Raise your hand if you are responsible
Statement Released by Union Carbide
- Statement released by Union Carbide Corporation which owned 50% of the stock at the time of the incedent. UCC shifts and deflects responsibility claiming plant was not owned by them.
- They also claim that a settlement was reached justifyably although the Indian government has filed against them again.
- They ignore that the waste from the plant has not been touched or cleaned up.
- It makes accusations that claim the plant was sabatoged, although there were evident safety violations.
- Strategically manages criticism by applying symbolic capital, saying they funded local hospitals and created a Responsible Care Program that has done little to nothing.
- They had also shifted blame to individuals working in the plant, emphasizing there lack of expertise although the corpatration is responsible for training them.
Statement Released by Dow Chemical
- Statement released by Dow Chemical Company which now owns UCC shifts the blame ignoring UCC stock ownership.
- Claims that settlement covered all claims, survivors never accepted the settlement it was just given.
- Ignores that the site remains heavily polluted UCC/Dow Chemical, are still considered liable under international environmental law.
- Co-opts critical discourse by framing the tragedy as a learning experience for the broader chemical industry.
- Uses lanuage that frames event as historical rather than ongoing.
- Uses language that spins them as humanitarian involvment rather legal or moral.
SO who is responsible....
Government forcibly responsible with no assistance.
- Dow’s statement claims the Indian government as ultimately responsible for ongoing issues related to the site.
- The Madhya Pradesh government has taken steps to manage the aftermath of the Bhopal disaster.
- Countless legal disputes about corporate responsibility have slowed down remediation since the disaster happened.