EcoLur
The Initiative S.O.S Amulsar issued a statement to the organizers and participants of the discussion of Amulsar project. The statement says, “The Armenian office of the Caucasus Regional Environmental Center organizes a discussion on “Development of local action plan of nature protection in Jermuk”, which is based on the assessment of the environmental impact of Amulsar project. It’s obvious that the Armenian Government and International Financial Corporation (IFC) and European Bank for Reconstruction and Development make efforts to legalize Amulsar opencast mining project and construction of cyanide production. We think that this activity is of PR nature in support of Amulsar project. Amulsar project has no public support. Still in 2011 the discussion on Amulsar project in Jermuk ended with sharp conflicts between the company Geoteam and local activists. Public hearings on Amulsar project in the village Gndevaz on August 25 were followed by scandal: the villagers made a protest demonstration against Amulsar project and presented accusations of their personal interests. Within 2011-2014 3 conferences and 5 discussions were held on Amulsar problem, during which the project received the negative opinions of geologists, hydrogeologists, economists, botanists, zoologists, lawyers, doctors, balneologists and other specialists. In their assessments, both written and oral, the high risks of contamination of water resources of high importance such as rivers Arpa and Vorotan, Spandaryan and Kechut reservoirs, lake Sevan, the risks of contamination of agricultural lands with heavy metals are presented. The exploitation of mine endangers many red-listed plants and animals living on the project area. Thus a discussion is held on “Development of local action plan of nature protection in Jermuk” including the presentation on “Assessments of the Environmental Impact” of Amulsar opencast mining and construction of cyanide production. The discussion was closed and with the condition of “no records”. The presentation was made by the organization “Golder” which took part in the development of EIA Amulsar project and it was strongly criticized for that assessment from public. In that activity public had the role of observers, who from time to time could make short speeches. We encourage independent experts participating in the discussions to get acquainted with the materials not presented during the discussions, but they can be found in social websites and EcoLur informational website. We state that the risks of Amulsar project is out of control and is of an irreversible nature. The risks and violations of international legislation and standards of IFC and EBRD are mentioned in the complaints to the offices of the ombudsmen of IFC and EBRD, 9 representatives of ecological NGOs and civil initiatives, as well as to 210 villagers of Gndevaz. The complaints are under consideration and an audit checkup is in process in the offices of the ombudsmen of IFC and EBRD. As for the local action plan of nature protection in Jermuk, it has all the chances to lose the image of health resort having an international status as it is exposed to the impact of opencast mine, with explosions, dust and dumps containing 18 elements dangerous for health and environment and heavy metals. Thus no action plan of protection of that image will help and Jermuk will stop to exist as a resort.
On behalf of the initiatives S.O.S. Amulsar
civil initiative “Jermuk won’t become a mine”,
civil initiative “Panarmenian Environmental Front”,
civil Initiative “Teghout Support”,
NGO “Center of Jermuk Development”,
NGO “EcoLur”,
NGO “Ecoiravunk”,
NGO “Center of Birdwatchers”,
NGO “Armenian women for health and healthy environment”,
Tehmine Yenokyan-a resident of the village Gndevaz, journalist.
October 30, 2014 at 16:26