Court summons Dow Chemical representative in Bhopal gas leak tragedy

[UpInArms]

http://www.freep.com/news/statewire/sw99672_20040617.htm

BHOPAL, India (AP) -- A court has summoned a Bombay representative of Dow Chemical Co. to explain why the company should not be forced to pay for environmental damages and compensation to the victims of the tragic gas leak that killed thousands of people in central India nearly 20 years ago, a court official said Thursday.

The gas leak in the Union Carbide plant in Bhopal, the capital of central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, killed an estimated 12,000 people in one of the world's worst industrial accidents on Dec. 3, 1984. Dow Chemical of Midland, Mich., acquired the Danbury, Conn.- based company in February 2001.

<snip>

In the accident, toxic methyl isocyanate gas leaked from Union Carbide's pesticide plant, leading to the painful deaths and contaminating the local water and soil.

Some 600,000 people have filed compensation claims with the Indian government and the victims have been demanding the extradition of Anderson to face trial for manslaughter.

...more...

[belab13]

1. One of the most serious of the recent corporate crimes against humanity

In a fair and just world Dow's corporate charter would be revoked, it's assets dissolved and given to those Indian families and their communities that were destroyed because of Union Carbide's negligence.

[denverbill]

2. 20 years later and this case STILL hasn't been resolved?

Jebus, I wish I was a huge wealthy corporation so I could evade all of my responsibilities for 20 years with the help of a high-priced legal team. This is just pathetic.

[UpInArms]

3. Exxon has still not paid for the damages

in Prince William Sound

http://www.enn.com/news/2004-03-24/s_14486.asp

Exxon penalties could rise as Valdez oil lingers


Wednesday, March 24, 2004
By Yereth Rosen, Reuters


ANCHORAGE, Alaska — Fifteen years after the Exxon Valdez supertanker split open on a submerged reef off Alaska, stubborn pockets of crude oil persist on once-pristine beaches, and creatures ranging from sea otters to harlequin ducks and herring are still struggling.

<snip>

"If any case deserves a re-opener, this one does," said Rick Steiner, a marine biologist and environmental activist. "I'm perfectly confident that the entire $100 million can and should be obtained. The fact that they haven't gone after it indicates that the two administrations are simply too cozy with the oil companies," he said.

The government settlement is a separate case from the class-action lawsuit filed by fishers, Alaska Natives, property and business owners, and municipalities.

In that case, a jury in 1994 ruled that Exxon's actions leading to the spill were reckless and reprehensible, and the panel awarded a $5 billion punitive fine to the plaintiffs. After various appeals, a federal judge upheld a fine of $4.5 billion, plus interest.

"We have until 2006 to do this. We don't want to do it prematurely, and we don't want to do it ineffectively," said Alaska Attorney General Craig Tillery.

...more...

[denverbill]

4. That's a travesty of justice as well.

It's f*cking ridiculous. Exxon probably had $1 billion in profits in the last quarter alone, thanks to high oil prices. $100 million is chump change to them. I'm not surprised Shrub isn't going after them, but I don't understand Clinton not nailing their asses.

[seemslikeadream]

5. Iraqi National Congress Seeks Enhanced Credibility

Union Carbide's PR firm



Burson-Marsteller is working to enhance the credibility of the Iraqi National Congress as it seeks to establish itself as a legitimate force in the postinvasion Iraq," writes the Holmes Report, a PR trade publication. "B-M has been working with the Congress, led by high profile Iraqi exile Ahmed Chalabi, since 1999, under a state department contract. Chalabi and the Congress have close ties with the Bush administration, but some critics are concerned that their support within Iraq is shallow. "We've been the communications vechicle on the outside as the INC moved into northern Iraq, then to Nasiriya, and to Bagdad, ' K. Riva Levinson, who heads the INC account for Burson out of Washington, told reporters. "We were helping the INC get out statements and videos that made it clear that the exiled opposition was consolidating and moving. It's been a tremendous ride for them and us."

B-M is one of the largest public relations agencies in the world and also the most reviled due to its mercenary attitude in choosing clients and contracts, and its frequent run ins with activists for enviromental and other progressive causes. When helping its industry clients to escape enviromental legislation or sprucing up the image of some of the most repressive governments on Earth, B-M brings to bear state of the art techniques in manipulating the mass media, legislators and public opinion."
http://www.guerrillanews.com/print


Burson-Marsteller to Use Cyveillance Technology

Burson-Marsteller, a global communications and public relations firm, is creating an alliance with Cyveillance to allow Burson-Marsteller's corporate and institutional clients to track and respond to that which is being said about them across the Internet. Cyveillance's technology is capable of scouring the entire Internet at high speed to locate, filter and prioritze company or institution-specific dialogue, offering clients the ability to address potential issues such as negative comments about the corportation, a brand, or their service reputations.

"Negative comments or dialogue, which can be devastating to large corporation, often begin unnoticed in the recesses of the Internet," said Eric Letsinger, director, channel development, Cyveillance. "Our technology provides an early detection system to identify these threats and gauge their potential impact, allowing Burson-Marsteller to alert their clients to critical issues far in advance of a crisis."
http://dc.internet.com/news/print.php/942201