Justice, Capitalism and Bhopal: the Cost of Life?
Many people on this forum might not be aware of what is often cited as the world's worst industrial disaster.
In December 1984, a pesticide plant owned and operated by Union Carbide (since acquired by Dow Chemicals) released methyl isocyanate gas and other toxins, resulting in the exposure of about 500,000 people of Bhopal, India and resulting in about 15,000 - 20,000 deaths.
The genetic mutations caused by the disaster, and the high levels of toxicity in the city's water are grave concerns even today.
Ironically, after 25 years, a court in the city found 7 executives of the company guilty of mere criminal negligence. The then CEO of Union Carbide, Warren Anderson fled the country and maintains a lavish lifestyle in the US, and all requests for his extradition to India to face a court trial have been sidelined by the US administration. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warren_Anderson_(cha…
It's interesting to see the hypocrisy in international justice, at both the government level and within the corporate sphere (Dow Chemicals has consistently maintained that it has fulfilled all financial liabilities towards the victims), that is perpetuated by today's world order.
While the recent hullabaloo over the BP oil spill (which caused no mass human casualties) will make the company incur billions of dollars in expenses/compensation/etc., Union Carbide got away with paying USD 470m for thousands of lost lives, and irreparable damage.
Life sure seems to come cheap when an international conglomerate wreaks havoc in the developing world.
Links? That's an awful story.
OP, I agree with you completely that there is a double standard. However, a large part of the blame also falls on the Indian government. Remember, prior to 1991 India was a more socialist state, and the Indian government had a huge vested interest in the plant. Given the level of corruption at that time, the government tried it's best to cover up the whole hooplah. Even now, a lot of information about the whole incident isn't available - something that makes it very difficult to serve justice. Instead, the government tried to settle with Union Carbide directly for compensation (and a lot of this didn't even reach the people!).
True. The Indian government doesn't value the life of its own citizens.
I don't think it's as black and white as that. The Indian government's apathy/corruption definitely played a part in the outcome, but it's not the only variable.
Hypothetically, even if the Indian govt had taken a tough stance on the issue, it's hard to say that the US administration and Union Carbide/Dow Chemicals would have readily acquisced to India's demands. IMO, double standards with regards to international polity (when it comes to developing nations) and coporate social responsibility are equally pertinent areas that need scrutiny.
Very horrible disaster. As a kid I was fascinated with large scale disasters such as this. Chernobyl was another one I was interested in. I know someone from Bhopal. Horrible incident.
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