Klity: Our fight is simple, we want the same river back
At first glance, Klity is an idyllic village where time has stood still. The river seems like a peaceful stream with swimming children and fishing residents. But appearances are deceiving. Behind this pastoral image lies a grim struggle of more than twenty years. Against authorities that react laxly to industrial pollution and a central government that cares little about the plight of the poor and disadvantaged.
The story of Klity Creek is documented in the documentary Sai Nam Tid Chua, English title By The River, but literally translated Infectious River. The film by director Nontawat Numbenchapol received an honorable mention at the Locarno International Film Festival last August. Last year it was shown on the public TV channel Thai BPS and on May 8 the film will be shown in two cinemas in Bangkok.
Earlier this month, the residents of the village of Klity, deep in the forests of Kanchanaburi, were shown the film. The ethnic Karen laughed, chatted and applauded at the sight of the images. After all, the film tells their story, reenacted and supplemented with observations and poetic sketches about humanity and nature.
In 1997 the media got wind of the problems in Klity. The mining company Lead Concentrate Co was found to be discharging lead-contaminated wastewater into the creek since 1975, causing residents to start experiencing complaints: chronic diarrhea, headaches, numbness, joint pain, and livestock death.
That year, the lead mine closed and the company removed 3.753 tons of lead-contaminated sediment. To date, there are still 15.000 tons.
The villagers were advised not to use the water from the creek and not to consume the fish. But what if there are no alternatives?
A pipeline from the mountains supplies too little and also unreliable water and the cultivation of maize, the main source of livelihood in the village, does not provide enough to fill the mouths all year round.
The lead has affected river fauna and plants. Fish and plants contain a concentration of lead, seven hundred times what is acceptable. Thirty villagers suffer from lead poisoning. Like the 51-year-old Vasana who appears in the film and is blind (photo home page). Lead destroyed her optic nerves. Many children in the village have mental and brain abnormalities, which are attributed to the lead poisoning.
When the river is clean and safe, the villagers don't know, but they keep fighting (see the chronological overview). “What we want and what we fight for is very simple. We want the same river back," said community leader Kamthon Nasuansuwan.
(Source: bangkok mail, April 16, 2014)