Farmers in Zambia have filed an $80bn (£58.5bn) 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 litres of highly acidic material spilled into waterways in February, leading to mass fatalities among fish, rendering water undrinkable and destroying crops, the farmers stated in court papers.
This is one of the biggest environmental lawsuits in Zambia's history, with the farmers asserting that the spillage affects approximately 300,000 households in the copper-mining region.
The US embassy issued a health alert in August, expressing concerns about widespread contamination of water and soil in the area.
The lawsuit pits villagers, predominantly subsistence farmers, against Sino Metals Leach Zambia and NFC Africa Mining, both subsidiaries of Chinese state-owned firms. A group of 176 farmers has filed papers in the High Court in Lusaka on behalf of their community.
They claim that the collapse of the tailings dam—owned by Sino Metals Leach Zambia but situated in the area of NFC Africa Mining—stemmed from numerous factors, including engineering failures, construction flaws, and operational mismanagement.
The firms have yet to comment on the lawsuit, although Sino Metals Leach Zambia previously acknowledged an incident involving approximately 50,000 cubic metres of spillage.
In their court documents, the farmers contended they were unaware of the water's toxic nature until several days after the dam's collapse, risking the community's health with reports of various ailments, including blood in urine and chest tightness.
Many households had dug wells, but these too were contaminated, leading to the destruction of crops deemed unsafe for consumption, the petitioners claimed.
They demand that the two firms deposit $80bn into a government-managed account as security for environmental reparations and full compensation. Additionally, they seek the establishment of an emergency fund of $20m to provide immediate aid to those affected and to conduct thorough health and environmental assessments.
Last month, the US embassy ordered the immediate evacuation of its personnel from Kitwe, Zambia's largest city in the Copperbelt region, citing concerns that contaminants from the spilled mine tailings could become airborne, posing potential health risks if inhaled.
However, Zambian government spokesperson Cornelius Mweetwa asserted that there were no longer any severe health implications for the public, suggesting there was no need to press the 'panic button' to alarm the nation and the international community.
