|
Are you ready to take action for Bhopal?! These are a few ideas
that should help get you started. Keep in mind that ideas are infinitely
variable, and that you’re limited only by your own creativity.
However everything you organize should fit into a larger
campaign that you’ve already chosen – if not you
run the risk of being scattered and ineffective. No matter what
you do, make sure you take photos and keep
us updated! Also, don’t forget to consult our urgent
action page for more ways you can get involved. Note: events
are ranked by approximate time and effort on a five-star scale.
Education
 Host
a Film or Video Screening **
A dozen short documentaries
and at least one full-length
feature film about the Bhopal disaster are available for FREE.
Show them on your campus, and follow up the screening with a discussion
about what people can do. Then get involved!
Resources:
..........• Request
a film
..........• Handouts
and fact sheets about Bhopal
..........• Draft
Media Advisory/Press Release
..........• Bhopal
Posters
..........• Draft
advertising poster
..........• Draft Bhopal Quartersheets:
One & Two
- top -
|
At the University
of Colorado |
 Host
the Bhopal Photo Exhibit **
"We are not Flowers,
We are Flames!", a powerful exhibition of photographs by
Raghu Rai and Maude Dorr, is touring the United States and available
for exhibition on your campus. "We
are not Flowers, We are Flames!" documents both the horror
of the disaster and the perseverance and determination of those
who survived to demand justice, corporate accountability, and their
basic human right to an environment free of chemical poisons. Thumbnails
of the 24-piece exhibit, as well as comments from those who have
seen it and other details, are available
here. Shipping costs are estimated at $90-$120 dollars.
Resources:
..........• Request
the exhibit
..........• Handouts
and fact sheets about Bhopal
..........• Draft
Media Advisory/Press Release
..........• Bhopal
Posters
..........• Draft
advertising poster
..........• Publicity fliers (One
& Two) about the exhibit
at the University of Michigan
..........• A bus
advertisement about the exhibit at the University of Michigan
..........• Draft Bhopal Quartersheets:
One & Two
- top -
|
At the AID
Conference in Pittsburgh |
 Host
a Speaker, Teach-in, Panel Discussion, or Debate **
Invite a speaker from
the Bhopal campaign to come and discuss the disaster, its aftermath,
and the ongoing struggle for justice. Then invite your friends,
classmates, professors, and members of the University administration
to attend or participate. Browse the Bhopal
Speaker’s Bureau to find out more.
Resources:
..........• Request
a speaker
..........• Handouts
and fact sheets about Bhopal
..........• Draft
Media Advisory/Press Release
..........• Bhopal
Posters
..........• Draft
advertising poster
..........• Draft Bhopal Quartersheets:
One & Two
- top -
 Perform
Bhopal, a Play by Rahul Varma ***
Bhopal, first performed at the Teesri Duniya Theatre in
Montreal in November 2001, “tells the story of how complex
forces struggled to bury the truth, expose it, or shape it to the
needs of self-interest, and how an unspeakable disaster ended all
speculation. Ultimately, though, it is about - and for - those without
means or influence, whose voices are seldom heard and yet who are
made to pay the cost.” More information, including reviews,
is available here.
Resources:
..........• Request
the play
..........• Handouts
and fact sheets about Bhopal
..........• Draft
Media Advisory/Press Release
..........• Bhopal
Posters
..........• Draft
advertising poster
..........• Draft Bhopal Quartersheets:
One & Two
- top -
 Coordinate
an Anniversary Vigil or Commemoration **
On Dec. 3rd, organize a vigil on campus, in your community, or near
the home
of a Dow Boardmember or a Dow
facility. Invite participants to remember the dead and vow to
fight for those who still suffer today. Consider including speakers,
music, survivor
testimonials, poetry readings, and candle-lighting.
Resources:
..........• Survivor
testimonials
..........• Bhopal
poetry
..........•
Partial list
of dead & injured
..........• Handouts
and fact sheets about Bhopal
..........• Draft
Media Advisory/Press Release
..........• Bhopal
Posters
..........• Draft
advertising poster
..........• Draft Bhopal Quartersheets:
One & Two
..........• Don't
forget the candles!
- top -
 Recitation
of Names **
Among all those who died in Bhopal it’s easy to lose track
of the individuals that Carbide killed. Reminding everyone that
20,000 deaths is more than just a number can be a powerful event.
Organize a public reading of the names of some of those who gave
their lives. Alternately, you could do so visually, by chalking
a list of names on your campus crossroads. You could also build
gravestones (relatively easy) or human-size silhouette cut-outs
in black and print the name and story of a Bhopali killed by Carbide.
Resources:
..........• Partial
list of dead & injured
..........• Bhopal
poetry
..........• Survivor
testimonials
..........• Draft
Media Advisory/Press Release
..........• Handouts
and fact sheets about Bhopal
..........• Bhopal
Posters
..........• Draft Bhopal Quartersheets:
One & Two
- top -
|
In Togo, West
Africa, 2005 |
 Build
A Bhopal Memorial **
The only memorial ever built in Bhopal was designed by a descendant
of the Holocaust. Inscribed on its sides are the words “No
Hiroshima, No Bhopal – We Want to Live.” Design your
own Bhopal memorial in your community. You might want to include
a list of names, or it may be more symbolic (like a dry ice “gas
leak” surrounded by a swathe of body outlines in chalk, a
pile of body bags, or a funeral procession).
Resources:
..........• Survivor
testimonials
..........• Partial
list of dead & injured
..........• Bhopal
poetry
..........• Handouts
and fact sheets about Bhopal
..........• Draft
Media Advisory/Press Release
..........• Bhopal
Posters
..........• Draft
advertising poster
..........• Draft Bhopal Quartersheets:
One & Two
- top -
|
An art competition
in Bhopal |
 Organize
a Poetry/Art Contest ***
Invite the students from your school to participate in a poetry
or artistic competition with a Bhopal theme. Organize an exhibition/recitation
that’s open to the public, and hand out prizes donated by
area businesses. Consider sending the winning entries to Dow.
Resources:
..........• Visit
the home of Bhopal Arts on the web for inspiration
..........• Handouts
and fact sheets about Bhopal
..........• Draft
Media Advisory/Press Release
..........• Bhopal
Posters
..........• Draft
advertising poster
..........• Draft Bhopal Quartersheets:
One & Two
- top -
 Spread
the Word *
Write an article about Bhopal for your campus newspaper, ask the
paper to do a story on your group’s activities, or submit
an op-ed column with a local angle (sample articles are available
on the Students for Bhopal website). Or set up an interview for
yourself or a member of the campaign on campus radio!
Resources:
..........• Draft
Op-eds
..........• Handouts
and fact sheets about Bhopal
- top -
 Organize
Public Bhopal Readings **
This is easy to plan; all you need are things to read and people
to read them! Host a regular reading session about the Bhopal disaster
and campaign, perhaps at a local coffee shop, and invite the public.
Resources:
..........• Survivor
testimonials
..........• Bhopal
poetry
..........• Bhopal
books
..........• Handouts
and fact sheets about Bhopal
..........• Draft
Media Advisory/Press Release
..........• Bhopal
Posters
..........• Draft
advertising poster
..........• Draft Bhopal Quartersheets:
One & Two
- top -
Targeting Dow At Your School
 Pass
a Student Government Resolution ****
Draft a resolution calling on your school to divest, reject Dow’s
funding, or expel Dow recruiters. Present the resolution to your
student government with a supporting petition
from the student body, faculty, and alumni.
Find out more
- top -
 Dow
Buildings ***
Do you have a Dow Building (or lounge, or plaza) on YOUR campus?
If so, perhaps you should rename it! Do so at night (if you modify
the signs, make sure your changes cause no permanent damage) or
organize a public ceremony and invite the media.
Tell them that Dow’s money isn’t welcome at your school
so long as they neglect their responsibilities in Bhopal.
Alternately, you can organize a “quarantine” of the
building. Dress in white biohazard
suits and white face masks and advise students that entry into
the building might be unsafe, given Dow's
history of environmental contamination.
If you’re really creative, you can borrow a projector, design
a skull and crossbones slide,
and project it onto your campus Dow building.
Resources:
..........• Handouts
and fact sheets about Bhopal
..........• Draft
Media Advisory/Press Release
..........• Bhopal
Posters
..........• Draft Bhopal Quartersheets:
One & Two
..........• List
of Bhopal slogans
..........• Understand
your rights
- top -
 Disrupt
Dow Recruiting Sessions ***
Thwart Dow’s ability to recruit on campus by disrupting their
recruiting sessions. Seal off planned recruitment venues with “Crime
Scene: Do Not Cross” caution tape. “Quarantine”
the session by dressing in white
biohazard suits and white face masks; advise students that entry
might be unsafe, given Dow's history of chemical
contamination. Deliver a jhadoo
to the Dow recruiter, or attend the session wearing Pinocchio
noses to highlight Dow’s lie-ability. Even asking persistent
questions about Bhopal – questions Dow doesn’t want
asked – can be a disruptive influence.
Resources:
..........• Handouts
and fact sheets about Bhopal
..........• Draft
Media Advisory/Press Release
..........• Bhopal
Posters
..........• Draft Bhopal Quartersheets:
One & Two
..........• List
of Bhopal slogans
..........• Understand
your rights
- top -
 Pledge
Not to Work for Dirty Dow! **
Collect pledges from students, promising not to work for Dow until
they resolve their responsibilities in Bhopal. Collect the resumes
of students who’ve promised not to work for Dow and deliver
them to the company so they’ll know what they’re missing.
Resources:
..........• Pledge sheets: PDF
and Excel
..........• Handouts
and fact sheets about Bhopal
..........• Draft
Media Advisory/Press Release
..........• Bhopal
Posters
..........• Draft Bhopal Quartersheets:
One & Two
- top -
 Educate
Potential Dow Recruits About Bhopal **
Dow won’t tell potential recruits the
truth about its dirty legacy, but shouldn’t potential
employees know what they’re getting into? Educate them about
Bhopal and Dow’s devastating legacy. Flier at career fairs,
hand out information to those attending Dow recruitment sessions,
or even pretend to be a Dow recruiter yourself, offering students
jobs in exchange for their consciences.
Resources:
..........• Handouts
and fact sheets about Bhopal
..........• Draft
Media Advisory/Press Release
..........• Bhopal
Posters
..........• Draft Bhopal Quartersheets:
One & Two
- top -
 The
Run-Around ***
Are you getting the run-around from your college or university?
Organize one yourself: run in a circle around the home of your college
President or Chancellor to highlight the treatment you’re
getting from your school, and demand action.
Resources:
..........• Handouts
and fact sheets about Bhopal
..........• Draft
Media Advisory/Press Release
..........• Bhopal
Posters
..........• Draft
advertising poster
..........• Draft Bhopal Quartersheets:
One & Two
..........• List
of Bhopal slogans
..........• Understand
your rights
- top -
 Alumni
Support ***
As a major source of financial support for your school, alumni carry
great weight with the administration. Circulate a sign-on letter
to gather alumni support for your campaign, and make it public if
your school refuses to take action. In extreme circumstances, you
may want to organize an alumni boycott of donations to your school,
or collect donations in a separate fund that you’ll release
to the school when they agree to your demands. Check with your Alumni
Office for a list of major donors to your school.
Resources:
..........• Handouts
and fact sheets about Bhopal
..........• Draft
Media Advisory/Press Release
..........• Bhopal
Posters
- top -
 Sit-Ins *****
Sit-ins are a tactic that first gained popularity in the Thirties
in the labor movement, then in the Sixties in the Civil Rights movement.
They have recently gained notoriety for their successful use by
the student anti-sweatshop movement. Occupying (or sitting-in) a
building is one of the strongest non-violent forms of action that
a group can take. By sitting in your school president’s office,
or an important part of the administration building, you reduce
their ability to operate. The result can be anything from confusion,
to intense hostility, to capitulation. You risk punishment and arrest,
but by acting boldly you’ll get extensive media coverage and
greatly increase the likelihood of negotiations and their success.
You should NOT hold a sit-in until you have worked
through the initial stages of educating people and holding one or
more protests. A sit-in is a last resort, and should
not be done out of the blue. However if, after having worked on
an issue for a long time, you’re hitting your head against
a brick wall, then the time might be ripe for a sit-in.
You’ll need a core group of people to start the effort. Organize
a series of meetings over the course of which you introduce and
discuss the sit-in option. Don’t force reluctant people to
commit, but over a couple weeks build up a list of people willing
to sit-in. Get them to sign a pledge and repeatedly verify that
they are comfortable doing so. Aim for group consensus on the decision
to sit-in. Members who do not want to sit-in will hopefully be supportive
of those who do, and you need some activists on the outside to organize
rallies in your support. Discuss what you’ll do if security
tells you to leave. Scout out the site. It should be strategic (a
site of power), ideally near the center of campus (where you can
gather supporters), and large enough to accommodate your group of
people for a couple days or more.
To avoid security stopping you before you can get in the building,
you should keep the discussion of doing a sit-in off all email lists
(especially details of date and time). Rely upon word-of-mouth,
calling people and group meetings.
|
Don't
forget your hippopotamus |
Here’s a list of things to bring:
..........• Backpacks
..........• Food and water
..........• Deodorant (and other
personal hygiene items)
..........• Blankets, sleeping
bags, pillows
..........• Books, cards, homework
..........• Cameras
..........• Signs
..........• Laptops
..........• Cellular phone(s):
to call outside supporters and the media
..........• List of outside supporters
and media to call
..........• Scanner radio: for
$50-$100 you can buy a handheld scanner that will let you listen
to your security and city police, hopefully giving you advance warning
before they take any action (though using it to do so is slightly
illegal). Tip: Try Ebay or this
site for a cheap scanner. Also you should be able to find a
list of frequencies on the web.
..........• Reporter(s): the more
reporter present, the better you will get treated by your target
(the more likely they are to negotiate and grant your demands).
..........• Don’t overpack.
You might have the freedom to come and leave, in which case you
can arrange to deliver assignments and stay on top of your courses.
Leave the space neat and tidy. Don’t punish the underpaid
secretaries and janitors who will have to clean up any mess you
leave.
Resources:
..........• Handouts
and fact sheets about Bhopal
..........• Draft
Media Advisory/Press Release
..........• Bhopal
Posters
..........• Draft Bhopal Quartersheets:
One & Two
..........• List
of Bhopal slogans
..........• Understand
your rights
..........• Sit
in! A Tactical Analysis by Aaron Kreider
- top -
Targeting Dow
 Confront
Dow Board Members ****
If a Dow Board member lives
nearby or has close ties
with your university, they should be told - repeatedly and creatively
- that Dow needs to take responsibility for Bhopal. See if you can
arrange a private meeting with them, or present them with a list
of demands, a jhadoo, a
sample of Bhopal water, or
the photo of a Bhopal victim. Hold a candlelight vigil or a protest
outside their house if they refuse to meet with you, and invite
the media.
Find out more
- top -
 Protest
at a Dow Facility ****
Do YOU live near a Dow facility?
If so, organize a vigil outside, rope off the fenceline with “Crime
Scene: Do Not Cross” caution tape, draw chalk outlines
in the street outside, or attempt to meet with the plant manager
as a delegation to express your concerns about Dow's continuing
inaction in Bhopal.
Find out more
- top -
 Ask
your Professors to Sign the National Faculty Petition *
Ask your professors to consider signing the Faculty
Petition for Justice in Bhopal. The petition calls on Dow to
face criminal trial in India (its subsidiary, Union Carbide, has
been charged with culpable homicide for the thousands of deaths
caused by the disaster); provide long-term healthcare for the victims;
fund a clean-up of the abandoned site; and sponsor income-generating
opportunities for those too sick to continue in their previous occupation.
All you need to do to collect signatures for it is ask!
Resources:
..........• Handouts
and fact sheets about Bhopal
- top -
Targeting the Indian Government
 Organize
a Call-in Day **
Set up a table in your campus crossroads and organize a mass call-in
or fax-in to the Indian Embassy in Washington, DC. Ask for the Ambassador
or a senior official, and tell them to comply with ICJB’s
demands.
| Neend
Udao
Shri Babulal Gaur, Chief Minister
of Madhya Pradesh
+91 755 2442231
+91 755 2442241
+91 755 2540500
+91 755 2540501 (residential numbers at Chief Minister's house)
Shri Umashankar Gupta, Minister, Department
of Gas Relief
+91 755 2431011
+91 755 2763536 (residential numbers)
Shri Iqbal Ahmed, Principal Secretary, Department
of Gas Relief
+91 755 2441681 (residence)
|
Find out more
- top -
 Neend
Udao **
“Neend Udao”, or “Wake Up!” in Hindi, is
what the politicians in Bhopal need to do. Organize a mass call-in
and give them a real "Wake Up!" call: tell them to fulfill
their duty and support the needs of the Bhopal survivors. Naturally,
given the time difference, it may be impossible to avoid calling
at odd hours and disrupting their sleep. Be polite but firm: it’s
time to agree to the demands of the
Bhopal survivors.
Their home numbers are given on the right, together with a useful
clock showing the current time in Bhopal. Please make good use of
it.
Resources:
..........• Handouts
and fact sheets about Bhopal
..........• Bhopal
Posters
..........• Draft
advertising poster
..........• Draft Bhopal Quartersheets:
One & Two
..........• Need
a cheap phone card?
- top -
 Organize
a Protest ****
If you live near the Indian
Embassy in Washington, DC, or near one of the other consulates
in the United States (New
York, Chicago,
Houston and
San Francisco), consider organizing
a demonstration to call on the Indian Government
to do what it should have done long ago – comply with the
demands of the Bhopal survivors.
|
Outside the
New York Consulate, 2005 |
Resources:
..........• Draft
Media Advisory/Press Release
..........• Handouts
and fact sheets about Bhopal
..........• Survivor
testimonials
..........• Bhopal
Posters
..........• Draft
advertising poster
..........• Draft Bhopal Quartersheets:
One & Two
..........• List
of Bhopal slogans
..........• Understand
your rights
- top -
Multipurpose Ideas
 Summon
the "Dow Grim Reaper" 
**
Dress up as the Dow Grim Reaper
by painting or taping Dow's symbol on the front of a Grim Reaper
costume. Then cull your student body by handing them “death
slips” that explain how and why your victims have died.
It’s a fun way to spread the word about Bhopal - and let everyone
know who’s responsible.
Resources:
..........• Handouts
and fact sheets about Bhopal
..........• Draft
Media Advisory/Press Release
..........• Draft Bhopal Quartersheets:
One & Two
- top -
 Hand
out “Bhopal Water” **
Concoct a nasty brew of foul-tasting ingredients and hand it out
to students on a silver platter. Dress up as a waiter and approach
people on your college green or in your school’s cafeterias.
Invite them to try the Bhopal water but insist that they sign a
liability waiver in case
of injury or death. Educate yourself beforehand about the
toxins found in actual Bhopal water.
A creative twist: befoul (but do no damage to) a public fountain.
Dress up as Dow executives and angrily assert that the water is
clean, and fine for drinking. Refuse to drink the water yourselves
but insist that others do so.
Resources:
..........• Request
an actual sample of Bhopal water
..........• Handouts
and fact sheets about Bhopal
..........• Draft
Media Advisory/Press Release
..........• Bhopal
Posters
..........• Draft
advertising poster
..........• Draft Bhopal Quartersheets:
One & Two
..........• Understand
your rights
- top -
 Chalkings
*
Get a couple buckets of sidewalk chalk and decorate campus. Chalking
is cheap, fun, creative, and effective. Some schools don’t
like it, but it’s pretty harmless and if you do it late at
night, you’ll avoid scrutiny. You can use it to educate, advertise,
or put pressure on your administration (Ex.: by chalking the night
before a lot of alumni or parents are visiting campus).
One possibility: sketch body outlines around campus (particularly
around the Dow Building, if you have one, or the President’s
house) and write the names of Bhopal
victims inside, or Bhopal slogans.
Resources:
..........• Handouts
and fact sheets about Bhopal
..........• Bhopal
Posters
..........• Draft Bhopal Quartersheets:
One & Two
..........• Understand
your rights
..........• Partial
list of dead & injured
- top -
 Petitions
*
Petitions are the time-honored way of demonstrating public support
for your campaign and can also be a
useful tool for introducing people to an issue. 
Rather than assigning a few people to sit at a table and collect
signatures, it’s more efficient for everyone in the group
to get in on the act, and collect 20 or so signatures per week (or
more if you can) from friends, folks in their dorms, etc. Give people
a basic rap to say, hand out the blank petitions at a meeting and
send them off!
As with other kinds of sign-up sheets, it’s good to put yourself
and a few friends at the top of the sheet so nobody has to be the
first. Keep the original petition and send copies of it to your
target(s).
Add everyone who signs up to a low-traffic “action alert”
email list, so that they’ll know about other opportunities
to support your efforts.
Resources:
..........• Sample petitions for
students and faculty
to sign
..........• Handouts
and fact sheets about Bhopal
..........• Bhopal
Posters
..........• Draft Bhopal Quartersheets:
One & Two
..........• Effective
Campus Petition Drives: A Strategy
- top -
 Balloon
Petition **
As a creative variation on traditional petitioning, write a brief
slogan (such as “Justice for Bhopal Now”) on helium
balloons and collect signatures on the balloons before tying them
all over campus.
Resources:
..........• Handouts
and fact sheets about Bhopal
..........• Bhopal
Posters
..........• Draft Bhopal Quartersheets:
One & Two
..........• Effective
Campus Petition Drives: A Strategy
- top -
|
A thousand
bloody handprints of Bhopali children |
 Bloody
Handprints ***
Build a toxic waste drum out of chicken
wire and paper mache (if you can’t find a real one), paint
it white (red for Dow’s
symbol) and then plant it in a major thoroughfare. As people
pass through, you can ask them to leave their bloody handprints
in red fingerpaint. Then take photos to send
to Dow or even send the real thing. Or deliver it to a key member
of your college with a demand for action. The same can also be done
with a large cloth banner.
Resources:
..........• Handouts
and fact sheets about Bhopal
..........• Draft
Media Advisory/Press Release
..........• Bhopal
Posters
..........• Draft
advertising poster
..........• Draft Bhopal Quartersheets:
One & Two
- top -
 Blood
Money ***
Send some creatively designed “blood money” to Dow to
symbolize its continuing profits at the expense of human lives.
If there’s a Dow facility
or Dow
Boardmember nearby, make a delivery – or plaster
the sidewalk out front with their dirty dollars. Alternately, if
your school has close ties with Dow, dress up as a Dow executive
and attempt to donate your bloody money to the school.
| Dow's
Address
They'd love to hear from you...
The Dow Chemical Company
2030 Dow Center
Midland, MI 48674 |
Resources:
..........• Handouts
and fact sheets about Bhopal
..........• Draft
Media Advisory/Press Release
..........• Bhopal
graphics
..........• Draft Bhopal Quartersheets:
One & Two
..........• Understand
your rights
- top -
 Organize
a Run for Your Life!! Race *****
Organize a short race to dramatize and re-create the disaster. Begin
with a (dry ice) gas “leak” (outside a Dow building
if you have one on campus, or a nearby
Dow facility) and urge the runners to dash for safety. Dress
up as the Grim Reaper, catch
people as they flee, and give them death
certificates at the end. Award the “survivors” (the
winners) with “metals” symbolizing the continuing chemical
and heavy metal contamination that burdens the people of Bhopal.
|
At the University
of Michigan, the “Run for Your Life!!” race
served three purposes: raising awareness about the disaster
among the student body in an  engaging
and participatory way; drawing attention to the University’s
unacceptable association with Dow, and garnering valuable
publicity for the campaign. Participants were asked to sign
away their rights by a "Dow representative"
sporting a Pinocchio nose.
The Dow rep spoke grandly about Dow's discussions with survivors
and attempts to develop a philanthropic strategy for Bhopal,
but the runners weren't buying it. Instead they signed allegations
of liability, charging the company with ignoring its clear
legal responsibilities in Bhopal.
The race began with a dry ice "gas leak" outside
of the Dow Chemistry Laboratories on Central Campus. Participants
began to cough and soon they fled, chased by a resolute Grim
Reaper sporting a nasty scythe. Before the runners reached
the vicinity of the University Hospitals, more than 40% had
been culled by the Reaper. Death
certificates and stickers reading "I DIED: Ask Me
How" were distributed to those who were caught; the winners
were granted lead and mercury “metals”, symbolizing
the continuing contamination that even the survivors of the
Bhopal disaster continue to face. Water bottles reading "CLEAN
WATER - What Bhopal Lacks" were distributed to all the
participants, who had braved the weather and turned out to
run in spite of near-freezing temperatures. The race received
coverage in the local section of Monday's Ann Arbor News.
|
Resources:
..........• Check with university
or city officials to see whether your race needs a permit.
..........• You may require race
insurance. K&K Insurance
offers reasonable rates.
..........• Dry ice (usually easy
to find; ask around)
..........• Draft
Media Advisory/Press Release
..........• Publicity fliers (One
& Two) about the race at
the University of Michigan
..........• A "Run
for Your Life!" ad that ran in the Ann Arbor News
..........• A bus
advertisement about the race at the University of Michigan
..........• Handouts
and fact sheets about Bhopal
..........• Bhopal
Posters
..........• Draft
advertising poster
..........• Draft Bhopal Quartersheets:
One & Two
- top -
 Put
Dow On Trial ****
This is a creative and engaging way of educating the campus community
about the Bhopal disaster. It involves a presentation of evidence,
a prosecution and a defense, and an impartial jury which can convict
Dow on the basis of the evidence presented. You can invite law students,
the mock trial group, or Dow
representatives to participate, and notify
the media - and Dow - of the outcome.
Alternately, you could empanel a group of students as a Grand Jury
and ask them to issue an indictment. A Grand Jury would differ from
a full trial in that:
..........• The standard of proof
is lower. The Grand Jury simply needs to conclude that a "preponderance
of the evidence" suggests that a party is guilty. A conviction
requires reasonable doubt.
..........• In a trial, there
is a prosecutor and a defendant. However the Grand Jury is simpler:
there are no judges or opposing lawyers, only the prosecution and
an impartial body of citizens. Evidence is presented, and on the
basis of that evidence the Grand Jury decides whether or not to
indict. A Grand Jury can also subpoena witnesses and evidence.
..........• An indictment leaves
open the interesting possibility of a response from the company.
In the indictment, you can demand that a Dow representative appear
to stand trial at your school. In the unlikely event that one does
appear, then you could have an actual trial - and that would certainly
be interesting. However what you'll likely receive instead is a
letter from Dow, espousing their PR
talking points, which you'll be able to post for the whole school
to read. If they fail to appear, you can declare them "absconders",
just like the Chief Judicial Magistrate
court in Bhopal, and issue arrest warrants for the Board. These
can then be “served” on Dow executives nationwide.
The whole process is interactive theater from start to finish,
and it lends itself to media coverage: "Blah University Students
Indict $40 Billion Company for Corporate Manslaughter". You
can even give interviews "in character" as the prosecutor
or as a juror.
Resources:
..........• Survivor
testimonials
..........• Amnesty International
report: Clouds
of Injustice
..........• In-depth
background information
..........• Handouts
and fact sheets about Bhopal
..........• Draft
Media Advisory/Press Release
..........• Bhopal
Posters
..........• Draft
advertising poster
..........• Draft Bhopal Quartersheets:
One & Two
- top -
 Present
Dow with an "Award" ***
Give Dow an “award” for its infamous legacy in Bhopal.
The award can be as fancy as a plaque or as easy as a certificate
made from construction paper. Or, present a Pinocchio
nose to congratulate Dow on their lie-ability. Give the award
to a Dow representative at your school, a recipient of Dow funding,
or to the Dow Grim Reaper,
on hand to “represent” the company and accept the award.
You can then send on the actual award and photographs of the ceremony
to Dow headquarters in Midland.
| Dow's
Address
They'd love to hear from you...
The Dow Chemical Company
2030 Dow Center
Midland, MI 48674 |
Resources:
..........• Order
a plaque online for as little as $40
..........• Survivor
testimonials
..........• Handouts
and fact sheets about Bhopal
..........• Draft
Media Advisory/Press Release
..........• Bhopal
Posters
..........• Draft
advertising poster
..........• Draft Bhopal Quartersheets:
One & Two
- top -
|
University
of Michigan, 2002 |
 Leaking
Barrels ***
Dramatize the gas leak with toxic waste barrels and foaming dry
ice. Makes a great spectacle!
Resources:
..........• Bhopal
graphics
..........• Handouts
and fact sheets about Bhopal
..........• Draft
Media Advisory/Press Release
..........• Bhopal
Posters
..........• Draft
advertising poster
..........• Draft Bhopal Quartersheets:
One & Two
- top -
 Fasts
or Hunger-Strikes ****
Public fasts and hunger strikes can be a
powerful way of demonstrating your commitment, generating media
coverage, and winning supporters to your side. Consider a day-long
collective hunger strike, a rotating hunger strike, or an indefinite
hunger strike (although most people can go without food for several
days, consult your doctor). If you’re planning an indefinite
hunger strike, make sure that some of your leaders don’t join
in – they’ll need their energy to organize support behind
your struggle. Be sure to drink lots of water. Fasting is a traditional
non-violent tactic that has been used by women
suffragists, Gandhi, Dorothy Day, political prisoners and others.
If you are going on a prolonged hunger strike (more than 1-3 days),
read up on it first, so you know what you’re doing.
Resources:
..........• Health
facts for hunger-strikers (courtesy of United Students Against
Sweatshops)
..........• Handouts
and fact sheets about Bhopal
..........• Draft
Media Advisory/Press Release
..........• Bhopal
Posters
..........• Draft
advertising poster
..........• Draft Bhopal Quartersheets:
One & Two
..........• Understand
your rights
- top -
 Rallies
****
The purpose of a rally is to show your level of support to your
target, to invigorate your supporters and to attract media attention
to bring new people into the campaign. Rallies can include chanting,
signs, banners, music, marching, street theater, impassioned speeches,
humor, presenting petitions and anything else you like. The advertising
could and should include:
..........• Press releases to
papers, radio, and TV (with follow-up)
..........• Announcements in classes
and to other groups
..........• Chalking on the sidewalks
and blackboards
..........• Mailings to your mailing
list, and calls to your phone list
..........• Posters
Develop a sensible time-line and make sure everything gets done
on time, with people assigned to specific tasks - as usual, you
can do a good job at a reasonable pace with a lot of people, or
a bad job frantically with just a few. It’s especially important
to have some last-minute advertising the day of the rally - chalk
on the sidewalks the night before, leaflet the day of, etc.
|
In front of
the Indian Consulate in New York |
Rallies usually begin with a short introduction by an MC and then
a series of speeches, chants, music, and so on. Some things to help
rallies go well:
..........• Keep speakers on strict
time limits that you warn them about in advance. Have a fearless
MC signal ‘timeout’ if they go over.
..........• Use the rally to promote
your group. You deserve the reward for organizing it.
..........• If it’s outside,
remember to put a rain location on the posters.
..........• Have a good diversity
of speakers (gender, race, etc.) and don’t rely again and
again on the same good speakers. New people need to develop those
skills too, and they’ll have a blast. Trust them.
..........• Have several people
designated as representatives to the press.
..........• Getting people to
crowd together and having colorful banners in the background will
make for good pictures.
..........• Have a few marshals
on hand to direct the crowd, lead chants, and so on.
..........• Make the rally visually
attractive - lots of signs and banners, T-shirts with slogans, costumes
and theater and so on. You can cheaply make full color T-shirts
with color inkjet printers, an iron, and T-shirt transfer paper
(1.50 a sheet). How about a nighttime march, carrying torches? Ooooh!
Press tips:
..........• Find them - don’t
wait for them to find you. Control the media,
instead of letting them control you.
..........• Have several “sound
bites” ready beforehand. Saying these, and repeating them
if necessary, is a higher priority than answering the reporter’s
questions (sad, but true).
..........• Don’t make long-winded
speeches; they’ll be edited to death.
..........• A press packet prepared
beforehand with detailed information might help.
..........• Do what you can to
make the audience well informed - it looks bad for them to say,
“Well, uh, I guess I came cause, well, yah know, I’m
really concerned about stuff.”
Resources:
..........• Bhopal
slogans
..........• Survivor
testimonials
..........• Handouts
and fact sheets about Bhopal
..........• Draft
Media Advisory/Press Release
..........• Bhopal
Posters
..........• Draft
advertising poster
..........• Draft Bhopal Quartersheets:
One & Two
..........• Understand
your rights
- top -
 Organize
a Fundraiser **
Organize a concert, dinner, raffle, or party to raise money for
the Bhopal campaign or Sambhavna Clinic. Ask co-ops or local businesses
to donate the supplies, food or prizes.
Find out more
- top -
 Banner
Drops ***
Drop a banner from a high spot. Big Banner. Good photo-op.
Resources:
..........• Bhopal
slogans
..........• Handouts
and fact sheets about Bhopal
..........• Draft
Media Advisory/Press Release
..........• Bhopal
Posters
..........• Draft
advertising poster
..........• Draft Bhopal Quartersheets:
One & Two
..........• Understand
your rights
- top -
Halloween Ideas
 Dow
Piñata ***
Build a Dow "piñata" out of wire
mesh and paper mache and invite the campus to break it open.
Build the piñata in the shape of a toxic waste drum and paint
the Dow logo on its sides.
Then have everyone take a swing at it! Design it to break open at
the bottom, and fill it with chemical slime, blood and bones, or
stink bombs. Be sure to have plenty of candy around for those who
take a swing, so that no one goes away disappointed.
Resources:
..........• Handouts
and fact sheets about Bhopal
..........• Draft
Media Advisory/Press Release
..........• Bhopal
Posters
..........• Draft
advertising poster
..........• Draft Bhopal Quartersheets:
One & Two
- top -
 Dow’s
Death Squad ***
Instead of attending a Halloween party as a harmless demon, why
not come as something  a
bit more scary - a member of the DOW Death Squad! Wear faceless
masks (or chemical suits!)
and walk around campus with water
from Bhopal, information
about Dow & the history of the disaster, etc. Find out where
the parties will be on campus and go with your squad. Hand out "Bhopal
beverages" filled with 'chemical residue.' Educate yourself
beforehand about the
toxins found in actual Bhopal water. Make as big a show at the
party as possible by bringing a boombox playing the Bhopal song
Flames not Flowers as you
walk through the party.
Alternately, hold your own Death Squad party. Turn up the boombox
and insist that folks drink your revolting Bhopal beverages. Draw
a chalk outline on the ground for those unlucky enough to do so.
Resources:
..........• Handouts
and fact sheets about Bhopal
..........• Draft
Media Advisory/Press Release
..........• Bhopal
Posters
..........• Draft
advertising poster
..........• Draft Bhopal Quartersheets:
One & Two
- top -
 Seize
a Cemetery ****
Dress up as Dow executives and "seize" a nearby cemetery.
Claim that the dead are your "intellectual property,"
and cite Agent Orange, DDT, Napalm and Bhopal
to back up your claim. Invite the media - they'll love the spectacle!
Resources:
..........• Handouts
and fact sheets about Bhopal
..........• Draft
Media Advisory/Press Release
..........• Bhopal
Posters
..........• Draft
advertising poster
..........• Draft Bhopal Quartersheets:
One & Two
..........• Understand
your rights
- top -
 Dow
Haunted House ***
Build a Dow Haunted House for Halloween. Make the Haunted House
educational, but scary too - perhaps this is another venue for the
Dow Grim Reaper to stalk
his victims.
Resources:
..........• Handouts
and fact sheets about Bhopal
..........• Draft
Media Advisory/Press Release
..........• Bhopal
Posters
..........• Draft
advertising poster
..........• Draft Bhopal Quartersheets:
One & Two
- top -
 Halloween
Trick or Treat *
Something your family can do! Instead of just giving out candy to
the trick-or-treaters, include information about the real-life horror
story that continues in Bhopal today.
Resources:
..........• Handouts
and fact sheets about Bhopal
..........• Bhopal
Posters
..........• Draft Bhopal Quartersheets:
One & Two
- top -
|
IN
BHOPAL