How low can Dow go?

[marc.garrett]

BlankHow low can Dow go?
Dow sues penniless Bhopal survivors

Mon 23 December 2002



In a stunning example of corporate insensibility, Dow Chemical, the worlds
largest chemical company, and new owners of Union Carbide is to sue
survivors of the 1984 Union Carbide gas disaster in Bhopal, India. While the
site of the disaster lies covered in toxic waste and survivors struggle with
continuing ill health and deadly pollution from the site, Dow has decided to
add to their woes with a Indian lawsuit.


Yes that's right - the very people Dow should be helping are now facing a
lawsuit from one of the world most powerful corporations. Why are they
acting in such an amazingly perverse manner? On December 2nd a peaceful
march of 200 women survivors from Bhopal delivered toxic waste from the
abandoned Carbide factory back to Dow's Indian headquarters in Bombay with
the demand that Dow take responsibility for the disaster and clean up the
site. Dow obviously has other ideas because they are suing survivors for
about US$10,000 for "loss of work". That's US$10,000 compensation demanded
for a two hour peaceful protest where only one Dow employee briefly ventured
out of the Mumbai corporate business park to meet the women protestors.