Timeline Toward: 30th Anniversary, 2nd & 3rd December.
This timeline includes significant events involving the survivors’ organizations in Bhopal, and the Bhopal Medical Appeal, along with significant others.
The timeline also includes significant events around the release of ‘A Prayer for Rain’ a Bhopal Disaster feature film about to be released in the US & India. The film stars: Martin Sheen, Kai Penn and Mischa Barton.
The Bhopal survivors organizations, the International Campaign for Justice in Bhopal, and the Bhopal Medical Appeal are all endorsing the film, on the basis that it represents a fair portrayal of the main facts of the disaster story, and hope that it will bring these facts to a new, much wider audience.
Other important announcements will be made as time moves on toward the anniversary date.
Bhopal’s Second Disaster photo exhibition by Alex Masi
Noordelicht PhotoFestival, the Netherlands.
September 18th – 4th December
Survivors’ Organisations announce beginning of direct action campaign leading up to the 30th anniversary date.
October 3rd-November 30th
Bhopal’s Second Disaster photo exhibition by Alex Masi
Singapore International Photography Festival
October 29th – November 23rd
Bhopal’s Second Disaster photo exhibition by Alex Masi
Zoom Photo Festival, Saguenay, Canada.
Prayer for Rain Celebrity screening, NYC (with Martin Sheen).
November 5th
Prayer for Rain Celebrity screening, NYC.
November 6th
Prayer for Rain Opening, (official world premiere) NYC, The Village East Theatre.
November 7th
Bhopal Survivors Fast Without Water
Survivors of Bhopal Disaster will embark on an indefinite fast demanding that Central Government pursue the ‘curative petition’ that seeks to redress the ‘gross inadequacy’ (Indian Govt’ official position) of the 1989 settlement.
November 10th – indefinite
Criminal Case Hearing, Bhopal Chief Judicial Magistrate’s Court
Dow’s wholly owned subsidiary Union Carbide Corporation (UCC) is wanted on CRIMINAL charges of ‘culpable homicide not amounting to murder’ and is a ‘proclaimed absconder’ from Indian justice. Dow has total control of UCC but has not produced UCC in court.
A summons has been issued to Dow requiring it attend court on November 12. Dow will be required to explain why UCC has repeatedly ignored court summons in the ongoing criminal case.
Audrey Gaughran, Amnesty International’s Director for Global Issues, recently said: “The time has come for Dow to appear in an Indian court and account for the failure of its wholly-owned subsidiary, Union Carbide, to respond to the criminal charges against it.”
November 12th
Prayer for Rain Screenings, St Louise International Film Festival.
2 screenings (Dates TBC)
November 13th – 23rd
Prayer for Rain Opening, Los Angeles (with Martin Sheen).
November 14th
#BhopalFacing30 Photo exhibition, Amnesty International Human Rights Action Centre, Shoreditch, London.
November 17th- December 17th
Book Launch #BhopalFacing30 Housman’s Radical Bookshop, London.
Launch of book with speakers: Francesca Moore (authour), Colin Toogood (Bhopal Medical Appeal).
November 19th
Gala Event with London Assembly Member Navin Shah, ‘London Living Room’, City Hall.
Plus launch of City Hall showing of #BhopalFacing30 (showing Nov 21-28)
Speakers from Amnesty International (plus other high profile speakers TBC)
November 21st
Conference plus Raghu Rai photo exhibition, The Tetley, Leeds
The Reframing Disaster exhibition and conference focuses on the politics of remembering, commemorating and supporting the long-term recovery in relation to global disasters. The exhibition at The Tetley will present the work of world-renowned Magnum photographer Raghu Rai, the first to document the Bhopal disaster in 1984.
November 26th- December 7th
Music for Bhopal 30th Anniversary Concert
Brighton Unitarian Church. An evening of traditional Indian music and classical pieces. Highlights include: Akash Indian Flute and Tabla Duo, plus a piano recital and other yet to be confirmed acts.30 November – 1st December 11:00 – 21:00
November 28th
Mela of the alternatives
Iqbal Maidan, Bhopal. Indian and international groups showcase models of socially just and environmentally sustainable alternatives to current practices and systems.1st December 18:00
November 30th
Drum Out Dow
A ritual condemnation and visual humiliation of Dow Chemical tapping in to the spirit of the rich tradition of performance protests, for which the Bhopal campaign is well-known, with a gathering of ‘traditional’ Indian drummers.
Globalisation Series Lecture with Dr.Vandana Shiva & Ravi Rajan
Brunei Theatre, SOAS London
Bhopal Medical Appeal to host major lecture- simulcast to international universities: GLOBALIZATION SINCE BHOPAL: THREE DECADES OF ENVIRONMENTAL DISASTER
Featuring VANDANA SHIVA a leading member of the International Forum on Globalisation and prominent figure of the alter-globalisation movement & RAVI RAJAN associate Professor, Department of Environmental Studies, University of California.
In commemoration of the Bhopal Disaster, with this symposium our speakers reflect back on the decades since that tragic night and ask what lessons have been learned. Did the disaster entrench the inequalities inherent in exporting a risky and hazardous technology in to a developing country, or have regulatory advances since 1984 produced a safer and more equitable world?
Have the humanitarian, legal, and scientific institutions that were so inadequate to respond to Bhopal become more sophisticated with time, or has the legacy of Bhopal become a dangerous precedent for globalized corporate impunity?
1st December 18:30 – 20:30
Prayer for Rain, INDIA release
Bhopal, Open Air Screening for Bhopal Disaster survivors (with Martin Sheen) on December 3rd with concert from Canadian band AutoRickshaw. With Martin Sheen &
3rd December 6-10pm
Trades Union Deputation to Bhopal
Representatives of various UK trades unions will be visiting Bhopal for a programme of commemorative and relationship building events. Including:
Meetings with representatives of survivors’ organisations; visit to the remains of the Union Carbide factory; meeting with former workers Union Carbide factory workers; visits to neighbourhood communities including those affected by the contaminated water; visits to our two, innovative centres which were established by disaster survivors and funded by the Bhopal Medical Appeal (Chingari Trust children’s rehabilitation centre; and Sambhavna Trust health care clinic); meeting in New Delhi with leaders of India’s central trades union congresses (INTUC, AITUC, CITU, HMS, IFTU) and those of the New Trade Union Initiatives in India (NTUI);
International Trades Union Solidarity Event- 2nd December 16:00- 17:00
A joint statement will be released for the 30th anniversary of the disaster.
Current delegates include representatives from Unison, Unite, CWU, Community, UCU, STUC disabled workers committee, Edinburgh TUC and Hazards campaign. Various other organizations will be in attendance including Amnesty International, Rotary Peace Fellows, others TBC
December 2nd 16:00- 17:00
Festival of street theatre and music
Iqbal Maiden, Bhopal
December 2nd 17:00 – 18:00
Torchlight parade & homage to the dead.
Iqbal Maiden to Union Carbide factory
December 2nd 18:30 – 22:00
30th anniversary Rally & Public Meeting
With the traditional, and spectacular, burning of giant effigies.
Bharat Talkies Crossing to Union Carbide Factory
December 3rd 12:00 – 15:30
International Action TBA
December 4th
