See US Congressional Letter to Dow 18jul03
Too many people put too much faith in the virtues of conscience. How else can one explain the fact that 19 years after a city was poisoned by the fumes of methyl isocyanate emanating from a chemical plant, the man ultimately responsible for the tragedy continues to be free. Meanwhile, thousands of people in Bhopal continue to suffer the effects of the gas leak from a Union Carbide (UC) plant on the night of December 2-3, 1984. More than 4,000 people died in the immediate aftermath of the incident that Dow Chemical - the company with which UC merged in 2001 - still insists was an 'industrial accident' for which it is not responsible. The 82-year-old Warren Anderson, the then CEO of UC, remains 'untraceable' - despite a Greenpeace worker managing to track him down at an upscale resort in Long Island, New York, in 2002.
Mr
Warren M Anderson,
Then company CEO
At the core of this travesty of justice lies realpolitik. The 'whispered' explanation for Mr Anderson - and the others accused - not being brought to book has been the Indian government's supposed fear that pursuing the case would discourage future American MNCs from setting up shop in India. Through the auspices of the CBI, New Delhi did try to dilute the charge of 'culpable homicide' against Mr Anderson to 'negligence causing death'. Whatever be the truth regarding India's position on the matter, it now seems that a group of US Congressmen has decided to do their bit for Bhopal's long-suffering victims.
Led by India Caucus activist Frank Pallone and 17 other American legislators, Dow Chemicals has been asked to address the liabilities it has inherited from UC and take immediate steps towards repatriation in Bhopal. The demands are not new: a UC representative must appear for the ongoing criminal case in Bhopal; medical and economic rehabilitation must be made for survivors; contamination around the factory site cleaned up; and alternate freshwater supplies for the area provided. But this time round, those making the demands are not Bhopal's powerless citizens whose voices end up being heard by no one - not even by their own government. Perhaps, Mr Pallone will manage to convince Bhopal's victims that justice delayed need not be justice denied.
source: http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/181_317962,0012.htm 24jul03
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