Meet the women fighting to relocate their Serbian village
STORY: Since the start of the year, nearly two dozen women of this eastern Serbian village have been coming here day and night…
taking turns guarding a barricade on this bridge.
They're stopping trucks from entering an open-pit copper mine, operated by China’s Zijin Mining.
Locals here in Krivelj say it has polluted their land and water and ruined the surrounding countryside.
Zijin's subsidiary – Serbia Zijin Copper – has acknowledged the problem and agreed to relocate the community.
In a statement to Reuters, the company said it has invested over $100 million to reduce the environmental impact of its mine.
Some villagers have already moved away.
The majority who remain are Vlachs – Orthodox Christians who have preserved their own language and customs through the centuries.
They all want to move as one.
Jasna Tomic is a community leader.
She says they insist on the new settlement also being named Krivelj, and that old buildings along with the church and cemetery be brought to their new home.
She admits it’s an extensive undertaking, but says, ”We must do it all in order to preserve everything that represents our spiritual, material, and immaterial heritage.”
Zijin has stated it is "dedicated to formulating relocation plans with transparency and fairness" and is in contact with all parties involved.
A local official said they hoped the move would be done by the end of 2025.
This week, Zijin agreed to stop driving large trucks through the village.
Residents temporarily lifted the blockade to allow the company to complete some work.
The women who stood at the blockades are now looking to the future.
They had their portraits taken around Krivelj: in the homes, gardens, classrooms, and shops where they live and work.
This 79-year-old posed by the barricade she helped guard, telling the photographer she wasn't sure if she would survive the move.
