Meredith Alexander, a prominent member of the independent watchdog that
monitors the sustainability of the 2012 London Games, has resigned to
protest Dow Chemicals' sponsorship of the Olympic Stadium wrap.
Alexander,
who was one of the 13 Ethics Commissioners for the Games, late
Wednesday quit her unpaid role, protesting against the 7 million pound
sponsorship deal with the chemical giant, which is linked to Union
Carbide, the company responsible for the 1984 Bhopal gas disaster that
claimed thousands of lives.
Her step was welcomed by
organisations representing the Bhopal victims, who lauded her courage
while asking Indian leaders to fight against Dow's sponsorship more
actively.
Dow's association with the London Olympics has angered human rights campaigners.
"I
don't want to be party to a defence of Dow Chemicals, the company
responsible for one of the worst corporate human rights violations in my
generation. It is appalling that 27 years on, the site has still not
been cleaned up and thousands upon thousands of people are still
suffering. I believe people should be free to enjoy London 2012 without
this toxic legacy on their conscience," Alexander said.
Her
resignation comes after organising committee chairman Sebastian Coe
defended Dow's sponsorship deal, saying the company had no involvement
with Bhopal at the time of the disaster or when the final compensation
settlement was agreed.
The Ethics Commission said in a
statement: "Sorry to confirm the resignation of Commissioner Meredith
Alexander, whose remit covered supply chains and behaviour change."
It
added: "Meredith has stated that the reason for her resignation is that
she does not feel she can remain with the commission in light of
Locog's appointment of Dow Chemicals as the stadium wrap supplier, and
the commission fully respects her decision to leave on this basis."
The
commission is partly funded by the organising committee and was formed
in 2007 to oversee the sustainability standards of the Olympic delivery
bodies.
Shaun McCarthy, the commission chairman, said that while
the commission wholeheartedly agrees that human rights are of paramount
importance, it is not something the organisation is empowered to
handle.
In Bhopal, the five organisations who work for the cause
of gas survivors Thursday felicitated Alexander by placing a bouquet of
pink roses before her picture.
"At least, she (Alexander) had
the courage to take such strong step even being in London. But, it also
exposes our officials and leaders who have no gut to take such bold step
in protest against Dow Chemicals," Abdul Jabbar of Bhopal Gas Peedit
Mahila Udhyog Sangathan told IANS.
Rashida Bee, president of the
Bhopal Gas Peedit Stationery Karmchari Sangh said: "By speaking the
truth so boldly Alexander has nailed Dow Chemical's lies that the London
Olympics (organising) committee and its chairman, Lord (Sebastian) Coe,
believed and propagated till recently. We hope this will make the
committee dump Dow Chemicals as a sponsor of the London Games."
Rachna
Dhingra of the Bhopal Group for Information and Action expressed hope
that Alexander's resignation will prompt the Indian government to
express its opposition to Dow Chemical's sponsorship more effectively.
"To
be taken seriously by the London Olympic Committee, the Indian
government has to do more than send a protest note. It is time for LOCOG
to be told that India will not take part in the London Olympics if it
continues to be sponsored by a corporation responsible for continuing
death and suffering in Bhopal," she said.
