Lokayat organises Cultural Festival, August 8, Saturday
अभिजित Abhijit
It is a long time since we sent you an update of our activities. We have been very busy with our various campaigns, so i kind of was lazy to mail all of you. Here is the main public program planned for August 8, Saturday.
Lokayat organizes an evening of films, songs, drama and discussion:
THE TRAIL OF THE TOXIC:
From Hiroshima to Bhopal
Date: Saturday, August 8, 2009
Time: 6 to 9 pm
Venue: Lokayat Hall, Opp. Syndicate Bank, Law College Road, Near Nal Stop, Pune.
On August 6, 1945, the United States dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima in Japan. Three days later, on August 9, a second atomic bomb was dropped on Nagasaki. The horrendous atomic radiation released by the bombs killed 2,30,000 by the end of 1945. Tens of thousands of those who survived died slowly and painfully from radiation poisoning in later years.
On April 26, 1986, an even bigger ‘Hiroshima’ occurred at Chernobyl, Ukraine. An accident at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant released an amount of radioactivity 400 times that of the Hiroshima explosion into the atmosphere. It heavily contaminated an area nearly the size of Maharashtra around Chernobyl, and will remain so for thousands of years. Since then, tens of thousands have died from radiation induced diseases. The seven million who survived know that they could develop cancer anytime, that their children and grand children and great grand children could be born with severe birth defects. It was an accident waiting to happen; because nuclear power plants are inherently accident prone.
On December 2, 1984, the ‘Hiroshima’ of the chemical industry occurred in Bhopal. Toxic gases leaked from US corporation Union Carbide’s pesticide plant in the city. The gas leak was waiting to happen. In its lust for profits, the company had adopted hazardous operating procedures, and had cut down on vital plant safety measures and plant maintenance. Over 8000 died within 72 hours of the leak, another 12,000 have died in the 25 years since then.
Despite these many Hiroshimas, the world has not drawn any lessons, and conditions are being created for many more Hiroshimas, many more Bhopals…
On the Occasion of Hiroshima Day on August 6, in this year of 2009 which is the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Bhopal Gas Tragedy, Lokayat organizes a cultural festival of films, songs, drama interspersed with an interaction with the iconic leader of the Bhopal gas tragedy survivors:
Program
Film screenings:
- Lost Generation (20 mins)
Director: Yuten Tachibana (Japan) (Dubbed in Hindi)
A rare documentary based on the first footage of the impact of the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki on the people. This footage was seized by the Americans after the end of World War II, and stored in the US National Archives. The Japan Peace Movement mobilized Japanese citizens to contribute funds and buy back small segments of this footage, in a movement known as the “10 foot movement”. The narration is by Jane Fonda.
2. Hunting Warren Anderson (30 mins)
Director: Amos Cohen (
An Australian Broadcast Company documentary investigates the reasons for the Bhopal gas tragedy, and the struggle of the survivors for justice. One of their demands is that the government of India take steps to extradite the fugitive chairman of the Union Carbide, Warren Anderson, to India to face trial in the case going on against him in a Bhopal court.
Play:
Bluff Masters
Mime on Hiroshima and Bhopal
By Chennai based theatre group - ‘Theatre for Rights’
Interaction with:
Satinath Sarangi
World renowned activist, who has spent the past 25 years leading the Bhopal gas survivors in their fight for justice, and recently awarded an honorary doctorate by Queen Maryland University of Scotland for his tireless efforts.
Entry is free. All are invited to this cultural festival.
--
Neeraj Jain
"Mrudanga", Bldg No. 3A, Flat No. 6,
Naad Brahma Society, Warje,
Pune - 411 058
Ph. 94222 20311