Last update:
2018-02-12

Eucalyptus plantations in Huangmian, Liuzhou, Guangxi, China

Villagers pulled out eucalyptus saplings planted near a reservoir fearing for the safety of drinking water. Some were arrested in criminal detention.



Description:

Fearing that the eucalyptus planted near a reservoir would affect the safety of their drinking water source, dozens of villagers from Goucun tun (tún, natural village) of Youlan Village, Huangmian Town, Luzhai County in Liuzhou, Guangxi went to the forest hills and removed the eucalyptus saplings in June 2017. This happened after series of negotiations between the villagers and the contractor were failed.

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Basic Data
Name of conflict:Eucalyptus plantations in Huangmian, Liuzhou, Guangxi, China
Country:China
State or province:Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region
Location of conflict:Goucun Tun, Youlan Village, Huangmian Township, Luzhai County, Liuzhou
Accuracy of locationHIGH (Local level)
Source of Conflict
Type of conflict. 1st level:Biomass and Land Conflicts (Forests, Agriculture, Fisheries and Livestock Management)
Type of conflict. 2nd level:Plantation conflicts (incl. Pulp
Water access rights and entitlements
Specific commodities:Timber
Eucalyptus
Cellulose
Project Details and Actors
Project details

The 352.8 mu(23.52 ha) forest land was contracted to Yu Daixian in 2011 for 20 years, starting from 1 Jan 2012 till 1 Jan 2032.

Project area:23
Level of Investment for the conflictive project200,000
Type of populationRural
Affected Population:1,000
Start of the conflict:2017
Relevant government actors:-Huangmian Township Government
-Huangmian Forest Station
-Huangmian Local Police Station
-Luzhai Forest Police
-Guangxi Forest Police
-Luzhai County government
-Luzhai Letters and Petitions Bureau
-Luzhai Environmental Protection Bureau
-Luzhai Forestry Bureau
-People's Procuratorate of Luzhai County
Environmental justice organizations (and other supporters) and their websites, if available:Tianya BBS post (http://bbs.tianya.cn/post-326-18653-1.shtml)
Conflict & Mobilization
IntensityLOW (some local organising)
Reaction stageIn REACTION to the implementation (during construction or operation)
Groups mobilizing:Farmers
Neighbours/citizens/communities
Forms of mobilization:Official complaint letters and petitions
Property damage/arson
Pulling out of eucalyptus saplings
Impacts
Environmental ImpactsVisible: Biodiversity loss (wildlife, agro-diversity), Soil contamination, Surface water pollution / Decreasing water (physico-chemical, biological) quality
Potential: Genetic contamination, Groundwater pollution or depletion
Health ImpactsVisible: Exposure to unknown or uncertain complex risks (radiation, etc…)
Socio-economical ImpactsPotential: Loss of livelihood, Militarization and increased police presence
Outcome
Project StatusIn operation
Conflict outcome / response:Criminalization of activists
Repression
Do you consider this an environmental justice success? Was environmental justice served?:No
Briefly explain:26 villagers who participated in pulling out the eucalyptus saplings were arrested as suspects in the name of the destruction of production, five people among them have been detained in criminal detention.
Sources & Materials
Juridical relevant texts related to the conflict (laws, legislations, EIAs, etc)

[3]广西壮族自治区饮用水水源保护条例
[click to view]

[6]广西壮族自治区林业厅关于印发进一步调整优化全区森林树种结构实施方案(2015-2020年)的通知
[click to view]

References to published books, academic articles, movies or published documentaries

[5] See Figure 3 from “Saturnino M. Borras Jr., Juan Liu, Zhen Hu, Hua Li, Chunyu Wang, Yunan Xu, Jennifer C. Franco & Jingzhong Ye (2017): Land control and crop booms inside China: implications for how we think about the global land rush, Globalizations.”
[click to view]

[1]雷霆出击!鹿寨森警破获重大破坏生产经营案 抓获26人!
[click to view]

[2]不过是在捍卫家园,我们错在哪里?
[click to view]

[4]柳州村民担心饮水安全拔水库旁桉树被拘,官方:非恶意但违法
[click to view]

Meta information
Contributor:EnvJustice, ICTA-UAB
Last update18/08/2019
Conflict ID:3321
Comments
Legal notice / Aviso legal
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