Twenty three years, thousands dead, an absconding American and no one in jail. This summarizes the outcome of the long lasting case against Union Carbide - the judgement of which was pronounced today. The facts are undisputed - US company UC had an accident in its plant in Bhopal which killed approximately 6x the number of people that died in 9-11. It took 23 years to establish the fact and send NO ONE to jail. Not surprisingly, the US CEO is an absconder, refused to stand trial in India, and was not even NAMED in the judgement. No doubt another case of US-India partnership that Secretary of State Hillary Clinton alluded to a couple of days back
If anyone doubts that imperialism survives as economic coercion, the tenor of the above statement will clear such doubts. Clinton applauds India for its help "shape the Copenhagen Accord and pledged to lower its greenhouse gas emissions intensity by up to 25 per cent" - a position which has the potential to make India's own growth more expensive - and is at variance to its own, well argued, earlier position that India did not need to make any commitments of this nature.
Another pat on the back - "During Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's visit to Washington in November, he and President Obama launched the partnership to advance clean energy" - translated, this means a large contract to buy nuclear reactors from the moribund US nuclear industry.
To buy the nuclear reactors, India will need to pass a bill that will allow US suppliers to go scott free in the event of an accident. Clearly, the US had learned from the UC disaster. Equally, our rulers continue to treat Indian lives as dispensable - sitting at the "high table" of nuclear trade (wonder where this mythical table is) is worth some sacrifices to Dr. Singh.
1 comment:
I agree about the theme of economic terrorism(of US), the shock doctrine, whatever you want to call it. Its purpose is keep us confused and not knowing how to react. Our own leaders have done more harm to our country than Osama bin Laden ever to US. The difference is that he was a pike who lives in a cave whereas they live in luxury of "NEW" Delhi.
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