© Ziggy Norton

Suffolk-based artist and activist Ziggy Norton’s latest work twins the the Olympic Park in Stratford, East London with the abandoned Union Carbide factory in Bhopal.

We caught up with Ziggy to ask him about the inspiration behind his painting.

When did you first hear about the Bhopal gas disaster?

When I was still at school, I was around 13/14 years old and I remember watching the television news reports. In particular I remember a woman and her baby lying dead in the middle of the road, they had been trying to escape the poisonous gas. It’s a vision that has stayed with me all these years.

What are you’re thoughts on the Olympic sponsorship?

I heard nothing more about the disaster after school, but more recently found out that India are thinking of pulling out from competing in the Olympics. I wanted to know why and read all the information I could about it.

After the mess that was left, I was horrified to find out that the same company who are supposed to be responsible for clear up operation at Bhopal, are sponsoring the Olympics.

I find it hard to think about the Olympics now without thinking about Bhopal. The two are linked in my head.

What inspired your painting?

The picture stemmed from travelling to and from London on the train. I would pass the Olympic site being built in Stratford. As it was under construction, with basic structures and frameworks, it came together in my imagination and that’s how I visualised my art.

Thanks Ziggy!

Ziggy frequently uses his art to raise awareness of various causes. He is particularly interested in nuclear and environmental hazards. Other work includes a piece linking Suffolk’s Sizewell Nuclear power station with Chernobyl.

More of Ziggy’s work can be seen at Image2Glass

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The Bhopal Medical Appeal is pleased to welcome Collins Solicitors’ support for 2012 as the law firm’s Charity of the Year.

Collins Solicitors is a leading UK civil litigation law firm which has had tremendous success in supporting groups of people seek justice through the courts in difficult circumstances.

Some of the cases Collins Solicitors has worked on include:

-  Successfully representing 18 victims and their families in the landmark personal injury group action against Corby Borough Council in an epic 11-year battle. The case was brought on behalf of children born with birth defects as a result of their pregnant mothers’ proximity to a contaminated former steelworks site in Corby, and the associated toxic materials. Few law firms have successfully brought a group – or ‘class’ – action through the UK courts to the satisfactory conclusion of all clients.

- Representing over 270 people following the largest peace-time explosion in Western Europe since WWII at the Buncefield oil depot in 2005.  The firm worked with affected families and businesses to make a claim against the site owner and reached an appropriate settlement for damages to property and businesses, loss of earnings and compensation for different mental and physical distress.

- On behalf of local residents at a residential site in Motherwell, Scotland to determine the extent of toxic poisoning at a former MoD / heavy industrial site.

Des Collins, Senior Partner at Collins, comments: “The events in Bhopal in 1984 – and ever since – were horrendous. Many of our clients are victims of environmental problems and negligence and find themselves battling the authorities in extremely difficult circumstances. We see a number of parallels between our work and that of the charity and we are delighted to support the Bhopal Medical Appeal this year.”

Collins Solicitors intends to raise funds for the Bhopal Medical Appeal; to host events and to volunteer for the Charity. In addition the firm hopes to help support the Bhopali Survivors Tour that will take place in September.

We’re really pleased to have Collins adopt us as their charity of the year. Collins has fought some extremely important cases over the years, and ones that represent a similar ethos to our own. It seems a really natural fit and we look forward to working with them over the coming year.

For more info about Collins Solicitors please visit www.collinslaw.com, email info@collinslaw.co.uk or call 01923 223 324. For Collins’ twitter feed go to #collins_law.

Please support The Bhopal Medical Appeal by staying in touch with us on Facebook or Twitter. You can also join us on YouTube and Flickr and if you want to support the work of our clinics you can visit our Donate page. Thanks!

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The Abandoned Union Carbide Factory in Bhopal © JL / BMA

Urgent warnings have been issued by experts in India following revelations that authorities plan to burn toxic waste from Bhopal in Mumbai

Activists, doctors and environmental experts have suggested that the plans, proposed by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), could well lead to a “second disaster.”

Electronic newspaper Mid Day quotes Satinath Sarangi, managing trustee of the Sambhavna Trust Clinic in Bhopal and member of the Bhopal Group for Information and Action (BGIA)’s alarming warning; “the toxic waste lying in Bhopal contains toxic materials such as dioxine, furins, halogenated nitrates, organic chlorinated chains and we are not sure what additional toxic compounds have developed in the past few years. Any exposure to these materials can lead to cancer and genetic disorders. Therefore, transferring the waste without a proper disposal facility and without necessary arrangements could cause another disaster.”

The Union Carbide factory has remained heavily contaminated with poisons for the past 27 years but around 346 tonnes of previously recovered waste remains at different sites awaiting destruction.

The Union Carbide site remains heavily contaminated © JL / BMA

Previous attempts from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) to transfer the toxic waste to other waste disposal facilities in Madhya Pradesh, as well as others in neighbouring states, have been prevented by concerned environmental authorities and local residents who resisted the plans.

Experts aren’t certain that the proposed incinerator in Mumbai is able to deal with the toxic waste and other critics have warned that incinerating the waste is dangerous and irresponsible. A decision is still to be made. The group of ministers (GoM) have so far refused to express their view on the matter.

Further concerns of how the waste itself will be transported have come to light. Critics have proposed several alternative solutions including the possibility of international overseas disposal, where the waste may be better dealt with.
Sarangi suggests that the “CPCB should ask DOW Chemical to bear the expenses, as its subsidiary was responsible for the disaster in Bhopal.”

Environmental Negligence

In other news, it has emerged that levels of toxicity in groundwater and soil in Bhopal were deliberately withheld during the 1989 settlement with the Indian Government. During the settlement, samples collected by Union Carbide Corporation (UCC) were found to contain high levels of toxicity which was not disclosed.

Documentation reveals that UCC were aware of the large-scale environmental contamination of the area both prior to, and after the disaster. Critics argue that UCC deliberately withheld such information to prevent further liability and to minimize damage to their corporate image. Toxicity and contamination remain an ongoing problem in Bhopal to this day and UCC, now a Dow subsidiary, are still wanted on criminal charges.

Dow Chemical, who are opposing any responsibility for environmental remediation, see the 1989 settlement as ‘full and final,’ despite outstanding liabilities being present with the takeover of UCC in 2001. Survivors and activists in Bhopal heavily contest both the settlement which failed to recognise any environmental impacts made by UCC, as well as Dow’s dismissal of responsibility.

Please support The Bhopal Medical Appeal by staying in touch with us on Facebook or Twitter. You can also join us on YouTube and Flickr and if you want to support the work of our clinics you can visit our Donate page. Thanks!

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“The Olympics should be no place for ethics” – response to The Evening Standard

Last week, Sebastian Shakespeare published a controversial column in the London Evening Standard with the bold headline “The Olympics should be no place for ethics.”

The London Evening Standard’s lack of coverage over the growing issue of Dow’s London 2012 sponsorship has been a disappointment to Bhopal campaigners and Londoners who believe this story to be very much in the public interest.

In fact, this is only the second time the Standard have even mentioned the growing furore despite the story receiving substantial worldwide coverage. The Standard’s intransigence even landed them in Private Eye’s ‘Street of Shame’ column, back in December, after they repeatedly ignored press releases sent by the BMA:

The evening Standard is right behind the London Olympics, with a five strong team of Olympic Correspondents. But is it too partial and ignoring stories that might cast the games in a negative light?

The Bhopal Medical Appeal is making waves over Dow Chemicals’ creation of the ‘Wrap’, a plastic curtain that will surround the Olympic Stadium. In return Dow gets “exclusive marketing rights” to the stadium and will be able to brand the wrap with its name until the Games start. [Note from web-editor; Dow recently u-turned on this marketing agreement and the wrap will not feature their branding.]

The campaigners say Dow is avoiding financial responsibility for the victims of the 1984 Bhopal disaster. In 2011 Dow took over the plant from Union Carbide, which was responsible for the catastrophe, and Dow is now resisting any more claims for compensation from the relatives of those killed and the thousands still suffering from illness.

The Bhopal medical Appeal has the support of an all-party group of MPs, including shadow Olympics minister Tessa Jowell and home affairs committee chair Keith Vaz, whiles questions are being raised with Boris Johnson at the London Assembly. A group of Indian Olympians also wrote to Lord Coe demanding that he “Dump Dow”.

You’d think even the most Olympic cheerleading paper would consider this was worth reporting- but it seems not. The Bhopal Medical Appeal sent two press releases to the Standard’s Olympic editor, Matthew Beard, alerting him to an MP’s press conference but received a single-word reply: ‘Unsubscribe.’ (Private Eye)

In a new low this recent column by Sebastian Shakespeare seemingly supports the sponsorship deal, and, quite bizarrely, went on to claim that sport is no place for ethics. This prompted a letter from Meredith Alexander, the erstwhile Sustainability Commissioner for London 2012, who recently resigned over the Dow controversy.

The Standard has decided it won’t print this letter, so in the interest of a balanced argument over the issue, we’re publishing it here:

Dear Sir,

What a shame to read in Sebastian Shakespeare’s jaded column last week that he believes “the Olympics should be no place for ethics.”

I think most Londoners share my view that ethics and sport can and must go hand in hand. Yet as things stand, the enjoyment of the Games risks being hampered by the toxic legacy of one of the sponsors: Dow Chemicals. Dow bought Union Carbide, who owned the chemical plant responsible for a horrific gas leak in Bhopal, India. As research from Amnesty International shows, the tragedy killed over 20,000 people and left tens of thousands with terrible health problems. Full compensation has never been paid. Sebastian Shakespeare contends that demanding Dow address this failure is “like holding the son responsible for the sins of the father.” Not so. It would be terribly convenient for Dow if the slate was wiped clean when a company was purchased. But Dow didn’t just buy the profit sheet, the shares and the expertise from Union Carbide. They also bought their legacy, the environmental tragedy of Bhopal and the responsibility for it. Warts, sin and all.

When London bid to host the 2012 Games, we made a promise to the world that it would be most sustainable Games ever. I can not see how we can square that with defending the appointment of a sponsor responsible for one of the worst environmental disasters of our time. Yours faithfully,

Meredith Alexander, Formerly of the Commission for a Sustainable London 2012

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]]> http://www.bhopal.org/2012/02/the-olympics-should-be-no-place-for-ethics-response-to-the-evening-standard/feed/ 0 http://www.bhopal.org/2012/02/dont-jump-aboard-the-anti-dow-bandwagon-response-to-the-financial-times/ http://www.bhopal.org/2012/02/dont-jump-aboard-the-anti-dow-bandwagon-response-to-the-financial-times/#comments Mon, 06 Feb 2012 10:15:26 +0000 Jade in Brighton http://www.bhopal.org/?p=5572 Last week Financial Times assistant editor Michael Skapinker published a controversial article titled ‘Don’t jump aboard the anti-Dow bandwagon.’

The Bhopal Medical Appeal wrote a letter in reply to Mr Skapinker, and as we have yet to receive a reply and in the interest of a balanced argument, we are publishing it here:

Dear Sir,

After reading your article I felt compelled to write to you expressing my concern.

I work for the Bhopal Medical Appeal, a charity that provides the only free health care to the survivors of the 1984 gas disaster as well as those affected by contaminated water since the disaster.

Articles which claim a lack of responsibility for Dow have the unfortunate side-effect of undermining the credibility of our organisation’s presentation of the issues. Such articles therefore also potentially damage our efforts to deliver help to those who need it most in Bhopal. Our understanding is that Dow’s acceptance of its inherited civil, environmental and criminal liabilities in Bhopal is a crucial precondition of any substantive change in the social, medical and economic situation in Bhopal, a change which is our charity’s primary objective. Our funding is precarious, and though we are able to support treatment of approximately 20,000 victims of gas and water poisoning, the need is to reach another 580,000.

Your statement declaring; “the rest of us should have the sense to recognise that Dow is a long way down any list of Bhopal’s principal villains” generates particular grievance. I feel this is severely misleading. The distinction between Dow and Union Carbide I see as grossly overestimated. The fact that Dow Chemical did not own the factory at the time of the disaster is largely irrelevant. The liabilities are still outstanding and managers of Union Carbide, a subsidiary of Dow are absconding from charges of ‘culpable homicide’.

You imply that Dow’s logo “which won’t appear on the wrap anyway,” has little significance to the sponsorship of the games. Allowing any company with outstanding liabilities to sponsor a national event is debatably unethical, whilst allowing one with a history of negligence is making a public mockery of the people of Bhopal.

This further negates your point that viewers of the Olympics are unlikely to purchase Dow’s products. It is not about the wrap or the advertising per se, it is about the sponsorship in its’ entirety which continues to ignore Dow’s history and accountability for its’ subsidiaries.

Dow have been involved with the production of both Napalm and Agent Orange and thus aside from Bhopal they still have plenty of other crimes and liabilities to answer for. It is wrong that we encourage such behaviour from multinational corporations by allowing them to be part of a world wide celebration of human aspiration, cooperation and sustainability such as the Olympic Games.

Your article portrays Dow Chemical as coerced into both the situations as they “agreed” to the take over of Union Carbide and “agreed” to become an Olympic sponsor. This disregards any profit that Dow were, and are continuing to gain from both these so called ‘agreements.’ Although your point of blaming the big bad American corporation in some cases may be valid, in this case it is entirely unjustified.  Dow bought Union Carbide in 2001 and with it came liabilities that they still have yet to respond too. They are by no means an innocent-bystander.

Dow’s continuation to market its’ subsidiary Union Carbide’s products after the disaster further demonstrates this. This act of co-operation seems to contradict Dow’s stance that Union Carbide, despite being a subsidiary, is still a separate entity. Their argument that they can’t be held liable for the continuing Bhopal tragedy because they’re not actively operating with Union Carbide is therefore further discredited.

Portraying a one sided view from Dow’s George Hamilton and his seemingly ethical concern that the wrap be made from a recycled material is almost laughable considering the environmental contamination that to this day is poisoning the survivors.

We want to do more than “drum up trouble,” we want instead to demand the corporations to take responsibility, and to seek justice for the generations of people still suffering as a result of their negligence.

I hope that you are able to see Dow’s inappropriate role as part of the London Olympics when instead they should be in Bhopal, providing remediation to the abandoned site. Furthermore, I urge that you amend your article published yesterday.

I look forward to your response.

You can read the original article in the Financial Times here

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Click here to sign the petition on change.org.

Why This Is Important

Dow Chemical acquired Union Carbide as a wholly owned subsidiary in 2001. They are therefore responsible for the clean-up of the former Union Carbide Factory site in Bhopal, India. The area around the factory is densely populated and continues to be heavily contaminated by chemicals and toxins produced by the factory which Dow, despite their evident responsibility, have thus far refused to clean up.

The situation in Bhopal is a humanitarian and environmental catastrophe that continues to affect tens of thousands of people today.

The organisers of the Olympic Games claim that they are commited to organising a sustainable and environmentally friendly event. It is therefore completely unacceptable  for Dow Chemical to be partnered with the London Olympic Games, and the wider International Olympic Organisation.

The Indian government have previously threatened a boycott of the games, and this week have raised fresh appeals for Dow Chemical to cease their involvement  entirely. Last week Meredith Alexander resigned from her position as sustainability commissioner for the Olympics as she felt the body had  “became an apologist” for Dow Chemicals.

For more information on the International Campaign for Justice in Bhopal, go to bhopal.net

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Leaked documents and company emails between the management of the Dow Chemical company allegedly reveal that the American corporation is knowingly and willfully engaged in the sale of products produced by it’s wholly owned subsidiary, the Union Carbide Corporation (UCC). Since the 1984 gas-disaster at the Union carbide facility in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, UCC management have been wanted on charges of ‘culpable homicide.’ Because of this, the company abandoned their operations in India as they were unable to continue production and trade and were also unwilling to answer their court summons.

This week, The Times of India is reporting that Dow Chemicals has been subverting Indian law and the rulings against their subsidiary Union Carbide by distributing UCC products via separate off-shore companies and also “re-labeling them to subvert the asset attachment orders of Indian courts.”

Union Carbide's toxic waste was left behind in Bhopal, the company is now owned by Dow Chemicals, but no clean-up has ever taken place.

Leaked documents appear to show that Dow has engaged in the sale of UCC products in India and simply labeled them as Dow products. This act of co-operation seems to contradict Dow’s stance that UCC, despite being a subsidiary, is still a separate entity. Critics of Dow have also said it discredits their argument that they can’t be held liable for the continuing Bhopal tragedy because they’re not actively operating with UCC.

The Times reports that Dow Chemical’s has been able to trade UCC products in India and avoided the law by operating via a shady “dummy company” based in Singapore called Mega Visa. The issue has reignited the debate over Dow’s refusal to accept liability in Bhopal despite their continued profiteering from Union Carbide products. Bhopal activists have this week demanded that the corporate veil between the two companies be breached so that the Indian courts can effectively prosecute the American chemical giant.

Leaked Dow emails, published by The Times of India, are embarrassing statements of self-incrimination where officials and managers discuss how they can continue to trade Union Carbide’s products in India despite their status as a corporate outcast and fugitives from the Indian courts.

An email from Graham Fox, Dow Chemical regional General Manager for Middle East & Indian subcontinent to a colleague in India states; “As you will be aware, Union Carbide have not sold directly to India since Bhopal and have used Mega Visa to handle many of their sales of specialty chemicals, some bulk chemicals and wire & cable products. They work across our Dow businesses and have some several million $USD sales revenue as I understand it.”

Another leaked email from a senior official suggests how deeply embedded within Dow the Union Carbide Corporation now is. “Union Carbide Corporation is a wholly owned subsidiary of The Dow Chemical Company. UCC will not be issuing any more press releases, product announcements, price increases, etc. All business activities are done under the umbrella of a Dow business. We face the market as Dow. Reporters will be tempted to keep talking about Union Carbide. But we should discourage reporters from using the words Union Carbide…”

Tim Edwards, of the Bhopal Medical Appeal, said the following on the developing scandal: “These documents show that, from 1987 onwards, UCC concocted an elaborate fraud involving third party agents to deliberately disguise the origin of its goods to port authorities, customs officials and end users in India. The fraud was designed to enable UCC to evade court attachment orders intended to compel its appearance in court to face manslaughter and other serious criminal charges arising from the Bhopal disaster… Dow declares to Indian courts that it has no business, assets or personnel in India, and that UCC is an entirely separate company. These documents also demonstrate a clear integration and unity across a range of Dow affiliates worldwide, including India, and show UCC’s purported separateness from Dow to be a self-serving fraud.”

Bhopal activists are arguing that these leaked correspondences are a clear contradiction of Dow’s previous statements that argue Dow can’t be held liable for Union Carbide’s environmental crimes because UCC are independent. The view within Dow seems to be that all of UCC’s operations now fall under the “umbrella” of the Dow Chemical Company and activists are arguing that outstanding liabilities must be dealt with in the same way.

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John Joyce, Rector of Holy Trinity, Hurstpierpoint and Sunday School children present a cheque for £500 to Georgina, Jade and Farah on Sunday 29th January

Children at Holy Trinity Sunday School, Hurstpierpoint, Sussex have raised just over £500 for the Bhopal Medical Appeal and presented a cheque to Charity Administrator Georgina le Clercq and colleagues Farah Edwards and Jade van Drie-Brown on Sunday 29 January.

We took the opportunity to make a short presentation to the children about the ongoing disaster in Bhopal followed by a workshop showing them how to make giant marigolds from recycled plastic carrier bags.

The children voted the BMA their charity of choice in 2011 and raised money by staging a variety of fundraising initiatives such as cake sales and special events throughout the year. Smartie tubes were used as a convenient way to collect coins.

Commenting on the money raised, John Joyce, Rector of Holy Trinity Church said; “The terrible disaster in Bhopal seemed to strike a chord with the children at Holy Trinity, particularly when they learnt that in Bhopal children continue to be born with deformities and other medical problems. It is for these children and the survivors that over £500 was raised”.

See Below for instructions on how to make recycled carrier bag marigolds.

1. Lay your plastic bag flat and cut off the handles at the top and the base.

2.  Cut down one edge and lay out flat. Lay 8 bags neatly on top of each other.

3. Keeping all the bags neatly on top of each other, fold them backwards and forwards in a concertina type fold so the flat part is approx. 5cms across. Do this until it is all folded then secure firmly with a thin piece of wire keeping the folds flat.

4. With scissors, trim a curve onto the ends of your flat folded plastic to neaten the ends and give your flower    beautifully shaped petals.

5. Open out one side of your folded plastic into a fan shape then start to tease out each layer until it opens up and starts to form your flower shape.

6. Repeat with the other side and then you will have a gorgeous recycled plastic bag marigold!

GOOD LUCK and have fun!

Last week, the London Olympics were wrapped in fresh embarassment and controversy as Mayor Boris Johnson’s ‘ethics Tzar’ resigned live on BBC Newsnight over fears that her ethics and sustainability concerns with regards to sponsors simply weren’t being listened to. In an interview with Jeremy Paxman she announced that her position at the Commission for a Sustainable London 2012 (CSL) was no longer tenable in light of the LOCOG’s continued relationship with and defence of the Dow Chemical Company.

The moment: Meredith Alexander appears live on the BBC's Newsnight with Jeremy Paxman to announce her resignation from the Commission for a Sustainable London 2012

“By coming on air tonight, I’m taking the decision to resign my position and stand up for my principles… I feel that I was part of a body that has been used to legitimize Dow’s involvement in the games.” Dow took over Union Carbide Corporation in 2001, but neither company have addressed the ongoing issue of water and soil contamination in Bhopal that continues to kill thousands and afflict even more with chronic illnesses.

Coverage of the ongoing Bhopal tragedy, and the controversy over Dow and London 2012, went through the roof and Meredith acquired overnight celebrity status in India. Her resignation live on British television resulted in an outpouring of hope, gratitude and optimism from those still living in Union Carbide and Dow’s toxic shadow.

This week, the Bhopal Medical Appeal caught up with Ms. Alexander for a chat…

BMA: What were the main reasons for your resignation from the Commission for a Sustainable London 2012 (CSL) ?

MA: All the evidence I have read has convinced me that Dow Chemicals is responsible for the deaths of more than 20,000 people in the aftermath of the Bhopal gas leak. The assets and liabilities of the company involved at the time – Union Carbide – are in Dow’s hands. Londoners, and other people, who are rightly excited about the London games, should not have this toxic legacy on their conscience.

BMA: At what point did your position became “untenable” and why?

MA: The tipping point for me, was the correspondence between Amnesty International and Lord Coe [Chair of LOCOG]. The latest response from Amnesty, just last week, pointed out how LOCOG have become apologists for Dow, falsely legitimising Dow’s stance that it bears no responsibility to the victims of the disaster and their families. I feel that the Olympic bodies are supporting Dow’s line and have failed to take the victim’s views into consideration.

BMA: Last week, Sebastian Shakespeare published a controversial column in the London Evening Standard with the bold headline “The Olympics should be no place for ethics.” Have you read it, and if so, what did you think?

MA: I have read it. And I actually submitted a letter to the editor yesterday about it. I think most Londoners share my view that ethics and sport can and must go hand in hand. Yet as things stand, the enjoyment of the Games risks being hampered by the toxic legacy of one of the sponsors: Dow Chemicals. When London bid to host the 2012 Games, we made a promise to the world that it would be most sustainable Games ever. [Read Meredith's whole letter to the ES newspaper here.]

BMA: Based on your resignation, can you further tell us why you think that ethics, morality, and sustainability are an important part of the Olympics? Why shouldn’t we just accept that commercial sponsorship is inevitable and ‘get over it.’

MA: I think it’s important to remember that there was absolutely no need for the London 2012 organisers to award anyone the contract for this wrap. It’s a completely optional item that is not essential to the design of the stadium. It will not help a single athlete run faster nor will it help spectators have a better view. Dow’s connection to the Olympics is a slap in the face to the victims of Bhopal, but the fact that this wrap is unnecessary makes this particular deal even more galling for those who have spent decades fighting for justice.

BMA: On a personal level, and an emotional level, what did your resignation mean to you? And, in relation to this, you undoubtedly saw the response from survivors & human rights campaigners, both in the UK and India, what is your response to that; how does it make you feel?

MA: The decision to resign was very difficult because The CSL has made major contributions to making London 2012 more sustainable. I have alot of respect for the people I have been working with for the last two years. I really struggled with the decision to walk away. But in the end, I could not let my name be associated with a statement that falsely support’s Dow’s claim to be a responsible company. Although I decided to resign publically, it was an intensely personal decision.

However I am thrilled that I have been able to achieve so much attention for the victims, survivors and families of those who lost loved ones in this disaster. These people and their demand for justice have been forgotten for far too long. Their fight is hugely inspiring. I have been deeply humbled by the response of people to my resignation. There has been a real outpouring of support here in the UK where most are horrified that Dow’s toxic legacy is now on their conscience as Londoners. But it is the reaction from India that has truly amazed me.

BMA: The Indian Olympic Association has stated that your resignation has ‘vindicated’ their argument calling for Dow to be dropped and they’ve renewed their attempts to achieve this. In light of your resignation, how should LOCOG, the CSL and the IOC respond to the growing global opposition to Dow?

MA: I think both the IOC and LOCOG should review their contracts with Dow. I find it impossible to reconcile Dow’s toxic legacy with the Olympic values of the IOC or LOCOG’s promise to host the most sustainable games ever. It is essential that they listen to representatives of the survivors and the people who lost loved ones in this tragedy. So far they seem to be only hearing the company’s side of the story.

BMA: Thanks for taking the time to talk to us, do you want to add any final thoughts?

MA: This is not a historic disaster, it is ongoing, and attempts to clean up the area have been woefully inadequate. I want to see Dow publically admit responsibility for the Bhopal tragedy, to clean up the contaminated site, and to compensate victims. I think the responsible thing to do would be for Dow to withdraw from the wrap contract. Otherwise London 2012 is undermining its aim to be the most sustainable Games ever and showing contempt for the victims in Bhopal.

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Meredith Alexander was interviewed by Jack Laurenson & Colin Toogood for The Bhopal Medical Appeal a week after she resigned from her position as a Commissioner for a Sustainable London 2012.

Please support The Bhopal Medical Appeal by staying in touch with us on Facebook or Twitter. You can also join us on YouTube and Flickr and if you want to support the work of our clinics you can visit our Donate page. Thanks!

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]]> http://www.bhopal.org/2012/02/meredith-alexander-talks-about-her-principled-stand-with-the-bma/feed/ 1 http://www.bhopal.org/2012/01/meredith-alexander-becomes-bhopals-latest-heroin/ http://www.bhopal.org/2012/01/meredith-alexander-becomes-bhopals-latest-heroin/#comments Fri, 27 Jan 2012 14:30:54 +0000 BMA Web Editor http://www.bhopal.org/?p=5486 Meredith Alexander becomes Bhopal’s latest heroine

Meredith Alexander, former Sustainability Commissioner and Ethics Adviser to Lord Coe and Mayor Boris Johnson, has acquired overnight celebrity status in Bhopal, India. Her resignation live on British television has resulted in an outpouring of hope, gratitude and optimism over the ongoing controversy of Dow Chemical’s sponsorship of the London 2012 Olympics.

Meredith Alexander quit the Commission for a Sustainable London 2012 live on the BBC’s Newsnight this Wednesday, saying she did not want to be part of a body that “became an apologist” for Dow Chemicals. She also stated that her resignation was based on her “standing up for her principles” and that she hoped it could bring some attention to the continuing plight of victims in Bhopal.

In India, campaigners and survivors of the Bhopal disaster clearly approve and have thanked Meredith by placing flower bouquets in front of a portrait of her, an act often reserved for goddesses, heroines and saints. Rashida Bee, campaigner and co-founder of the Chingari Trust, said that “by speaking the truth so boldly Meredith has nailed Dow Chemical’s lies and we hope this will make LOCOG dump Dow as a sponsor of the London Games.”

Rachna Dhingra of the Bhopal Group for Information and Action expressed hope that Ms. Alexander’s resignation will prompt the Indian government to strengthen its position on Dow Chemical’s sponsorship of London 2012. “To be taken seriously by the London Olympic Committee, the Indian Government has to do more than send a protest note. It is time for LOCOG to be told that India will not take part in the London Olympics if it continues to be sponsored by a corporation responsible for continued death and suffering in Bhopal.”

Rashida Bee, Bhopal campaigner and c0-founder of the Chingari Trust lays flower bouquets before a portrait of Meredith Alexander as a sign of respect and solidarity

Meredith’s resignation has seen widespread support from environmentalists, human rights campaigners and politicians who are opposed to Dow’s Olympic involvement. Barry Gardiner, Labour MP and chairman of the Labour Friends of India Organisation, has actively campaigned with supporters of Bhopal to have Dow dropped as an Olympic sponsor. On the subject of Ms Alexander’s resignation he said that “Meredith has had the courage to stand up and say what everybody should have known all along; that Dow Chemicals were not a suitable partner for a Games that has prided itself on being the most sustainable ever.”

Kate Allen, director of Amnesty International UK, has also supported Ms. Alexander’s resignation stating that; “Meredith Alexander has made a brave and principled stand. She obviously shares our outrage at this association and it is a shame that her concerns, like ours, have fallen on deaf ears.”

The Bhopal Medical Appeal has also supported attempts to have Lord Coe and LOCOG reconsider or justify Dow as a sponsor for London 2012. So far,  Olympic officials have largely failed to engage with the concerns of Bhopal survivors and campaigners.  The BMA said the following regarding Ms. Alexander and the ongoing ‘Dow Row’.

“Dow have been consistently misrepresenting the facts concerning their Bhopal liabilities, both to the media and to UK politicians. It’s an enormous credit to Ms. Alexander that she should be the first of any Olympic official to take a principled stand. We hope her actions will inspire others to now stand up for the truth. We cannot understand how a company with Dow’s track record can be seen as a suitably sustainable partner for the London Olympics.  Let’s not forget that, besides the Bhopal Disaster, Dow have connections to Napalm, Agent Orange and even the current silicone breast implant scandal. It’s time to stand up and be counted.”

Bhopalis protest over the detention of fellow campaigners following a demonstration in Bhopal that called for more Indian government action regarding their fight for justice

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