Extradite the Butcher of Bhopal!
Tell the Government to extradite Warren
Anderson -- the Butcher of Bhopal. Justice for Bhopal Now!
Call, write, email or fax the Ministry of External Affairs
in India.
Mr. Yashwant Sinha, External Affairs Minister:
Tel: +91 11 23011127
Mr. JC Sharma, Secretary of External Affairs: Email: jcsharma@nic.in
Mr. B A Roy, Joint Secretary of External Affairs. Tel: +91 11 23387104
Ministry Of External Affairs. Fax: +91 11 23782821
WHAT TO SAY
Demand that they serve Warren Anderson's extradition papers to the United States government so that, as ordered by the Indian courts, he comes to face trial in India.
WHAT TO SAY
Demand that they serve Warren Anderson's extradition papers to the United States government so that, as ordered by the Indian courts, he comes to face trial in India.
WHY
In December 2002, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) handed over Warren Anderson's extradition papers to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). The MEA, which was supposed to serve the papers to Anderson through the United States government, is dragging its feet. When we made calls to the agency to demand an explanation for the delay, we were told that it is a "sensitive and confidential matter" and that "no information can be released on the file". Interestingly,
the NDA Government has acted with remarkable alacrity and openness in the cases involving the extradition of Abu Salem from Portugal and Dawood Ibrahim from Saudi Arabia.
LEGAL BASIS FOR EXTRADITION
On 28 August 2002, an Indian court affirmed a criminal charge of "culpable homicide" under Section 304 Part II of the Indian Penal Code, against Warren Anderson for the deaths of over 8000 persons in 1984 following a poisonous gas leak from Union Carbide's pesticide factory in Bhopal. The court directed the prosecuting agency -- the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) -- to expedite the extradition of Warren Anderson from the United States to face trial in India.
The case was made by the CBI when b evidence pointed to the fact that in an effort to save money, the US multinational and its then Chairman CEO Anderson, along with several senior executives, had knowingly and willfully allowed the setting up of a pesticide plant with seriously flawed design and inadequate safety systems in the midst of a highly populated residential area.
ANDERSON'S POSITION
Warren Anderson has mocked the victims of the tragedy by ignoring each summons and never appearing in the Indian court during the entire duration of the ongoing criminal case, dating back to
1987.
Anderson currently lives a lavish lifestyle in Bridgehampton, New York while the children, women and men exposed to his company's toxins languish in disease and poverty.
WHAT December 1984: Anderson along with Indian December 1987: summons for the criminal September 1988: One of several summons February 9th 1989: a non-bailable February 14th-15th March 1991: the criminal immunity granted October 1991: Supreme Court of India revoked December 1991: Proclamation issued by CJM, January 1992: this summons was placed in February 1992: The CJM declares Anderson, March 1992: the Bhopal Judicial Magistrate April 1992: CJM, Bhopal issues non-billable September 2001: Chief Judicial Magistrate, June 2002: In the ongoing criminal case 28th August 2002: BJM upholds December 2002: A few weeks after |
It will be greatly appreciated if you can send us feedback on your conversation with the Ministry of External Affairs.
In India: Rachna Dhingra rachna@umich.edu
In USA: Krishnaveni Gundu (krishnaveni_g@sbcglobal.net)
<---------- CUT and PASTE THE FOLLOWING LETTER TO FAX AND EMAIL TO THE MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS --------->
FAX #: 91-11-23782821
EMAIL: jcsharma@nic.in (Secretary of External Affairs JC Sharma)
To:
Yashwant Sinha
Ministry of External Affairs
ISIL Building
9, Bhagwan Das Road
New Delhi-110 001
Telephone + 91 11 23011127
Fax:91 11 23782821
CC:
The Secretary (JC Sharma) and the Joint Secretary
(BA Roy) of Ministry of External Affairs
Fax; 91 (11) 23782821
Sub: Implementation of
August 28, 2002 order of Indian court's affirmation of criminal charges
of "culpable homicide" against Warren Anderson,
ex-CEO of Union Carbide Corporation in criminal case No. MJC 91
of 1992
Dear Sir,
This is in reference to the August 28 ruling of the Bhopal
Judicial Magistrate's Court that upheld the criminal charge of culpable
homicide against Warren Anderson.
As you must be aware, no persons have yet been held to
account for the deaths of more than 20,000 Indian citizens in Bhopal.
Meanwhile, the people of Bhopal still suffer terrible chronic illnesses
due to the poison gases that were released from the Union Carbide factory
eighteen years ago, and from having to drink water that is still being
poisoned by chemicals from the site that Carbide never cleaned up.
Justice has been denied to the gas victims of Bhopal for
long enough. By ignoring the summons of the Indian courts, and thereby
demonstrating contempt for due process and the rule of law, Warren Anderson
has dragged out and prolonged their suffering by 11 years. We believe
that, by enacting the order of the Bhopal Court through the US-India Extradition
Treaty, the Ministry of External affairs can finally do justice by the
people of Bhopal.
The Bhopal court decision is justice long overdue. We
therefore request that the Ministry of External Affairs do what is necessary
to bring the prime accused "Warren Anderson" back to India to
face trial without delay. We hardly need say that any delay in this action
would represent a gross negligence towards the gas-affected victims of
Bhopal.
We appeal to you to immediately implement the order of
the Bhopal Court, and make sufficient arrangements to bring Anderson back
to India to face trial in Bhopal.
Sincerely,
Name:
Address:
Email:
Dated:
Telephone No.:
Place:
- 116 Human Rights
- 181 Food and Agriculture