[act-ma] Uphold International Law! Stop Shielding Dow Chemical from Accountability for Corporate Crimes in Bhopal, India

[Umang Kumar]

On May 15th 2016 the International Campaign for Justice in Bhopal (ICJB)​​
will be posting a petition on the White House's website, demanding that the
US government stop shielding Dow Chemical from its liabilities in Bhopal.
We'll have 30 days to collect 100,000 signatures - if we meet that goal,
then the White House is obligated to respond to us.

A call to the US Department of Justice to stop shielding Dow Chemical from
justice. We will collect signatures to the White House calling for action:

“Uphold International Law! Stop Shielding Dow Chemical from Accountability
for Corporate Crimes in Bhopal, India”

WHAT: A vigil protesting the delay of justice to the victims of Bhopal gas
tragedy
WHEN - SUN 5PM MAY 15 @MIT steps at 77 Mass. Ave Cambridge MA
[https://whereis.mit.edu/?go=L8]

In 1984 a factory majority-owned by Union Carbide (UCC, a US corporation)
leaked toxic gas in Bhopal, India, killing 8000-10000 people instantly &
maiming 500,000 more. India charged UCC with manslaughter but UCC refused
to show for trial. Dow Chemical bought UCC in 2001 but has not made UCC
available to face charges. Under a Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty, India
sent 4 notices to the US Dept. of Justice to summon Dow to explain UCC’s
whereabouts. The DoJ has ignored or obstructed every notice. The same DoJ
made BP pay a $4.5 billion criminal fine for 11 US deaths on Deepwater
Horizon. 31 years of US protection of UCC and Dow must end. We insist that
the govt. meet its obligations under Treaty & international law by
immediately serving notice upon Dow to attend court in Bhopal on July 13,
2016.

Background Information on Campaign
December 3, 1984: 8,000-10,000 people killed in Bhopal, India after toxic
gas escaped from a Union Carbide Corporation (UCC – a US
corporation)-majority owned factory. Hundreds of thousands of people
continue to suffer from debilitating health problems caused by exposure to
the gas. The current death toll of the disaster is 25, 000 and counting.
Children gassed 32 years ago are currently dying painful, untimely deaths
in their mid thirties.
1991: Indian courts charged UCC and Warren Anderson, its CEO at the time of
the disaster, with culpable homicide. Both UCC and Anderson refused to come
to India to face the criminal charges and so both have been proclaimed
“fugitives from justice” in India for a quarter of a century. (Anderson
died in 2015, but the charges still stand against UCC)
2001: UCC merged with US corporation Dow Chemical, and Dow eventually
became its 100% owner. As per Indian and US law, when Dow took over the
assets of UCC it also took over the civil, criminal and environmental
liabilities of Bhopal. Dow settled all of UCC’s liabilities in the USA but
ignored those in Bhopal.

2014-2016: For decades the US government has thrown obstacles in the way of
international justice for the victims and survivors of the disaster. Most
recently, between 2014 and 2015, India sent 4 court summonses for Dow
Chemical to the US Department of Justice, which under the terms of a Mutual
Legal Assistance Treaty between India and the USA should be served to Dow.
But the Department of Justice has ignored or obstructed all four. As of
April 2016, the DOJ has not served any of them to Dow. Our petition is
asking the White House and DOJ to forward these court notices to Dow, as
they are legally required to. After 32 years, the survivors of the world’s
worst industrial disaster continue without justice because the US
government stands idly by, ignoring its legal responsibilities.

Contact: Santosh - 716.930.6449
Event organized by AID Boston and International Campaign for Justice in
Bhopal
https://www.facebook.com/aidboston/
https://www.facebook.com/InternationalCampaignforJusticeinBhopal/


-- 
"The woods are lovely, dark and deep"