MundiMuster! Support the Clean-up in Bhopal, India

[via www.studentsforbhopal.org] In response to a suit filed by Bhopal survivors, a court in New York has agreed to consider survivors' claims for getting Union Carbide to clean up the toxic wastes in Bhopal.

For this to happen, the Indian Government needs to submit a letter to the New York court expressing its support for the survivors' claims, and assuring the court of the Government's interest in having Union Carbide clean-up the contaminated site and groundwater.

The DEADLINE set by the New York court for receipt of such a letter is June 30, 2004.

ACTION!!
1) Fax the Indian government: www.aidindia.org/bhopalfax/webfax.htm
2) Join the nationwide hunger strike: www.petitiononline.com/June30/petition.html
3) Call, write, and email the Indian government below

Contact the Ministry of Chemicals, Government of India:
* Demand that the Government of India say "YES" to a cleanup in Bhopal.
* Demand that the Government send the letter to the New York court by June 30, 2004, expressing support to survivorsí claims for environmental remediation by Union Carbide.

Address your calls, faxes and emails to:
1. Mr. Ram Vilas Paswan, Minister of Chemicals
Tel: 011 +91 11 23386519, 23386364. Fax: 011 +91 11 233 86519
Email: mincf.cpc@sb.nic.in (cc jsc.cpc@sb.nic.in)

2. Mr. Ashok Tomar, New York Consul General.
Tel: 212 774 0600. Fax: 212 734 4980

3. Or send the letter below to the Government of India.

TALKING POINTS FOR U.S. PHONE CONVERSATIONS:
1. Ask for Mr. Ashok Singh Tomar, Consul General, New York.
2. Subject of the call: To urge the Government of India to submit a letter by JUNE 30 supporting Bhopal survivors' claims in ongoing lawsuit in New York court seeking remediation of contaminated factory site and surroundings by Union Carbide.
3. More than 5000 tons of toxic wastes abandoned by Union Carbide in Bhopal represents an ongoing source of pollution.
4. Nearly 20,000 people in the vicinity are forced to consume contaminated water due to the inaction by the Government and the company.
5. After two decades of inaction by Government and industry, survivors approached the Second District Court of New York seeking remediation of contaminated site and groundwater by Union Carbide.
6. Clean-up should be paid for by the Polluter -- Union Carbide. Costs of clean-up can run into several hundreds of crores, and shouldn't be passed on to taxpayers.
7. The Second District Court of New York has indicated that it will consider the claim if it receives a letter BY JUNE 30 from the Government of India indicating the Government's support of plaintiffs' claims for remediation by Union Carbide.
8. Reiterate that you are calling to press upon the Government to submit a letter to the New York court supporting the survivors' claims for clean-up by Union Carbide.

BACKGROUND:
The world's worst-ever industrial disaster devastated the Indian city of Bhopal nearly 20 years ago, in 1984. Union Carbideís deadly legacy continues to haunt the people of Bhopal. Toxic wastes abandoned by Union Carbide remain strewn in and around the factory site representing an ongoing source of pollution. Poisons from these wastes have contaminated the groundwater serving more than 20,000 people.

After two decades of inaction by the company and the Government, survivors and residents from the contaminated areas filed a suit in the Southern District Court of New York seeking clean-up of the contamination by Union Carbide.

A March 17, 2004, order of the Second Circuit Court of Appeals in New York, USA, ruled that survivors claims seeking clean-up by Union Carbide should be considered by the New York District Court if ìthe Indian government or the State of Madhya Pradesh seeks to intervene in this action or otherwise urges the Court to order such relief. The New York District Court has given the Government of India until June 30, 2004, to submit such a letter.