EcoLur
The letter sent by 'EcoLur' Informational NGO, 'CEE Bankwatch Network' International Network and 'Balkani Wildlife Society' on Amulsar gold-bearing quartzite mining project have been sent to RA Investigative Committee, as EcoLur has been informed from the letter of V. Jilavyan, Acting Chief Secretary of RA Nature Protection Ministry. The letter says, “In execution of RA Prime Minister’s assignment N 02/12.4/1419 dated on 21 January 2019 I would like to inform that criminal case № 69104218 has been initiated on Amulsar gold-bearing quartzite mining project in the frames of which the matters raised in the letter are considered. Your letter has been sent to Investigative Committee of RA – Chief Department of Investigation of Specifically Important Cases of RA Investigative Committee.”
Reminder: “Assessing the social impacts of the preparatory and development phases at Lydian International’s Amulsar mine in Armenia through surveys of neighbouring communities” sociological research, implemented by Dr. Anahit Mkrtchyan, Head of “Community Mutual Assistance” Social NGO and the “Report on New Circumstances Related to the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) of the Amulsar Gold Project in Armenia” implemented by the experts of Balkani Wildlife Society (Bulgaria) in the frames of “Make ICT Fair” project have been sent to RA Prime Minister.
Balkani main conclusions after the review of the Amulsar ESIA report are:
l The Emerald network and Bern Convention are not given due consideration in the ESIA report and the ESIA report did not provide the responsible authorities in Armenia (Environmental Impact Analysis Center and Ministry of Nature Protection) with information that the project affects directly Emerald Network and adverse impacts could be expected;
l In the ESIA report there is no assessment on the impacts of Amulsar gold project on the ecological characteristics of the Emerald sites.
l The Amulsar ESIA applies methodologies not reflecting the provisions of the Bern Convention and incompatible with the Emerald Network of ASCIs.
l The ESIA also fails to assess possible negative impacts on a number of protected species and habitats, as well as the possible impact of pollution of the Arpa river and possible threats to water ecosystems.
The Social report main conclusion is that the extremely positive and extremely negative opinions of the respondents are formed by insufficient awareness, complete denial of the negative consequences by a small group having a personal interest in the continuation of the mining operations and by influence of emotionally-intense field on opinion of those who are not involved in mine activities. In this context is important to add that the United Nations Special Rapporteur visited Yerevan on 16 November 2018. After his meetings with environmental groups protesting unsustainable natural resources exploitation, he concluded that in past years there were restrictions for communities to access information, to participate meaningfully in public discussions and to provide consent when mining concessions were granted. In the case of Amulsar there is a lot of frustration around governance of natural resources, especially in communities who feel directly affected by impacts of activities, for example on water and local livelihoods, that is carried out in breach of national legislation. The protest of activists who blocked access to the mine demonstrates that the Government must consult with community members on the social and environmental impacts of the mine as well as on its benefits.
As a first step, the United Nations Special Rapporteur suggested that the government should carry out genuine consultations so that mining projects align with the Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and respect human rights and Sustainable Development Goals"- the report says.
March 19, 2019 at 14:32