INDIA: OLYMPICS - Bhopal gas tragedy victims demand Indian Olympic Association boycott's the London Olympics

Record ID: 1376389

  • Title: INDIA: OLYMPICS - Bhopal gas tragedy victims demand Indian Olympic Association boycott's the London Olympics
  • Date: 15th December 2011
  • Summary: BHUBANESHWAR, ORISSA, INDIA (MARCH 25, 2012) (ORIGINALLY 4:3) (ANI-NO ACCESS BBC) SOCIAL ACTIVIST, B D SHARMA AND CONVENOR OF JANA ADHIKAR MANCH, DANDAPANI MOHANTY, THE TWO MEDIATORS DESIGNATED BY THE MAOISTS, SITTING IN FRONT OF MEDIA MOHANTY SPEAKING MEDIATORS SITTING SHARMA SITTING (SOUNDBITE) (Hindi) SOCIAL ACTIVIST, B D SHARMA, MEDIATOR IN TALKS WITH MAOISTS, S
  • Embargoed: 30th December 2011 14:14
  • Keywords:
  • Location: India, India
  • Country: India
  • Topics: Disasters,Politics,Sport
  • Reuters ID: LVABE95BOH6V49NF136CWQF2M24M
  • Aspect Ratio: 4:3
  • Story Text: Bhopal gas tragedy victims and a member of India's world cup winning hockey team met the country's Olympic Association chief in New Delhi on Wednesday (December 14) to demand the boycott of London Olympics in the wake of Dow Chemicals' sponsorship of the event.
    Aslam Sher Khan, president of the Olympian Association of India and part of the 1975 world champion team, along with gas victims, met the acting president of the Indian Olympic Association Vijay Kumar Malhotra to submit a petition signed by 1,100 gas victims and sportsmen opposing India's participation in the event.
    They demanded that New Delhi should boycott the 2012 London Olympics due to the events' sponsorship by the company linked to the 1984 Bhopal gas leak tragedy --- the world's worst industrial disaster.
    "The Olympic Games that are going to be held in London include a company called Dow Chemicals', which has given a sponsorship of rupees 620 million rupees ($ 11.55 million) and have also given advertisements. We, the gas tragedy victims, are protesting this. After committing such a huge blunder in Bhopal, on what basis is Dow Chemicals', which has taken over Union Carbide as its new owner, is being allowed to be part of the games? We have come here to demand that the government boycott the games," said Rashida Bi, an activist seeking justice for the victims of the Bhopal Gas tragedy.
    Activists say 25,000 people died in the immediate aftermath of the accident and in ensuing years, and about 100,000 people who were exposed to the gas continue to suffer today from ailments that range from cancer, blindness to birth defects.
    At the time of the Bhopal disaster, the pesticide plant was owned by Union Carbide, which settled its liabilities with the Indian government in 1989 by paying $470 million for the victims.
    Dow bought Union Carbide in 1999 and now finds itself in the firing line for its sponsorship of a temporary decorative wrap around London's Olympic Stadium.
    Many victims and activists hold Dow responsible for failing to give enough compensation to victims and some have called for a boycott of the London Games Former Indian hockey player Aslam Sher Khan added that inclusion of Dow Chemicals' in the Games would hurt the sentiments of the entire nation.
    "Our government and our Olympic committee should build pressure on the organising committee of London on behalf of Bhopal and the entire country to remove Dow Chemicals'' from the sponsorship of London Olympics. Otherwise, it will not only hurt the sentiments of people of Bhopal, but of the entire nation," said Khan.
    He added that if Dow Chemicals' sponsorship is not revoked then India should boycott the London Olympics.
    "I am hopeful that the way he has assured that it is a first step, even we are at our first step, and if India and Bhopal gas tragedy victims are meted out with unfair treatment then Indian government and people should not shy away from boycotting the games," said Khan.
  • Copyright Holder: ANI (India)
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