On December 3rd, 1984, an accident at the Union Carbide pesticide plant in Bhopal, India released over 40 tons of toxic methyl isocyanate gas, exposing hundreds of thousands of people in the shantytowns immediately surrounding the plant. Most safety systems at the plant were broken, or had been disabled as cost-saving measures. The best, accepted estimates say that 8,000-10,000 people died within the first 72 hours of the leak. It is estimated that 20,000 have died since the accident from gas-related diseases, and another 120,000 people are estimated to have permanent injuries and chronic medical conditions that require constant healthcare. The Bhopal Disaster is widely considered the worst industrial disaster in history. This piece is written in memory of the victims.

All proceeds from this song go to the Sambhavna Clinic in Bhopal.
lyrics
A wind invades your slumber at midnight
Bringing you poisoned mists of progress
Progress slips away in the pale moonlight
Leaving only pain and distress

Through the trenches, the noxious stenches
Form the clouds of impending disaster
Broken dreams and industrial schemes
Render you victim to the corporate bastards

Mothers without daughters
Daughters without fathers
Fathers without brothers
Brothers without mothers
Mothers without brothers
Brothers without fathers
Fathers without daughters
Daughters without mothers

In the city of lakes, the worst of our fears
A nightmare flow yields a river of tears
A pestilence, made of corporate greed
The blindness to life makes the soul bleed

Sister, your eyes burn with tears
Never again shall you see morning
Brother, you are riddled with fear
Holding your child, who from the mouth is frothing

The heart of India shattered
Bodies scattered
The fabric of society tattered
Still, the thieves dismiss the matter
Profit locks compassion’s cage
credits
from The Humours of Autorickshaw, released 10 November 2013
(Suba Sankaran/Ed Hanley; additional lyrics by Andrew Craig)
Music and lyrics © Suba Sankaran and Ed Hanley
Additional lyrics © 2013 Suba Sankaran/Andrew Craig/Opus Nopus Music
Arranged by Andrew Craig and Autorickshaw

Suba Sankaran: lead and background vocals
Ed Hanley: tabla
Rich Brown: electric bass
Andrew Craig: synth and orchestral programming
Adrian Eccleston: guitars
Patrick Graham: sabar, chenggo, pandero, bongos, agogo bells, shakers, concert bass drum, shakers
George Koller: dilruba
Larnell Lewis: drum kit