For far too long, the people who have suffered most from the side effects of China’s rapid economic rise have done so in silence. They breathe filthy, contaminant-filled air and drink water full of toxins. Birth defects, fertility problems and early death are just a few of the frightening consequences the poor Chinese citizens of mining areas have had to put up with. But now, residents of the tiny hamlet of Gaodong are standing up and demanding to be heard.
From Yale’s Environment 360:
Living in a county that produces one-fifth of all the manganese excavated on earth, the villagers had — like many ordinary Chinese — paid a high environmental price for fueling China’s economic boom. In this instance, however, the people of Gaodong had decided they would take it no more.
Gaodong is located in Xiushan, a county that is home to 41 licensed and more than 200 unlicensed manganese mines, which excavate the valuable metal — used in steel, aluminum, and copper production — by blasting the earth with dynamite. The residents of Gaodong and neighboring villages have been subjected to frequent explosions that crack the foundations of their homes and force their children to stuff cotton in their ears to do their homework. They have seen their underground aquifers drained by the mining activity, which empties all six of the village’s wells in the dry season.
Their rivers sometimes run black as the mining companies and manganese refineries dump tons of toxic mine waste directly into surrounding waterways. They have watched as badly polluted irrigation water destroys rice crops, kills fruit trees, and cuts harvests by more than half. In addition, the village air has been fouled with mining dust, and local health officials have diagnosed some local mine workers with neurological diseases caused by heavy metal pollution.
The people of Gaodong have been seeking compensation from the Chinese government for years, finally drawing township head Zhou Hui to their village – but when a meeting didn’t lead to a resolution, they rioted. Four women – including a 75-year-old and a 67-year-old – prevented his car from leaving, and latched onto Zhou’s legs when police tried to remove them. When the police became violent toward the women, the village men stepped in and fights ensued. One woman ended up in the hospital for 9 days, and the police later came back to interrogate every male villager over the age of 16.
Afterwards dozens of men left their jobs behind and lived in makeshift huts in the hills for months, fearful of arrest or retribution. No charges have been filed, but relations are still uneasy between the people, the mines and local officials. The clash is a dramatic example of Chinese people getting fed up with sacrificing their families’ health for their country’s economy.
It’s so good to hear that Chinese villagers are standing up for themselves, but the Chinese government is hardly known for being sympathetic to things like this. Corruption runs rampant as officials turn a blind eye to illegal mining operations so the country can continue building its economy. And, we’ve all heard stories about the Chinese government shutting people up when they speak out against government practices.
Read more about the effects of mining on China’s environment and people at Environment 360.
Link [Environment 360]
Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons
