Video exposes ecological damage from mining in Tibet
Government-approved mining leaves villagers facing ecological damage, video footage reveals.
Video footage from Tibet circulating on Chinese social media in the second week of this month exposes rampant ecological damage caused by government-approved mining in Drongri village (གྲོང་རི་གྲོང་ཚོ།), in Tsonga Township (མཚོ་རྔ་ཤང་།), Markam County, Chamdo City.
Tibetan villagers seen in the footage lament the ecological damage and hardships they had to endure, revealing the local government’s systemic neglect of environmental safeguards, as well as the security and well-being of local communities.
Reports indicate that a group of Chinese miners has been active in the area since August 2020. Villagers have since witnessed a series of disasters. The footage includes a written note that highlighted that the mining efforts have “severely damaged hillside vegetation and worsened landslides.”
The note further explained that the ecosystem has been critically compromised by increasing and unpredictable nature of landslides and floods that were posing direct threats to the local population. Detailed in the note was the scale of loss and damage they experienced:
1) Damage to agricultural land, leading to flooding that affects crop production and soil quality; 2) Deposits from hillside erosion resulting in grassland degradation; 3) Damage to homes from flooding incidents; and 4) Deterioration of the environment, including waterway obstruction and contamination of drinking water.”
The note concludes with a plea to anyone who sees that post to share it with others and support the villagers.
In one of the videos, a senior villager expresses frustration over the local government and mining companies prioritising their interest above community needs and concerns for ecology: “The miner informed us that the excavation of the mineral mountains and the road construction to the mining site was approved by party leaders, presenting us with documents authorized by county and township governments. They ignore the views and hardships of the local population and overlook the environmental damage and risks. They act in their interests. The mining contracts show that these operations only benefit the miners, not the residents. This is merely a scheme to destroy the mineral mountains and local villages.”
Due to restrictions imposed by the Chinese state on communication, further details about the mining company and compensation are not yet known.
Information supplied by Tibet Watch
