Thousands of Vietnamese protesters surrounded a Taiwanese steel plant on Sunday, some climbing partitions and holding signs demanding it’s closed, amid anger directed at the corporate for dumping toxic waste into the ocean that killed tons of fish.
Huge crowds of motorcyclists and pedestrians gathered on the Formosa factory in central Ha Tinh province, with some holding signs reading: “Authorities, please close the Formosa factory for the long run of the nation,” and others chanting angrily.
Dead fish and other marine life began washing ashore in central Vietnam in April. It was the country’s worst environmental disaster in a long time, devastating livelihoods in coastal towns where fishing is the major source of income.
The government said it might start paying affected fishermen in October, and last week confirmed that payments would range from $130 to $1,600 per person, depending on losses calculated between April and September.
Sunday’s protesters demanded additional compensation.
“Protesters who were directly affected by the Formosa scandal asked for compensation and demanded the closure of the plant,” said witness Hoang Sy Son.
Photos and videos on social media show protesters led by a Catholic priest surrounding a steelworks within the town of Ky Anh and chanting passages from the Bible.
“Many security personnel and vehicles were deployed here, but no clashes were observed,” Son added, speaking from the rally.
Authorities couldn’t be reached for comment on Sunday.
Following the mass fish deaths, demonstrators staged rare protests in several cities within the authoritarian country, with police breaking up some rallies and imposing prison sentences.
Protesters blamed officials for dragging their feet on investigating the scandal.
Formosa isn’t any stranger to controversy in Vietnam. In 2014, three people died in consequence of anti-Chinese riots at the identical Ha Tinh steelworks where 14 people also died when a scaffolding collapsed last yr.
The conglomerate has paid multimillion-dollar fines for environmental failures elsewhere.
This article appeared within the print edition of the South China Morning Post as: Thousands protest against Taiwanese steel plant
