வெற்றியில் முடிந்த போராட்டம்

போபால் விபத்தில் உயிர் பிழைத்தோர் சில வாரங்களுக்கு முன்பு புது தில்லி வரை நடை பயணமாய் சென்று உண்ணாவிரதம் மேற்கொண்டு தமது உரிமைகளுக்காகப் போராடத் துவங்கினர். இன்று அவர்களது போராட்டம் ஓரளவுக்கு வெற்றியில் முடிந்திருக்கிறது. அவர்களது ஆறு கோரிக்கைகளில் நான்கினைப் பிரதமர் ஏற்றுக் கொண்டிருக்கிறார். டவ் நிறுவனத்திற்கு எதிரான கோரிக்கைகளைப் பொறுத்த வரையில் ஒன்றும் செய்ய முடியாதென்று கைவிரித்து விட்டார்.


சுகாதாரமான வாழ்விடம், குடிக்கத் தண்ணீர் - இவற்றிற்காக எழுநூறு கிலோமீட்டர் நடந்து உண்ணாவிரதம் இருக்க வேண்டிய அவல நிலை பெருமைக்குரியதில்லை. இக்கோரிக்கைகளுக்காக செவி சாய்த்ததற்கு பிரதமருக்கு நன்றி கூறும் மனநிலையில் நான் இப்பொழுது இல்லை. விடாது முயன்று, அறவழியில் போரிட்டு தமது கோரிக்கைகளின் நியாயங்களை நிலைநாட்டிய மக்களுக்கு மட்டும் எனது நன்றியும் வணக்கங்களும் வாழ்த்துக்களும்.

செய்தியின் முழு வடிவம் கீழே:

PM Concedes to Four of Six Bhopal Demands; Says He is Powerless Against Dow

17 April, 2006. New Delhi -- Bhopalis today celebrated a major victory and called off their international hunger strike as the Government conceded to four of six long-standing demands of the Bhopal campaign. The Prime Minister assured a 10-member delegation consisting of Union Carbide’s victims and supporters who met him today for 30 minutes that the demands relating to clean water, clean-up of toxic wastes, and the setting up of a national commission for medical and economic rehabilitation will be met. The Bhopalis will end their dharna today on a note of solidarity with the Narmada struggle. Separately, the Madhya Pradesh Government announced the allotment of Rs. 100 crores for the construction of a memorial in Bhopal, and Bhopalis have been told that the story of the Bhopal disaster will be included in educational curricula developed by the National Council of Educational Research and Training. Three Bhopal activists will leave immediately for Bhopal to accompany a high-level team led by Secretary, Ministry of Chemicals, to finalise details regarding provision of safe water and the participation of survivors in the construction of a memorial in Bhopal.

The Prime Minister, however, said he was powerless to take any extra-legal measures to hold Union Carbide or its owner Dow Chemical accountable. ”I don’t promise to prosecute. We have to do business. India has to survive despite these tragedies,” Mr. Manmohan Singh said in response to a demand by survivors that Union Carbide and Dow Chemical should be held liable for the continuing disaster in Bhopal. Mr. Singh, however, said he would explore whatever options existed within the law to hold the company accountable.

“We are ashamed and outraged that the Prime Minister of the world’s largest democracy has openly admitted to his inability to pressure an American multinational. At a time when India is set to more than double its industrial capacity, the Prime Minister’s reluctance to take extra-legal measures to pressure multinational corporations is deplorable and should set the alarm bells ringing,” said Satinath Sarangi, one of the six hunger strikers and 39 people who walked from Bhopal to New Delhi. “It doesn’t make any sense to direct our protests on the matter of corporate accountability towards a man who has expressed his powerlessness on this matter.”

The Bhopal campaigners have, therefore, resolved to take direct and legal action against Dow and Union Carbide’s businesses nationally and internationally over the coming months. “Dow should beware now because all our energies will be focused on putting the brakes on Dow’s business in India,” said Champa Devi Shukla, Goldman award winner and one of the indefinite hunger strikers.

Josh Imeson and Diane Wilson, both of whom have been fasting in solidarity with the survivors, have also been requested to call off their fast by the Bhopalis. Diane Wilson, a long-time Bhopal supporter, is on the fourth day of her indefinite fast in the United States. International support for the campaign has brought tremendous pressure to bear on the Government. The Prime Minister’s office has received nearly 3000 faxes and more than 350 people have signed up to fast for a day or longer in solidarity with the Bhopal campaign.

Thirty-nine victims of Union Carbide’s poisons, and eight survivors covered 800 km in 33 days to arrive in New Delhi on 25 March, 2006. Since 29 March, 2006, Bhopal survivors and supporters had been on indefinite strike near the Parliament House in New Delhi. On 11 April, six people, including three victims and three supporters, began an indefinite fast, in which they were joined by Diane Wilson from the US starting 13 April.

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