Diane Wilson (Bhopal activist)Jailed For 4 Months And 20 Days

Diane Wilson Jailed For 4 Months And 20 Days


Diane has, as expected, been found guilty at the Calhoun County Court, Port Lavaca. She declined the option of probation and will go to jail. During sentencing, Judge Hernandez stated that Diane was dangerous and a menace to society. We don't yet where exactly she'll serve her time: we'll give a mailing address once we do.

By all accounts, Diane is undaunted and in high spirits. She's adamant that she'll begin an indefinite hunger strike once she reaches jail. Not because of the injustice of her trial, which has appears to have violated fundamental rights, but to highlight the injustices of Bhopal.

Perhaps you'd like to tell Dow Seadrift Public Affairs supremo and key prosecution witness Kathy Hunt and her boss what you think of Diane's conviction?







-----Original Message-----
From: owner-updates [at] studentsforbhopal.org
[mailto:owner-updates [at] studentsforbhopal.org] On Behalf Of Spartacus
Sent: Wednesday, January 28, 2004 1:50 PM
To: updates [at] studentsforbhopal.org
Subject: [bhopal-update] Bhopal Protestor Needs Your Help

Hi everyone,

I wanted to follow up on Tim's recent email about Diane Wilson, the
amazing
environmental activist who chained herself to a Dow chemical tank with a
banner proclaiming Dow responsible for Bhopal (see
http://www.bhopal.net/oldsite/pressreleases/Aug26SeadriftRelease.html).
This, 10 days after she fasted 29 days for Bhopal outside the same Dow
plant (read her daily reports here:
http://www.bhopal.net/oldsite/worldwide-action/dianereports.html). Diane
also protested outside of former Union Carbide CEO (and international
fugitive) Warren Anderson's home shortly after his hideaway in the
Hamptons
was discovered (see the Sept. 14 story here:
http://www.bhopal.net/oldsite/archive/september2002.html).

As you may have gathered from Tim's last email, Diane is now in a lot of
trouble. Dow is pressing charges against her for her banner-hanging
protest, and if the trial moves forward it looks as though she may be
facing some serious jail time.

I've pasted below the most recent (and outrageous) updates in Diane's
trial, as well as a form letter that you can modify, sign, and send to
the
local prosecutor. Given today's developments in her case, Diane is going
to
need all the help that she can get. She's been so courageous and so
selfless in joining the struggle for justice in Bhopal, and I hope that
everyone will help do what they can for her.

Peace & justice,
RB is ME



Dear friends,

environmental campaigner Diane Wilson appeared in court today (Monday 26

January, 2004) to face charges of criminal trespass and resisting arrest

arising from her peaceful protest in solidarity with the people of
Bhopal - at Dow's former Union Carbide plant in Seadrift, Texas, If
convicted, Diane will have to serve around three to six months in jail.
For climbing over a low fence and up a 90ft tower, damaging nothing and
harming no one. Dow also want to levy a charge of around $26,000 upon
Diane.

Please read the story at http://www.bhopal.net/article.php?pid=78, which

contains a list of actions for people to take part in against Dow.
Included are addresses for Diane's local DA and the Texan Attorney
General, and a model protest letter, also pasted below.

The latest news is that Diane is out of court for today and that the
jury will be picked tomorrow.

Best wishes,
Tim

-------------------

Dear -------

We are greatly alarmed by the charges of criminal trespass and resisting

arrest brought against leading environmental activist Diane Wilson.

The United States is known throughout the world as a nation that
cherishes freedom of speech, and yet here we have someone who is
threatened with incarceration for a technical infraction of the law
committed when drawing attention to the much more serious matter of
Union Carbide/Dow's legal and moral responsibility in Bhopal, India -
scene of the world's worst industrial disaster.

Diane's action also had the invaluable effect of highlighting the woeful

security at Dow's Seadrift facility that could pose a substantial danger

to local residents given a terrorist attack. Coming at a time when
Senator Corzine's Chemical Security Act - which aimed to make chemical
companies accountable for poor security at their plants - was under
attack from the chemical industry, Diane's action could not have been
more salutary.

I conclude that these charges are a blatant attempt to silence a woman
whose only crime has been to act peacefully in the interests of the
people of both Texas and Bhopal.

We call upon the Texan authorities to recognise that Diane was motivated

by nothing more than compassion for the long-suffering survivors of
Bhopal and the necessity of alerting the people of Texas to the dangers
posed by the chemical industry, and to drop all criminal charges against

her.

Yours ----------




Diane Wilson Denied Fair Trial

# Judge Passes 'Gagging' Motion

# First Amendment Rights Knifed

# Dow Workers Offered as Jury

At the trial in Port Lavaca yesterday, Judge Hernandez passed the State
prosecutor's Motion In Limine request, thus prohibiting Diane Wilson
from "making any direct or indirect reference whatsoever, at trial
before the jury... to Bhopal, India, the plant explosion there in l984,
or any other environmental crimes or claims of environmental pollution
by Dow Chemical Company or Union Carbide Corporation that have been
committed in the past or may be committed in the future".

As Diane's plea is one of 'necessity', she has effectively been stopped
from making any substantial statement in her own defence. If she breaks
the prohibition, she will be held in contempt of court. Even after the
picking process, at least one of the jurors is a Dow plant worker. Diane

reports inconsistent testimony from company workers as to the identity
of their employer: for the trial, the workers claim to be from Union
Carbide, but the Seadrift facility is described by Dow as a Dow plant.
It could due to the emerging evidence that Carbide pay the lease on the
site that Diane has trespassed on.

As a result of the gagging order at the trial, Diane is almost certainly

going to jail. More to follow as soon as we get news...



--

Want to help those still suffering from the world's worst industrial
tragedy?

Join the Bhopal campaign! http://www.studentsforbhopal.org

_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_
_____ _____
| \ / | Ryan Bodanyi
| \ / | Campaign Organizer,
| \/ | International Campaign for Justice in Bhopal (ICJB)
| |\ /| | Graduate, Residential College
| | \/ | | University of Michigan -- Ann Arbor
| | | | Email : rbodanyi [at] umich.edu
----- ----- Phone : (401) 829-6192
-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_


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To laugh often and love much; to win the respect of intelligent persons
and
the affection of children; to earn the approbation of honest critics; to
appreciate beauty; to give of one's self; to leave the world a bit
better,
whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social
condition;
to have played and laughed with enthusiasm and sung with exultation; to
know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived--that is
to
have succeeded.
--Ralph Waldo Emerson
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