DR Congo residents sue Chinese mining giant for widespread pollution

Nosebleeds, headaches, skin rashes and foul water. These are some of the complaints of people living next to the huge copper and cobalt mine called Komus in Kolwezi, the mining capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Now the families are suing the company which is owned by the Chinese mining giant Zijin. With the help of local and international NGOs they're also suing the Congolese government and the Congolese Environment Agency for failing to enforce environmental legislation. This is one of the most ambitious pollution cases that's ever taken place in Congo and its outcome could have repercussions for the country's entire mining industry. Congo is the world's largest producer of cobalt, a metal used in batteries. These communities have repeatedly appealed to authorities and even to Komus through letters and petitions precisely to draw attention to this pollution which was destroying their health and even their living environment. Specifically, what we are pursuing in practical and legal terms is first and foremost redress for the rights that have been violated by Comus. What are these rights? There is the right to a healthy environment and the right to health, both are guaranteed by the constitution. Much of the case rests on recent scientific studies of pollution in Kolwezi. Research published in June showed severe levels of air pollution near some of the mines as well as polluted groundwater. People we spoke to in the poor communities near the mines said that they suffered regular health problems and that no one had answered their pleas for help.