Hunger Strikers in New Delhi ended their fast today, on 8/08/08, after the Indian government agreed to cleanup hazardous waste and provide rehabilitation for the survivors of the 1984 Bhopal pesticide plant explosion!

Date: 8/8/2008 6:21:37 PM ( 16 y ) ... viewed 2004 times

Indian government concedes Bhopal survivors' demands

Today, August 8, the 60-day-long hunger strike by Bhopal survivors and supporters in New Delhi ended in success. The government of India announced it would set up an "Empowered Commission" to pursue rehabilitation for the victims of the 1984 Bhopal pesticide plant explosion and cleanup of the hazardous waste remaining in the area.

Further, Dow Chemical, which bought Union Carbide after it's factory in Bhopal leaked deadly poison on the residents of Bhopal in 1984, is not to be let off the hook for the cleanup, and charges of bribery by Dow in the registration of pesticides in India will be pursued. This is a great, hard-won and long overdue victory!

Since February, to ensure today's victory,

PAN Action Center members joined activists around the world in sending thousands of postcards and nearly 6000 faxes to the Prime Minister's office.
Sixteen US congresspersons and more than 80 British Members of Parliament wrote letters in support of the Bhopalis' demands.
Demonstrations were held at Indian embassies and over 800 people around the world joined the Bhopalis' indefinite hunger strike with a Global Hunger Strike Relay.

THANK YOU for helping convince the Indian government that it was finally necessary to address the continuing tragedy in Bhopal. Next year, the Bhopal survivors will be celebrating 25 years of courage in the face of corporate crime. Your commitment demonstrates that people around the world want justice as well as environmental protection.

Learn more at http://www.panna.org/bhopal

The tragedy of Bhopal should remind us all that Dow and other chemical corporations continue to wreak widespread human suffering and environmental damage with the production, promotion and use of extremely hazardous pesticides. None of us are safe until these companies are held accountable and we adopt more sustainable farming practices -- in India, the United States, and around the world.

Thank you for you support,

Kathryn Gilje
Executive Director

Pesticide Action Network North America (PANNA)

http://www.panna.org

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