【聲明】亞洲工傷與環境健康網絡回應印度LG Polymers化工廠氣體洩漏事件
亞洲工傷與環境健康網絡回應印度LG Polymers化工廠氣體洩漏事件
1984的博帕爾事件沒有任何人被起訴
2020的今天印度再度發生的氣體洩漏事件
我們沒有忘記博帕爾事件的悲劇！1984年12月3日的清晨，位於印度中央邦的博帕爾（Bhopal）市，美國聯合碳化物屬下的聯合碳化物（印度）有限公司（Union Carbide India Limited；UCIL），一家生產殺蟲劑的公司發生異氰酸甲酯（Methyl Isocyanate；MIC）洩漏事件。事件被視為人類史上最嚴重的工業意外之一，超過50萬人暴露於MIC的氣體中，並有2,259人死亡。在2006年一則政府的宣誓陳述書（affidavit）中指出洩漏事件導致558,125人受傷，其中38,478人有暫時性局部損害和大概3,900人受到嚴重和永久性的損害。
事件發生後，受害者在美國數個民事和刑事法庭和在印度的不同法院提出賠償訴訟。但作為事件元凶的UCIL公司和政府官員，卻沒有一人被起訴，而受害者也沒有得到妥當的賠償，事件發生地點仍處於被污染的情況。事件發生後的35年，當地居民仍生活在苦痛中，卻沒有看到苦難的盡頭。
但在2020年5月7日，同樣的悲劇再度發生。在5月7日的凌晨，韓國LG集團旗下LG Polymers工廠出現了苯乙烯（Styrene）事件。事件發生時，附近村莊的居民還在家裡熟睡。這家位於印度南部Andhra Pradesh邦Visakhapatnam，Vizag村莊的化工廠的洩漏事件，截至昨天的數字，已經有至少十人死亡，數百人被送往醫院，而死亡人數可能繼續攀升中。
苯乙烯是苯的衍生物，是一種無色油狀液體。苯乙烯對健康的影響包括對皮膚、眼睛和上呼吸道的刺激。長時間接觸會導致癌症。苯乙烯是世界衛生組織下IARC的2A類致癌物。
這些因公司過失而導致的悲劇在不斷重複，而這過失應該被制止。LG化學公司需立即向受害者提供充分的賠償，並應盡職調查，對倖存者提供治療和康復的支援，並對事件中所有受影響的人士進行生物監測。其中，首要的是立即進行調查，確保在全國封鎖措施下工作場所的安全，並建立更嚴格的法規和工作場所的安全系統。
在我們同時努力應對洩漏事件和仍在持續中的新冠肺炎大流行的雙重悲劇下，我們將繼續努力爭取尊嚴勞動，安全的工作場所和環境。我們，亞洲工傷與環境健康網絡（ANROEV）的成員將繼續“記住逝去的人，為生存者而戰”。
亞洲工傷與環境健康網絡（前身為工殤受難者權益亞洲連線 Asian Network for Rights of Occupational and Accident Victims）是一個由在亞洲的受害者組織、工會和其他勞工組織組成的聯盟，致力於受害者的權益和整體改善工作場所的健康與安全。
我們強烈要求：
－為受害者家屬和受難者提供即時的善後安排
－為所有受害者和受影響的人提供長期的健康支援
－徹查氣體洩漏的原因
－允許和包括民間社會和受害者代表參與調查
－追究LG化學及相關人士責任
－盡職調查評估在新冠肺炎封城下重開工作場所的風險
－加強法規和工作場所的安全系統
ANROEV 秘書處
2020年5月8日
聯署團體和個人（不斷更新中）：
團體
Cividep, 印度
Peoples Training and Research Centre, 印度
Occupational and Environment Health Network India, 印度
Worker's Initiative – Kolkata, 印度
Asian Citizen's Center for Environment and Health (환경보건시민센터), 韓國
台灣職業安全健康連線 台灣
工業傷亡權益會 香港
CEPHED, 尼泊爾
Hesperian Health Guides, 美國
Peoples Health Movement, 美國
International Campaign for Responsible Technology (ICRT), 美國
Sedane Labour Resource Centre (LIPS), 印尼
個人
Vipul Pandya
General Secretary
Bandhkam Mazdoor Sangathan, India
Affiliated with BWI
Sanjiv Pandita
Solidar Suisse
Mohit Gupta
Environics Trust, India
ANROEV Statement on LG Polymers Gas Leak
ANROEV STATEMENT ON LG POLYMERS FACTORY GAS LEAK TRAGEDY IN INDIA
ANOTHER GAS LEAK TRAGEDY IN INDIA WITHOUT PROSECUTION OF EARLIER CULPRITs
We have not forgotten Bhopal gas tragedy of methyl isocyanate (MIC) gas leak incident on the early morning of 3rd December 1984 at the Union Carbide India Limited (UCIL) pesticide plant in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India, one of the world’s worst industrial disaster resulting over 500,000 people exposed to methyl isocyanate (MIC) gas and official immediate death toll was 2,259. A government affidavit in 2006 stated that the leak caused 558,125 injuries, including 38,478 temporary partial injuries and approximately 3,900 severely and permanently disabling injuries.
Following several Civil and Criminal Courts in US and back home in Indian multiple courts on multiple occasion. Still the culprit company and Officials were not prosecuted, victims were not well compensated and sites still remains contaminated. People are still suffering since 35 years with unknown period of yet to be suffered.
Yet another tragedy occurred on the 7th of May, when styrene leaked from the Korean-owned LG Polymers plant during the early hours of Thursday, 7th May 2020, when families in the surrounding villages were asleep. This chemical factory located into the village called Vizag, Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh in southern India has killed at least ten people and led to thousands being taken to hospital, amid fears that the death toll could climb higher.
Styrene is derivative of benzene and is a colorless oily liquid. Health effects of styrene include irritation of the skin, eyes, and the upper respiratory tract. Long exposure can also lead to cancer. Styrene is Group 2A Carcinogen by IARC under the WHO.
These kind of repeated tragedies should be stopped due to negligence of the LG Chemicals, and victims should be immediately and fully compensated and survivor should be fully treated and rehabilitated with due diligence. Investigation of the disaster and bio-monitoring of all those exposed should be immediately done without any further due. Due diligence must be implemented to ensure workplaces are safe after the lock down measures. There must be stronger regulatory and workplace safety systems in place.
If the exposure leads to chronic health conditions, such as kidney, liver failures or airway hypersensitivities. But I suspect, the more important issue will be the social and medical necessities that will make the social distancing difficult for those residents who are affected.
As we continue to grapple of double tragedy of Gas Leak and ongoing COVID pandemic, as we continue to fight for a decent work, safe workplace and environment. We, members of the Asian Network for the Rights of Occupational and Environmental Victims (ANROEV) will continue to "Remember the Dead, and Fight for the Living".
The Asian Network for the Rights Of Occupational and Environmental Victims (ANROEV) formerly known as the Asian Network for Rights of Occupational and Accident Victims (ANROAV) is a coalition of victims’ groups, trade unions and other labour groups across Asia, all committed to the rights of Victims and for overall improvement of health and safety at the workplace.
Our demands:
– Immediately provide relief and support to victims family and those injured
– Long-term health support for all the victims and exposed population
– Thorough and impartial investigation on the reason for the gas leak
– Allow and include Civil Society and Victims representatives to take part in the investigation
– Hold LG Chemicals and those responsible for the gas leak accountable
– Due Diligence before re-opening workplaces under COVID-19 lockdowns
– Strengthen regulatory and workplace safety systems
May 8, 2020
Contact: Jagdish Patel, Peoples Training and Research Centre, India / WhatsApp (+91 94264 86855)
Signatories:
Organizations
Cividep, India
Peoples Training and Research Centre, India
Occupational and Environment Health Network India
Environics Trust, India
Worker’s Initiative – Kolkata, India
India Ban Asbestos Network (IBAN)
Asian Citizen’s Center for Environment and Health (환경보건시민센터), Korea
Association for the Rights of Industrial Accident Victims (ARIAV), Hong Kong
OSH Link, Taiwan
CEPHED, Nepal
Hesperian Health Guides, USA
Peoples Health Movement-USA
International Campaign for Responsible Technology (ICRT)
Sedane Labour Resource Centre (LIPS), Indonesia
Bangladesh Occupational Safety, Health and Environment Foundation (OSHE)
Worker Empowerment, Hong Kong
Labour Education Foundation, Pakistan
Asia Monitor Resource Centre, Hong Kong
Working Peoples Party- Indonesia
Globalisation Monitor
Society for Occupational Health, Environmental Safety & Social Security (SOHES), Chennai
Tamilnadu Rural Labour Movement-Central Trade Union
Jeevan Trust/ Erode
Individuals
Vipul Pandya
General Secretary
Bandhkam Mazdoor Sangathan, India
Affiliated with BWI
Sanjiv Pandita
Solidar Suisse
Mohit Gupta
Environics Trust, India
Omana George
Prof. PAEK Domyung
Seoul National University, School of Public Health
Sugio FURUYA
Secretary General
Japan Occupational Safety and Health Resource Center (JOSHRC)
Nadia De Leon
Insitute for Occupational Health and Safety Development, Philippines
Thomas H Gassert MD
Harvard Chan School of Public Health, Boston USA
