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Not so bizarre coincidence

Animal's People chronicles a desperate fast against corrupt politicians in the Indian city of Khaufpur. It was published in early March, just as friends in Bhopal were beginning an indefinite fast to force the Madhya Pradesh government to mend its broken promises to people whose water is poisoned by chemicals leaking from the abandoned Union Carbide factory. As publication dates are determined months ahead of time, this at first seemed like a bizarre coincidence, but maybe it isn't.

The Bhopalis have had to sit on five hunger strikes in the last four years in some cases simply to get politicians to discuss things like the clean-up of the factory, provision of clean water and proper medical care - which are theirs by right and should never have been an issue.

Animal's People was written as a character-led novel, not as a polemic, but if reading it helps people to understand the Bhopalis' long struggle, and ignites anger and a desire to help, no one will be more delighted than me.

I will be writing regularly about Bhopal on my Footnotes blog. In the meantime, please visit bhopal.net for the latest news from Bhopal and studentsforbhopal.org for ways to help.

See also my page on Bhopal and Paul Phare's masks campaign.

March Double Event
Simon & Schuster UK publish Animal's People and reissue The Cybergypsies.

Website
Despite our best efforts the website is not yet finished, so as they say at khaufpur.com: KINDLY AVAIL OF FEATURES THAT ARE AVAILABLE.

Tantra: Special Release
A special limited release of the rare hardback UK first edition of Tantra will shortly be available with an added chapter on the Kama and Tantra traditions. Limited to 200 signed copies. Order yours here.

Tantra: Edition français
Published October 2005 by Gremese. Available here.