Effigies burn as Bhopal shows anger

Press, 4 December 1985, Page 9

Effigies burn as Bhopal shows anger

NZPA-AP Bhopal More than 3000 protesters, waving torches, dancing and shouting, “down with the killer,” burned about 100 effigies of the chairman of Union Carbide, Mr Warren Anderson, yesterday for the anniversary of the world’s worst industrial disaster. “Hang Anderson, hang Anderson,” hundreds of slumdweller gas victims screamed as they poured kerosene on effigies of Mr Anderson at the gates of the factory. A gas leak from the pesticide plant killed more than 2000 people on December 3 last year and injured 300,000 others. Many demonstrators cheered, clapped and jumped up and down, some hitting the effigies with sticks and stamping out the

last smouldering embers. Demonstrators, gas victims and activists, gathered outside the barricaded factory to demand Union Carbide’s expulsion from India, a boycott of the United States multinational products and more relief for gas victims. More than 1000 heavilyarmed police were deployed around the plant, and metal barricades were erected to prevent gate crashing. At the first big rally in the central Indian city of Bhopal, capital of Madhya Pradesh state, Union Carbide officials were described as death dealers and scoundrels. “Union Carbide will be answerable to the bar of the world for their sins,” said the Governor of Madhya Pradesh, Mr K. M. Chandy. Mr Chandy and other

speakers, including the Chief Minister, Mr Motilal Vora, said Union Carbide denied suggestions that sabotage might have caused the disaster which affected 125,000 residents. Mr Vora added: “Neither the company nor its representatives have shown any interest in the welfare of the survivors.” He distributed sewing machines, bank loans and widows’ pensions of 200 rupees ($35) a month to survivors. Bhopal’s representative in the Indian Parliament’s lower house, Mr K. N. Pradhan, said Union Carbide used the city of 800,000 for experiments in chemicals. India’s upper and lower houses of Parliament briefly interrupted their sittings in New Delhi yesterday in memory of the tragedy.