Feb 9 2012 by Jade in Brighton
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.
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Tags: bhopal, Bhopal Gas Disaster, bhopal medical appeal, Bhopal Survivors, DOW Chemical, Indian Government, mumbai, satinath saringi, union carbide, water
Posted in Industrial hazards, News | No Comments »
Feb 2 2012 by Jade in Brighton
The London Organising Committe (LOCOG) should drop DOW Chemical as partners of the London 2012 Olympic Games and providers of the Olympic stadium wrap.
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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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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Tags: 2012 Olympics, bhopal, Bhopal Gas Disaster, bhopal medical appeal, DOW Chemical, Indian Government, International Olympic Committee, locog, london 2012, olympic sponsorship, petition, union carbide
Posted in 2012 Olympics, News | No Comments »
Feb 1 2012 by BMA Web Editor
Anger in India as leaked documents reveal that fugitive Union Carbide continues to trade
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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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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Tags: bhopal, bhopal medical appeal, Corporate Crime, Corporate Veil, Criminal Charges, dow chemicals, india, Law, Mega Visa, union carbide
Posted in Legal, News | No Comments »
Feb 1 2012 by BMA Web Editor
Meredith Alexander talks about her ‘principled stand’ with the BMA
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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Tags: amnesty international, BBC, bhopal, bhopal medical appeal, commission for a sustainable london 2012, CSL, DOW Chemical, International Olympic Committee, IOC, jeremy paxman, locog, london 2012, meredith alexander, newsnight, Olympics, resignation, union carbide
Posted in 2012 Olympics, News | 1 Comment »
Jan 27 2012 by BMA Web Editor
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
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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Tags: 2012 Olympics, agent orange, amnesty international, barry gardiner, bhopal, Bhopal Gas Disaster, bhopal medical appeal, boris johnson, DOW Chemical, dow chemicals, india, london 2012, lord coe, meredith alexander, pesticide action network, sponsorship, union carbide
Posted in 2012 Olympics, News | No Comments »
Jan 27 2012 by BMA Web Editor
Indian Olympics Chief renews call for London 2012 to drop Dow
The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) has today renewed their demand for London 2012 organisers and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to reconsider The Dow Chemical Company as an official Olympic sponsor. The IOA have stated that the resignation of London Mayor Boris Johnson’s Sustainability Commissioner and Ethics Adviser Meredith Alexander had “vindicated” their argument that Dow were an inappropriate sponsor for the games.
Ms. Alexander appears live on the BBC's Newsnight with Jeremy Paxman to announce her resignation from the Commission for a Sustainable London 2012
Meredith Alexander quit the Commission for a Sustainable London 2012 live on television this Wednesday, saying she did not want to be part of a body that “became an apologist” for Dow Chemicals. She also stated, in an interview with veteran BBC journalist Jeremy Paxman, 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.
The Dow Chemical Company took over Union Carbide Corporation (UCC) 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 disabilities and chronic illnesses. Lord Sebastian Coe, Chairman of LOCOG, has been criticised for endorsing and supporting Dow Chemical’s involvement with the London 2012 games.
Campaigners, including The Bhopal Medical Appeal and Amnesty International, have continually stated that Dow’s involvement is completely unacceptable whilst the company is still a named respondent in two court cases pertaining to the Bhopal disaster. Dow’s wholly-owned subsidiary, Union Carbide, is also involved in an ongoing US court case relating to the lethal contamination and UCC is still wanted on criminal charges in India. The Indian courts have stated that Dow is “harbouring fugitives from justice.”
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 © JL / BMA
Ms. Alexanders resignation prompted IOA chief Vijay Kumar Malhotra to write to IOC president Jacques Rogge saying that the Olympics should not shoulder “this toxic legacy”.
He also wrote “the resignation of Ms. Alexander from the Games Ethics Committee – the Commission for Sustainable London 2012 – has vindicated IOA’s stand of opposing Dow’s sponsorship.”
He also cited, in his letter, the global opposition to the sponsorship deal but specifically mentioned the anger in the United Kingdom and India. Resistance to the deal is particularly fierce in Britain with cross-party coalitions of Members of Parliament, NGO’s, activists and celebrities now regularly condemning Dow and Lord Coe.
In a bold step Malhotra officially requested in his letter that Dow be removed as an official sponsor until the issues regarding it’s liability in Bhopal were resolved. “On behalf of the IOA I again urge you to take steps to remove Dow as a sponsor and settle the matter as early as possible.”
A petition started in the United Kingdom by Bhopal activists has now attracted nearly 20,000 signatures and Meredith Alexander’s resignation has seen a re-ignition of media attention over the issue. Last week, a Google news search for ‘Bhopal’ returned only a handful of results; but this week, over 1900 articles are currently available.
Campaigners are hopeful that Olympic officials will now appropriately engage with their concerns and that the sponsorship deal with Dow will be investigated and reconsidered. With 182 days to go until the start of the games, the debate over Dow and London 2012 is set to continue.
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!
Tags: amnesty international, bhopal, Bhopal Disaster, boris johnson, Commission for Sustainable London, CSL, DOW Chemical, Indian Olympic Association, International Olympic Committee, IOA, IOC, locog, london 2012, lord coe, meredith alexander, Olympics, union carbide
Posted in 2012 Olympics, News | No Comments »
Jan 26 2012 by BMA Web Editor
Meredith Alexander, Sustainability Commissioner and Ethics Adviser to Lord Coe & LOCOG, quits over Dow Chemical sponsorship:
The London 2012 Olympic Games were embroiled in further controversy last night as Meredith Alexander, a Sustainability Commissioner and Ethics Adviser for the games, resigned live on the BBC’s flagship news program Newsnight. 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.
She stated, into TV cameras; “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.” She went on to state that while Dow Chemicals have an ‘army of PR people’ she hoped that her resignation could bring some attention to the continuing plight of victims in Bhopal.
Ms. Alexander appears live on the BBC's Newsnight with Jeremy Paxman to announce her resignation from the Commission for a Sustainable London 2012
The Dow Chemical Company 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 inflict even more with chronic illnesses. Lord Coe and LOCOG have been criticised for allowing Dow Chemical’s the opportunity to sponsor the London 2012 stadium.
Dow Chemical is currently a named respondent in two court cases pertaining to the Bhopal disaster and Dow’s wholly-owned subsidiary, Union Carbide, is involved in a US court case relating to the ongoing contamination. Union Carbide is also still wanted on criminal charges in India and the Indian courts have stated that Dow is ‘harbouring fugitives from justice’.
Further into the Newsnight interview, Ms. Alexander hinted at a developing crisis within the CSL regarding the Dow issue and stated that some of her fellow commissioners were also “very concerned” but she would not comment on the prospect of further resignations.
Dow Row: An artist's interpretation of what a Dow Chemical sponsored Olympic stadium might look like
Ms. Alexander’s resignation raises fresh concerns over LOCOG’s claims that they are running an ‘ethical and sustainable’ Olympics. It has also emerged, via Ms. Alexander’s resignation statement that Shaun McCarthy – chairman of the CSL – had failed to consult any of his 13 fellow commissioners when he gave a green light for Dow’s contract. Ms. Alexander argues that this has seriously undermined the credibility of the Olympic watchdog and that her resignation was partly based on this. She stated that she had no choice to resign because the Commission was effectively allowing Dow to “use the Olympic flag to whitewash its reputation.”
Ms. Alexander, an acknowledged expert on sustainability and human rights issues, launched a furious attack on the Dow Chemical Company and condemned their refusal to accept liability in Bhopal. “I don’t want to be party to a deffence of Dow Chemicals, the company responsible for one of the worst corporate human rights violations in my generation…”
She also drew a distinct line between the debate about the 1984 gas-disaster, caused by Union Carbide, and the current tragedy, which she argued is Dow’s problem. “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 publicly admit responsibility for the Bhopal tragedy, to clean up the contaminated site, and to compensate victims.”
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.”
The issue of Ms. Alexander’s resignation has come at a sensitive time and will seemingly reignite a crisis of legitimacy over Lord Coe and LOCOG’s claims that London 2012 will be based on sustainability and ethics. Kate Allen, director of Amnesty International UK, said; “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 Dow Chemical company has dismissed Bhopal campaigners as “small but noisy groups.” With Ms. Alexander’s resignation, cross-party support from various British and Indian politicians as well as an online petition that has attracted over 18,000 signatures, it seems that the Bhopal “noise” is set to continue long into 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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Tags: amnesty international, barry gardiner, bhopal, commission for a sustainable london 2012, CSL, DOW Chemical, human rights, india, jeremy paxman, kate allen, locog, london 2012, lord coe, meredith alexander, newsnight, Olympics, resignation, sustainability, union carbide
Posted in 2012 Olympics, News | 2 Comments »
