensation. They still protest and stage dharnas (fasts) demanding justice for survivors and an environmental clean-up from the offenders.




This is one of the most famous pictures from Bhopal.

Last Tuesday, protestors again gathered in Bhopal to demand action.

Protestors in Bhopal, India commemorated the Union Carbide pesticide gas leak that killed as many as 15,000 people in December of 1984. The group made Dharna demands. Here are the demands:

1. Set up a Special Commission on Bhopal for the next 30 years to address the following issues affecting people (and their children) exposed to Union Carbide's poisons. The Bhopal Commission must have survivors' representatives and the necessary funds and authority to carry out its tasks.

a) Medical Care Research and Monitoring

b) Social and Economic Rehabilitation

c) Environmental Remediation

d) Safe Drinking Water


2. Take legal action against Dow

a) Pursue the Ministry of Chemicals' application in the MP High Court seeking money from Dow Chemical for toxic clean up in Bhopal

b) Move for extradition of the authorized representative of Union Carbide Corporation and prime accused Warren Anderson

c) Revoke approval given to Reliance Industries for purchase of Union Carbide's Unipol technology, which is intellectual property that must be confiscated as Union Carbide has been absconding since 1992

d) Cancel registration for all four pesticides, including Dursban, obtained by bribing Agriculture Ministry officials as established by the Securities & Exchange Commission, USA

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The night ended with women and children being stripped and beaten by police.

June 10, 2008
Hunger Strike begins with police beatings of women and children

NEW DELHI, 10 JUNE, 2008


Nine Bhopal activists, including survivors of the 1984 Bhopal disaster, victims of water contamination and their supporters today commenced an indefinite hunger strike to underscore their demands for a special empowered commission for rehabilitation in Bhopal, and legal action against Dow Chemical and Union Carbide. Joining them in the global hunger strike is noted Booker-shortlisted author Indra Sinha, who will begin his fast today from his residence in South West France. "The Prime Minister underestimates the emotive power of the Bhopal struggle. The hunger strike will catalyse global opinion against the Prime Minister's refusal to yield to the Bhopalis' justified demands," said Sinha, author of Commonwealth Prize-winning book Animal's People.

Three of the hunger strikers – Rachna Dhingra (30), Irshaad Khan (20) and Meera More (27) – are among 36 that were arrested yesterday for staging a die-in in front of the Prime Minister's Office. Toteach the Bhopalis a lesson, more than 15 policepersons, including one woman cop and two plainclothesmen, strip-searched, whipped and slapped Bhopali youth and children who were in police custody last night. Suresh Pal was stripped, beaten and locked up. 11-year old Yasmin, who walked from Bhopal to Delhi, and six-year old Nagma were beaten up by the police, while 19-year old Imran was whipped with a belt and hurt in the eye for intervening when policemen began abusing and dragging Rachna into the lock-up. Mahendra Singh, a plainclothesman who masterminded the operation, said "In saaliyon ke kapde fado." (Tear the clothes off these bitches). The arrested persons will be produced before the magistrate today. Of the 36, 18, including 9 children, 7 women and two men, said they will not post a bail. If imprisoned, Dhingra, Irshad and More will start the fast in jail.

http://www.bhopal.net/blog_pr/archives/200...