AID News for Feb 1 2004
aid...@aidindia.org
AID News for Sun Feb 1 2004
AID News for Sun Feb 1, 2004
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AID News for Sun Feb 1, 2004
Good evening everybody
Today's Headlines
1) Bhopal Update
2) Narmada Update
3) Volunteers required
4) Other Articles
Today's News
1) Bhopal Update
a) 4 Months And 20 Days Jail Time For Diane
Diane has, as expected, been found guilty at the Calhoun County
Court, Port Lavaca. She declined both the option of probation and an
appeal and will go to jail. During sentencing, Judge Hernandez
declared that Diane was dangerous and a menace to society. She's
also been fined either $2000 or $3000. We don't yet know where
exactly Diane will serve her time: we'll give a mailing address once
we do. If all goes well she could be free in 80 days.
By all accounts, Diane is undaunted and in high spirits. She's
adamant that she'll begin an indefinite hunger strike once she
reaches jail. Not because of the injustice of her trial, which
appears to have violated fundamental rights, but to highlight the
injustices of Bhopal.
Perhaps you'd like to tell Dow Seadrift Public Affairs supremo and
key prosecution witness Kathy Hunt (she of the ``$500 is plenty good
for an Indian'' conviction) and her boss what you think of Diane's
trial? Directly? Or express your disgust to Diane and Dow's local
newspapers? We can help
-- Contributed by Rajesh Veeraraghavan <raj...@microsoft.com>
b) Press Release :
Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Stationery Karmachari Sangh
Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Purush Sangharsh Morcha
Bhopal Group for Information and Action
January 29, 2004
Press Statement
Over 100 members from two organizations of survivors of the December
'84 Union Carbide gas disaster in Bhopal today staged a day long
fast at Roshanpura crossing in solidarity with an international
supporter facing jail sentence in the USA. The survivors, most of
them women, demanded that Dow Chemical the current owner of Union
Carbide must stop terrorizing Mrs. Diane Wilson who is an active
supporter of the struggle for justice in Bhopal. Yesterday, Diane
was found guilty by a Texas court on charges of criminal trespass
and resisting arrest and she may be sent to jail for three to six
months. Diane has decided to go on an indefinite fast in jail to
highlight the injustices meted out to victims of Bhopal.
Following her 29 day fast in support of the leaders of the Bhopal
organizations, on August 26, 2002 Diane climbed a 90 feet tower
inside a Dow-Union Carbide factory in Seadrift, Texas and unfurled a
banner that said ``Dow responsible for Bhopal''. Dow Company wields
considerable political clout in the town of Port Lavaca where the
trial related to this symbolic action is going on. In the course of
the criminal proceedings, on January 26, 2004, the judge forbade
Diane from ``making any direct or indirect reference . . . . to
Bhopal, India, the plant explosion in 1984 or any other
environmental crimes or claims of environmental pollution by Dow
Chemical or Union Carbide''.
``Dow will pay a heavy price for sending Diane to jail, supporters of
the Bhopal justice campaign all over the world are rising up in
solidarity with her '' said Rashida Bee, President of the Bhopal Gas
Peedit Mahila Stationery Karmchari Sangh. Syed M Irfan, President of
the Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Purush Sangharsh Morcha said, ``Dow-
Union Carbide is absconding from Indian courts but on its own
territory it manipulates the judicial system to terrorize our
supporters''. The demonstrators collected signatures on an angry
letter to be sent to the CEO of Dow Chemical.
Mrs. Rashida Bi, Champa Devi Shukla
Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Stationery Karmachari Sangh Syed M Irfan,
President Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Purush Sangharsh Morcha
Satinath Sarangi, Rachna Dhingra, Member Bhopal Group for Information
and Action
Contact :
1. House No. 12, Gali No. 2, Near Naseer Masjid, Bag Umrao Dulha,
Bhopal Tel: 3132298, 5259361 2. B-2 / 302, Sheetal Nagar, Berasia
Road, Bhopal
For more information please visit http://www.bhopal.net
-- Contributed by Tarun Jain
2) Narmada Update
Fast by Medha Patkar and Other NBA Activists Continues on Sixth Day
Government to Decide on Further Construction in Wednesday's Cabinet Meeting
On Tuesday, January 27, 2004 the Joint Resettlement Planning
Committee constituted by the Government of Maharashtra met to decide
on the several contentious issues regarding the rehabilitation of
SSP affected adivasis in Maharashtra. Several positive decisions
were made initiating a process to ensure rehabilitation of the
project affected people including declaring eligible oustees. The
decision on whether Maharashtra will permit the further construction
of the dam was postponed to be taken in Wednsday’s (Jan 28) Cabinet
Meeting. The Planning Committee arrived at a consensus that the
further construction at present should not be permitted since
rehabilitation was yet to be completed.
For complete article, check out :
http://www.narmada.org/nba-press-releases/january-2004/faston.html
-- Contributed by Ravi and Aravinda <a...@vsnl.com>
3) Volunteers required
Hi all,
We are trying to get some VCDs from Centre of Science and
Environment (CSE) in Delhi on water issues. We are looking for a
volunteer who is currently in Delhi and can bring them to the
US. Either s/he could offer to pick them up from CSE, or we could
arrange for the CDs to be delivered to their place. Please respond
to me at the earliest at: kiran...@aidindia.org including the
email address and phone number of the person in Delhi if possible.
Thanks
Kiran <kiran...@aidindia.org>
4) Other Artiles
a) On R-Day 3 yrs ago, they began to live a dream:it was cut short
Exactly three years ago, Mahesh Kant, 32, met Sarita, already working
in Gaya, and decided to pursue a dream that few dare to dream. Today
their bodies lay side by side on the banks of the Ganges in Patna,
another chilling reminder of what happens to people who take on the
well-entrenched criminal-politician nexus in Bihar.
http://www.indianexpress.com/full_story.php?content_id=39899
-- Contributed by Priya Ranjan <pr...@glue.umd.edu>
b)Krishna Raj passes away
Krishna Raj, noted economist and Editor of the Economic and
Political Weekly, passed away in his sleep on Friday night in
Mumbai, aged 67.
http://www.hindu.com/2004/01/18/stories/2004011804170800.htm
-- Contributed by Uma Asher <uxa...@psu.edu>
Thats all for today
Sid
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