Farmers in Zambia have filed an $80 billion (£58.5 billion) lawsuit against two Chinese-linked firms, blaming them for an 'ecological catastrophe' caused by the collapse of a dam that stored waste from copper mining.
Millions of liters of highly acidic material spilled into waterways in February, leading to 'mass fatalities' among fish, making water undrinkable, and destroying crops, according to court documents.
This lawsuit is among the biggest environmental cases in Zambia's history, with the plaintiffs claiming the spillage affects roughly 300,000 households in the copper-mining region.
The U.S. embassy issued a health alert in August, highlighting concerns over 'widespread contamination of water and soil' in the area.
The lawsuit pits subsistence farmers against Sino Metals Leach Zambia and NFC Africa Mining, subsidiaries of Chinese state-owned firms. A total of 176 farmers filed papers in the High Court in Zambia's capital, Lusaka.
The farmers allege that the collapse of the tailings dam, owned by Sino Metals Leach Zambia, was due to various factors, including engineering failures and operational mismanagement.
While the firms have not yet commented on the lawsuit, Sino Metals Leach Zambia previously acknowledged a spillage of approximately 50,000 cubic meters. They asserted that the tailings release was managed rapidly after detection.
The farmers claim they were unaware of the water's toxicity for several days, jeopardizing community health, with reports of various illnesses, including blood in urine and chest discomfort.
Most villagers, who relied on wells, found these sources contaminated, and unsafe crops had to be incinerated, according to their claims.
The farmers demand that the companies deposit $80 billion in a Zambian government-managed account for 'environmental reparation' and full compensation. Additionally, they are calling for an emergency fund of $20 million to provide immediate assistance to those affected and necessary health and environmental assessments.
In August, the U.S. embassy urged personnel to evacuate from Kitwe, Zambia's largest city, due to health threats from potential airborne contaminants from the mine tailings.
In response, Zambian government spokesperson Cornelius Mweetwa stated that there were no serious health implications and that there was 'no need to panic'.
