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Two women survivors of Bhopal gas tragedy on hunger strike
New York, May 02: Two women survivors of the 1984 Bhopal gas tragedy went on an indefinite hunger strike here to press Dow Chemicals, the owner of Union Carbide, to own responsibility for the tragedy and assume liabilities.
New York, May 02: Two women survivors of the 1984 Bhopal gas tragedy went on an indefinite hunger strike here to press Dow Chemicals, the owner of Union Carbide, to own responsibility for the tragedy and assume liabilities.
Rasheeda Bee and Champa Devi, who have been joined in the strike by Satinath Sarangi of the International Campaign for Justice for Bhopal (ICJB), are protesting Dow Chemicals's alleged "failure to acknowledge the liabilities" and help
victims, organisers said.
Some 8,000 people were killed and thousands injured when a deadly gas leaked from the Union Carbide plant in Bhopal. Dow chemicals later took over Union Carbide. But Dow Chemicals rejects the contention that it has inherited Union Carbide's Bhopal liabilities. The survivors' organizations have also filed an appeal against New York district court's dismissal of their claim for compensation for contamination related damages.
"We hunger for justice," the protestors yesterday chanted during a three-hour demonstration near Wall Street, financial hub of the United States, and later continued their protest at the Union Square in down town Manhattan under the shadow of Mahatma Gandhi's statue. About 30 people, including 24 students from Massachusetts -based Wheaton college and long-time supporters from India and the United States, fasted to show their solidarity with the victims of the gas tragedy.
The women, Rasheeda Bee and Champa Devi, along with Sarangi continued to stage protest at the Union Square till around 2000 hrs yesterday and then left as they were not granted camping permit for the night. They will return to the site in the morning.
The protest and hunger strike here will continue till May 5 when they plan to move to midland in Michigan state where the Dow Chemicals has its headquarters. They plan to demonstrate in front of the headquarters on May 8 when shareholders are due to meet.
They told reporters that the survivors continue to suffer from long-term health effects and carbide's toxic wastes are strewn around the factory site and are a source of ongoing contamination and injury.
"Dow Chemicals has acquired carbide's pending criminal and environmental liabilities in Bhopal that could be substantial in dollar terms. By refusing to acknowledge and address these liabilities, the company is prolonging the suffering of survivors and their children, and keeping its shareholders in the dark regarding issues that could significantly erode share value," ICJB said.
"A hunger strike is our way of emphasizing the truth that the tragedy in Bhopal continues, and that Dow as carbide's new owner is now responsible for ensuring that justice is done in Bhopal," said Rasheeda Bee.
Forty six-year old Bee has lost five gas-exposed family members to cancers since the disaster. Partially blinded, she suffers psychiatric and respiratory problems due to exposure to carbide's gases. Bureau Report
Some 8,000 people were killed and thousands injured when a deadly gas leaked from the Union Carbide plant in Bhopal. Dow chemicals later took over Union Carbide. But Dow Chemicals rejects the contention that it has inherited Union Carbide's Bhopal liabilities. The survivors' organizations have also filed an appeal against New York district court's dismissal of their claim for compensation for contamination related damages.
"We hunger for justice," the protestors yesterday chanted during a three-hour demonstration near Wall Street, financial hub of the United States, and later continued their protest at the Union Square in down town Manhattan under the shadow of Mahatma Gandhi's statue. About 30 people, including 24 students from Massachusetts -based Wheaton college and long-time supporters from India and the United States, fasted to show their solidarity with the victims of the gas tragedy.
The women, Rasheeda Bee and Champa Devi, along with Sarangi continued to stage protest at the Union Square till around 2000 hrs yesterday and then left as they were not granted camping permit for the night. They will return to the site in the morning.
The protest and hunger strike here will continue till May 5 when they plan to move to midland in Michigan state where the Dow Chemicals has its headquarters. They plan to demonstrate in front of the headquarters on May 8 when shareholders are due to meet.
They told reporters that the survivors continue to suffer from long-term health effects and carbide's toxic wastes are strewn around the factory site and are a source of ongoing contamination and injury.
"Dow Chemicals has acquired carbide's pending criminal and environmental liabilities in Bhopal that could be substantial in dollar terms. By refusing to acknowledge and address these liabilities, the company is prolonging the suffering of survivors and their children, and keeping its shareholders in the dark regarding issues that could significantly erode share value," ICJB said.
"A hunger strike is our way of emphasizing the truth that the tragedy in Bhopal continues, and that Dow as carbide's new owner is now responsible for ensuring that justice is done in Bhopal," said Rasheeda Bee.
Forty six-year old Bee has lost five gas-exposed family members to cancers since the disaster. Partially blinded, she suffers psychiatric and respiratory problems due to exposure to carbide's gases. Bureau Report