The Unacceptable Face Of Capitalism: Bhopal And Union Carbide

It is the 25th anniversary of the Bhopal gas disaster that killed over 8000 mostly poor people within 72-hours. The massive leak, 42 tons of toxic Methyl Isocyanate (MIC), happened on December 2, 1984. A further 15 – 20 thousand have died since and hundreds of thousands were made ill, many are still suffering today.

Thousands died in their beds, others as they fled the cloud of killer fumes that affected around half a million people. There has been no justice for these people or their families. Both the Indian Government and the capitalist corporations have failed to take responsibility for this tragedy. What was a human disaster quickly became a human rights travesty.

The Indian government hungry for investment allowed the giant US corporation Union Carbide to build and operate this chemical plant without a strict safety plan, even by the 1980s standards, and this led to world’s worst industrial disaster. Union Carbide cut corners to save money, The Indian Government did nothing to stop them and the people paid the price. Mostly working-class people – people like me and you – think about that. It could have happened in your back yard.

Please take action tell Dow Chemicals (who now owns Union Carbide) to face up to their corporate and moral responsibilities. Tell the Indian Government to do the right thing by their people. Go here.

Other reading:

University of South Australia

Indian Express

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