Boycott Dow & IOCL

WE, THE UNDERSIGNED, ARE BOYCOTTING INDIAN OIL CORPORATION OVER ITS PROPOSED DEAL WITH DOW CHEMICAL TO PURCHASE UNION CARBIDE TECHNOLOGY. WE CALL ON THE INDIAN GOVERNMENT TO BLACKLIST DOW CHEMICAL AND UNION CARBIDE, AND FOR INDIAN OIL, GAS AUTHORITY OF INDIA LTD, ONGC AND OTHER PUBLIC SECTOR COMPANIES TO REFUSE ALL BUSINESS WITH DOW AND CARBIDE.

Union Carbide is a fugitive from justice in India, where it is wanted in connection with the deaths of thousands of Bhopalis in the 1984 gas leak from its pesticide factory in Bhopal. The disaster has killed more than 20,000 people till date, and injured 500,000 others. Dow Chemical, Carbides new owner, has said that it has no intentions of making Union Carbide honour the summons of the Indian court.

The Government of India is more concerned about foreign investment rather than justice for its people. It is reluctant to take action against Carbide or Dow, despite their crimes, for fear of frightening away other foreign corporations and investors. Even worse, the Government is sitting by idly while Dow-Carbide once again seeks to expand its toxic trade in India. Around the same time that it withdrew the deadly pesticide Dursban from the domestic market in the US because of the chemicals harmful effects on children, the company began marketing the pesticide in India.

In early 2004, Dow Chemical expressed its interest in expanding its business in India by supplying technology to the Government-owned Indian Oil Corporation for its Rs. 10,000 crore refinery project in Paradeep, Orissa. Dow continues to harbour notions of expanding business in India by seeking to provide technology to companies like ONGC and GAIL.

The people in Bhopal are, meanwhile, awaiting justice. In May 2004, Bhopal survivors announced that they will fight Dow Chemicals plans to expand in India, Asia and other places where Bhopal supporters reside. In JANUARY 2005, the Bhopal court has sent a summons to Dow Chemical requiring them to explain why action should not be taken against them for harbouring a fugitive -- Union Carbide -- that is wanted on charges of culpable homicide in Bhopal.

WE DEMAND THAT:

1. IOC, GAIL, ONGC or other Indian Public Sector Units refuse to do business with Dow Chemical or Carbide;
2. Dow Chemical and Union Carbide should be blacklisted, and prevented from expanding their business in India;
3. Dow Chemicals assets in India should be attached to force it to produce Union Carbide to face criminal trial in the Bhopal case.

Dow Chemical and Union Carbide must be made to clean up the toxic contamination in Bhopal, and pay for medical and economic rehabilitation of the survivors and their children.