TL;DR:
- Chinese farmer Wang Enlin, with only 3 years of education, studied law for 16 years to sue Qihua Group for polluting his land.
- Wang and his neighbors won an initial judgment against the state-run company, receiving $119,000 in compensation.
- The Qihua Group’s chemical plant created a 71-acre wasteland and a 478-acre toxic waste pond, releasing up to 20,000 tons of waste annually.
- The case highlights China’s struggle with industrial pollution and showcases a citizen’s determination to seek environmental justice.
Wang Enlin, a Chinese farmer in his 60s from the Yushutun village in Heilongjiang province, successfully sued the state-owned Qihua Group for polluting his home and farmland. The landmark case, which took 16 years to come to fruition, resulted in an initial judgment in favor of Wang and his fellow villagers, who were awarded approximately $119,000 in financial compensation.
The legal battle began in 2001 when Wang’s home and the surrounding farmland were inundated with toxic waste from the Qihua Group’s mineral processing and chemical production plant. According to the Angangxi District Court of Qiqihar, the company had been releasing between 15,000 and 20,000 tons of waste annually, creating a “71-acre wasteland with calcium carbide residue and a 478-acre pond with its liquid waste.”
Despite having only a third-grade education, Wang took it upon himself to study law and build a case against the multi-billion dollar company. Over the course of 16 years, he diligently read law books with the aid of a dictionary and hand-copied notes from books he could not afford to purchase, trading corn with a bookstore owner for access to the materials. As he gained knowledge in Chinese land management and environmental protection laws, Wang shared his learnings with his neighbors, empowering them to fight for their rights.
In 2007, the Center for Legal Assistance to Pollution Victims of the China University of Political Science and Law stepped in to support Wang and his neighbors, with lawyers like Liu Jinmei agreeing to help the villagers file their suit against Qihua. The case finally began to be processed in 2015, and the initial judgment ruled in favor of the Yushutun villagers.
While Qihua is appealing the decision, Wang remains optimistic, stating, “We will certainly win. Even if we lose, we will continue to battle.” The case highlights the challenges faced by the Chinese court system in managing the widespread land and air pollution issues resulting from the country’s rapid industrialization. It also serves as an inspiring example of an ordinary citizen’s unwavering commitment to seeking justice and holding powerful entities accountable for their actions.
Source: Ecowatch
