Two farmers in Zambia take legal action against two firms with Chinese connections, alleging an ecological disaster caused by their operations.
In a significant turn of events, a group of 176 Zambian farmers have filed an $80 billion lawsuit against two Chinese-linked mining firms, Sino Metals Leach Zambia and NFC Africa Mining, over an ecological catastrophe caused by the collapse of a dam storing waste from copper mining.
The collapse, which allegedly resulted from engineering failures, construction flaws, and operational mismanagement, led to millions of litres of highly acidic material spilling into waterways, causing widespread contamination.
According to the farmers, the spillage has resulted in "mass fatalities" among fish, made water undrinkable, and destroyed crops. The disaster has affected 300,000 households in the copper-mining region.
Last month, the US Embassy in Zambia issued a 'health alert' concerning the contamination of water and soil by toxic heavy metals from the Sino Metals Leach Mine dam spill. However, the Embassy's statement did not specify the extent of the contamination or its potential health effects.
In response to the contamination, the US Embassy has reassigned personnel from and imposed travel restrictions on U.S. government personnel in Chambishi town, all areas along the Chambishi Stream and Mwambashi River to the Mwambashi-Kafue confluence point, and Kitwe town. The Embassy's statement did not provide a timeline for when the travel restrictions would be lifted.
The firms Sino Metals Leach Zambia and NFC Africa Mining have not commented on the lawsuit. The US Embassy statement also did not mention any specific measures being taken to address the contamination issue.
This is one of the major environmental lawsuits filed in Zambia. The farmers, who are mostly subsistence farmers, are seeking compensation for the damage caused to their livelihoods and the environment.
The lawsuit was reported by BBC. The case is currently being heard in the High Court in Zambia. The outcome of this lawsuit could set a precedent for future environmental lawsuits against mining companies in the country.
