The survivors of 1984’s Bhopal gas disaster have won a significant step toward justice.
An Indian court ruled this week that Dow Chemical must explain why its wholly owned subsidiary, Union Carbide Corporation (UCC), has repeatedly ignored court summons in the ongoing criminal case concerning the Bhopal disaster. Union Carbide is accused of “culpable homicide not amounting to murder” for over 20,000 deaths.
“Today’s court decision is an important step in ensuring corporate accountability for the devastating consequences of the Bhopal gas leak,” said Audrey Gaughran, Director of Global Issues at Amnesty International. “Dow Chemical has always tried to claim it has nothing to do with UCC’s liability for Bhopal, but the court has today made it clear that Dow Chemical itself has a responsibility to ensure that UCC faces the outstanding charges against it. Dow Chemical can no longer turn its back on the tens of thousands still suffering in Bhopal.”
Almost three decades after the Bhopal disaster, victims and their families have yet to receive adequate compensation from Union Carbide or the Indian government.
“The summoning of Dow Chemical is potentially a giant step towards establishing the criminal liability of Union Carbide Corporation for one of the worst corporate disasters in world history,” said Satinath Sarangi, a member of Bhopal Group for Information and Action.
Dow Chemical, a controversial sponsor of last summer’s London Olympics, has failed to ensure that Union Carbide appear before Indian courts. The U.S. chemical giant has consistently denied any responsibility for the on-going negative environmental and human rights repercussions of the gas disaster. After a recent ruling in US courts unfavorable to Bhopal’s survivors, this week’s ruling in India represents a shift towards justice for the people of Bhopal and a step towards meaningful corporate accountability for the world’s worst industrial disaster.
As Martin Luther King Jr. said, “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice.” Perhaps this ruling will help Bhopal’s survivors finally win the justice they deserve.
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James Mutti, India Country Specialist for Amnesty International USA, largely researched and contributed to this article.
I'd postpone using "and won" in the headline until the victims actually see any money. Which could be a long way off yet..
Comment: amazing article….enjoyed every bit of it …thanks for sharing!!!!!!!!