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Bhopal Photo Exhibit & Film Screening On December 3rd, the Houston chapter of the Association for India’s Development hosted the Bhopal photo exhibit “We Are Not Flowers, We Are Flames!”, a collection of photographs by acclaimed artists Raghu Rai and Maude Dorr, at the University Center at the University of Houston. The chapter also organized a public screening of the new film Bhopal: The Search For Justice. Finally, the chapter donated copies of the book Trespass Against Us and the documentary Twenty Years Without Justice to the M.D. Anderson Library at University of Houston, the Houston Public Library System and the Rice University library. Calling on the Indian Gov't to Agree to a Cleanup On June 15th, 2004, non-resident Indians, students and other supporters
gathered outside the Indian consulate in Chicago and the four other
Indian Government offices (New York, San Francisco, Houston, and
Washington, DC) in the US to demand that the Indian Government allow
Union Carbide to cleanup its abandoned factory site in Bhopal, if
ordered by a US Court. Many of the protestors also pledged to join
a global relay hunger strike if the government continues to delay
action. "In Houston, three of us from the AID Houston chapter went to the consulate general's office with the letter signed by 40 people from across Texas. We were not able to talk to the Consul General who was busy but we talked to some extent to his secretary, his personal assistant and one of his deputies. He has received earlier emails sent by us and is aware of the matter. We are now trying to schedule an appointment for later this week so that we can talk in some detail." Fasting for a Cleanup In Houston on June 21st, 2004, in the company of the indominable Diane, about 7 gathered in the Houston consulate at about 11am yesterday (21st). It was Diane's fourth day of fast, but as usual she had double the energy and enthusiasm than the rest of us combined. Two of us drove from Austin - Madhulika and I, and the rest were from AID Houston - Sherebanu, Pranav, Sriram and of course Kinnu. Five of us had chosen to fast for the day. AID Houston folks were unable to secure an appointment with the consulate general inspite of trying for two days. We went to the reception area and waited until we met someone. Looked like everyone knew about Bhopal and recognized the Houston folks. After a few minuted, they allowed one person to meet the Personal assistance of the general - Mr. Ahuja. I met him for 10 minutes. Submitted the latest memo with the additional signatures on the petition and relay strike. He knew about the issue and assured me that the general knew about the issue. I told him about our fast and he seemed impressed enough to shake my hand and claim - 'it is a just cause, I will do whatever i can..' We then stood in the corridor and passed about 25 petition letters, including to some of the consulate workers. We collected two signatures and made sure everyone in the consulate knew about the issue. The consulate closed at about 12.30pm. Diane will return to the embassy accompanied by AID Houston members, everyday and stand outside to distribute fliers until the letter is issued. Today (22), there were about 3-4 people who distributed more fliers and got a few more signatures. Just the presence of Diane will make sure of that the general does everything in his power! Protest at the Houston
Consulate More than 1500 students descended on Indian Consulates and Government
offices nationwide yesterday, April 15, 2005, to demand action and
justice for Bhopal. The protests, organized by Amnesty International
Group 133 (Somerville, Massachusetts), the Association for India's
Development, and Students for Bhopal, made four key demands of the
Indian Government: • Enforce the clean-up of the contaminated Bhopal site by
the Union Carbide Corporation (UCC)/Dow Chemical Company; The flagship demonstration, organized by Amnesty International Group 133, brought 1500 students to the Indian Consulate in New York as a part of their 10th-annual "Get on the Bus" protest. Satellite protests were also held in Washington, DC; Houston; and Chicago (April 20th); while other satellite actions targeted the Indian Government in San Francisco; Delhi; and Chennai, India. "Two people from AID-Houston went to the Indian consulate this morning. We requested an audience with the Consul General, Mr. Tayal, but were denied since we didn't have an appointment. His Personal Assistant talked to us for a while and we enumerated the demands of the Bhopal campaign, particularly the need to decontaminate the site and provide clean drinking water, and handed him a modified version of the GOTB letter, which he promised to relay to the Indian government. He was a little disconcerted when we told him that we planned to protest outside the consulate, and he went in for a consultation with the CG and came back to tell us we couldn't protest on the premises and hung around to make sure we left. We handed him a copy of the flyer we were going to hand out and left. However we encourage all the members of Amnesty International and AID chapters within the jurisdiction of this consulate to call in over the next few days (713-626-3153) so that this protest will gather strength. Their jurisdiction is the states of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Arkansas, Kansas, Mississipi, Oklahoma and Texas." BHOPAL...This Could Happen Here! On March 26, 2005, AID-Houston hosted a film screening and panel discussion entitled "Bhopal...This Could Happen Here!" The 2004 documentary Bhopal: The Search for Justice was screened, and was followed by a lively discussion with four panelists: Juan Parras: Environmental Law and Justice Clinic, Houston The "Flames Not Flowers" exhibit of photographs from Bhopal taken by Raghu Rai and Maude Dorr was also on display. More than 80 people attended the event, including students and community members. Vigil Marks Indefinite Fast in Delhi On April 11, 2006, 18 members of the AID Houston
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chapter
and other Bhopal supporters gathered to hold a solemn vigil in support
of the indefinite fast begun by six Bhopal survivors and supporters
in Delhi. The indefinite fast follows the epic 500-mile
The international student campaign to hold Dow
accountable for Bhopal, and its other toxic legacies around the world.
For more information about the campaign, or for problems regarding this
website, contact Ryan
Bodanyi, the Coordinator of Students for Bhopal.
WE
ALL LIVE 
IN
BHOPAL
"The year 2003 was a special year in the history of the campaign for justice in Bhopal. It was the year when student and youth supporters from at least 30 campuses in the US and India took action against Dow Chemical or in support of the demands of the Bhopal survivors. As we enter the 20th year of the unfolding Bhopal disaster, we can, with your support, convey to Dow Chemical that the fight for justice in Bhopal is getting stronger and will continue till justice is done. We look forward to your continued support and good wishes, and hope that our joint struggle will pave the way for a just world free of the abuse of corporate power."
Signed/ Rasheeda Bi, Champa Devi Shukla
Bhopal Gas Affected Women Stationery Employees Union
International Campaign for Justice in Bhopal
This is what the www.studentsforbhopal.org site looked like in early 2008. For more recent information, please visit www.bhopal.net.