AID-Austin’s sustained work with the Student Government at UT-Austin has resulted in the adoption of a resolution that raises questions about the Dow Company’s accountability to the survivors of the Bhopal gas leakage and about the University’s acceptance of donations from an entity which the courts in India have declared to be “Fugitives from justice”. The resolution was supported by over 1000 students, 50 faculty members, and 20 student groups including AID, Amnesty International, Asha for Education, No Brand, No Empire etc.

The resolution argues that the University has the moral obligation to decline the patronage of institutions that are responsible for systematic human rights violations and notes that UT Austin has received $4.4 million in cumulative donations from Dow as of June 30, 2003. The resolution condemns Dow Chemicals for its inaction and points out that although Dow acquired Union Carbide in the year 2001, it has yet to accept the liabilities of the 1984 Bhopal Gas Leakage. An earlier version of the resolution demanded that the University stop accepting funds from Dow until it accepts its responsibility towards the Bhopal survivors, but was narrowly defeated at a meeting on January 31. A modified version, which requests UT to accept donations not more than the amount that Dow is willing to spend on clean-up of toxins in Bhopal, was eventually passed on February 16. In the next steps, UT’s Student Government will work with the authors of the resolution to meet with the President of the University to request him to write a letter asking Dow to submit to the criminal trial in India. The resolution will also be debated at the Graduate Student Assembly on February 21.   

In other news related to the Bhopal Campaign, AID-Portland volunteer Sathish Sundaraam spoke at the Central Oregon Environmental Center in Bend, OR, about the efforts to secure justice for the survivors of Bhopal and the criminal negligence of Dow Chemicals. The meeting was organized by Amnesty International.

--
Compiled by Anu Mandavilli & Arun Sripati