FishProfiles.com Message Forums

Ah... the pleasures of living in a developing country with corrupt government officials

I was looking for a change, and an excellent offer with a vulgar amount of money came along from Dow Chemicals, who has taken over Union Carbide recently and acquired Carbide's Indian plant that was responsible for the worst industrial disaster in world history. More info below:

http://edition.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/asiapcf/05/29/india.bhopal.ap/index.html

So I was asked my biggest concern about DOW as a company, and I asked about their stand on the issue, they said, Union Carbide settled with the government, Dow did not own UC when the tragedy happened. Fair enough.

Now this article comes out and I do the math, UC paid compensation for the victims a total of 560,000 out of which 10,000 died. The total amount $470 million. How much per head - a paltry USD 839 that is not a lot even by Indian standards.

I have another equally good offer that will materialise in a few days and may pay a little less.

My question is, if you were me - an Indian, would you join Dow? Their stand doesnt seem very fair any more, it looks like UC paid off the government officials under the garb of a meagre compensation, both benefitted and till today, a lot of the victims have not received a penny.

I am caught between personal gain and patriotism

No different than living in an over developed country with corrupt government officials lol

Fish tanks are an expensive addiction

I don't think I would unless I was really really in need of a job. Not only did they dismiss it, saying that UC paid their compensation and that was that; from how it sounded in the article, they're even slowing down the cleanup of the site. Not good.

><>

I did put in my papers with my present company and I already have signed the DOW offer letter, but the more I read about things, the more it doesnt seem to go down with my conscience.

Amnesty International says that DOW has to take responsibility for the continued contaminations, after all, DOW does own the Indian UC plant. How credited is Amnesty International as an organisation?

Amnesty International, Is a very good organization. And They can be trusted.

mts.gif" border="0"> I vote do you?
My Tanks at Photobucket

Yeah, Amnesty International is an organization I've heard of since high school (and especially in high school, when I knew more people who were more active about things Amnesty is involved in). Not completely unbiased (who is?), but very trustworthy.

><>

Good to know, at least the source of my information is credited. Green Peace also has to say the same thing. Anyway, I am pretty much decided on not taking the offer up.

I really have to think of a way to turn it down now.

ummm how about the truth?

Yeah, just tell them you're ethically uncomfortable working for their company.

><>

Its a different company, and a different time. Do you see people in the US not buying Mitsubishi cars because they used to make fighter planes in WWII that shot down US soldiers and helped in the attacks on Pearl Harbor?

I'd take the job, make a ton of money, and set up an awesome fish tank with the proceeds.

The problem is, they're now responsible for the cleanup at their plant...

><>

if you read the article, Union carbide sold their interest in the plant before DOW even showed interest in the company (pretty much selling the plant).

So when DOW chemicals bought UC, it wasn't even UC's plant at the time.

As for the credibility of Amnesty International and Greenpeace, I'd be looking for a different perspective of the entire thing that wasn't written by an advocacy group.

more information:

http://www.bhopal.com/chrono.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhopal_Disaster

http://www.ou.edu/deptcomm/dodjcc/groups/02C2/Union%20Carbide.htm

http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/asiapcf/12/02/india.bhopal.mark/index.html

http://www.financialexpress.com/fe_full_story.php?content_id=23259

well personally i would have a hard time working for dow, even though they aren't nearly the polluter they once were. but the fact is that they have done *some* things to ensure that they do minimal damage to the environment, which is way more than i can say for exxon/mobil. if you need the job i say take it, but if you have other offers i would go with one of those instead if it were me.

---

"That's the trouble with political jokes in this country... they get elected!" -- Dave Lippman

Denver, that's exactly my problem, I am not aware enough about the issue to make a decision, though I have done extensive reading from advocacy groups, to checking the documentation (whatever is public) from DOW, UC, and the Indian Government, and what remains a fact is that even if they did sell the plant, the onus on cleaning the place up stayed with UC and was passed on to DOW under the Indian Law. DOW still has criminal cases that have not been dismissed in India for the clean up operation.

UC had approx 51% stake in the plant, and the Indian govt and private companies owned the rest of it. The Indian govt obviously has betrayed its own people, but that doesnt really make it easier for me to ignore the part UC played, they were responsible for the safety standards in the plant. What about the fact that the plant was instantly abandoned by UC and continues to pollute in environment, ok, so my government is full of scoundrels who are waiting for some foreigner to cough up money and initiate clean up, but does this make the foreign company a lesser criminal?

I do have another offer with a bank, so I am considering that very seriously, in fact, as of now, I am taking up the offer with the bank.