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Arsenic Pollution Sows Despair in Chinese Cancer Village


Xiong Demin could not have foreseen that the mine he worked at for 32 years would leave his home village poisoned and hundreds of residents, including himself and his wife, stricken with cancer.

The 71-year-old retired mechanic and his wife, Wen Jin'e, both suffer from cancer, which they blame on arsenic pollution left by the mining and processing of realgar, also known as "ruby sulphur", near Heshan village in Hunan province.

"She and I wake up every day just to await death, there is nothing we can do, there is no hope," said Xiong, as he lifted his shirt to show skin lesions and warts on his belly, back and legs.