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Documentary Screening
and Q&A About Bhopal
On the 20th anniversary of the Bhopal disaster, December 3rd, 2004,
AID-NY, the Asian/Pacific/American Studies program at NYU, United
Students Against Sweatshops (NYU), INSAF, YSS, ICJB and Students
for Bhopal co-sponsored a Bhopal Solidarity event at New York University:
a free film screening of the 2004 documentary Bhopal: The Search
for Justice. This was followed by a Q&A session and with
the filmmaker, Harold Crooks, and Brian Mooney, New York University
anthropology professor and former lawyer with Kelley, Dyre and Warren,
Union Carbide's New York City law firm. Those who chose to stay
afterwards took part in a Bhopal solidarity discussion.
In light of the 20th anniversary of the tragedy in Bhopal, the
film commemorated 20 years in the struggle for justice in Bhopal,
India and the 2nd Global Day of Action Against Corporate Crime.
The evening ended with a call for individuals and organizations
to mobilize for getting involved in solidarity with the International
Campaign for Justice in Bhopal, to struggle for the Bhopal victims
fighting for human rights, environmental justice, and corporate
accountability.
6pm-7pm: set-up of tables with flyers, information, and an email
contact list by Sujani, Vandana, and Varsha; Samosas were sold by
Vandana and Varsha to support ICJB and the Bhopal Medical Appeal.
7-8pm: film screening, introduction to film and event by Sujani
and Harold; talk about corporate crimes by Coca Cola and Dow, and
campaigns and petitions to Coca Cola and Dow by Sujani; USAS member
Andy spoke about upcoming event organized to demand maternity leave
and women's health benefits for sweatshop workers in Bangladesh
working for Walmart, making Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen brandname
apparel
8-8:30pm: Q&A/discussion with Harold Crooks and Brian Mooney,
moderated by Sujani
8:30-9pm: questions and comments about the film from audience, reminder
about petitions by Sujani, wrap-up and talk about building a Bhopal
solidarity network in NYC consisting of individuals and organizations.
Thanks to Sujani, Manu, Ryan, Andy, Kranthi, Vandana, Varsha, Harold
Crooks, Brian Mooney and everyone who came for making this event
possible.
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The Bhopal Tragedy:
A Global Perspective
On December 3rd, 1999, NYU hosted a review of Bhopal, an environmental
and human rights disaster, to commemorate and remember the catastrophe's
15th anniversary. New York University’s School of Education
hosted a panel discussion with anthropologist and former Union Carbide
attorney Brain Mooney, attorney Rajan Sharma, and NYU Prof. Arvind
Rajagopal; a slide show featuring survivors in Bhopal; and a screening
of a documentary, Bhopal: A License to Kill.
Professor Arvind Rajagopal, a member of the faculty of the Department
of Culture and Communications, said, “The Bhopal disaster
happened 15 years ago, but it’s an ongoing catastrophe. The
victims remain poorly treated, poorly compensated, and, worst of
all, unacknowledged. Bhopal offers a loud and clear warning about
the human toll that may come from allowing large corporations to
regulate themselves, to escape national regulations through their
transnational status, to export unsafe technologies in the name
of progress, and to put the blame where it doesn’t belong,
on Third World governments. An American court gave Union Carbide
the judgment it sought, to transfer the case to an Indian court,
where it was able to manipulate the system to its advantage. Americans
have a right to know how their corporations are representing them
abroad. Such information often gets sidelined or ignored. The 15th
anniversary is a time when we can measure the rhetoric of globalization
against the reality faced by its poorest beneficiaries.”
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IN
BHOPAL