People and Gendarmerie Come Face to Face in Artvin

People on duty since June 20 didn’t allow measuring equip to do their job since people are against the mining in the region. Gendarmerie and people of Artvin province, a city located on the Black Sea coast, are still waiting.

A gendarmerie unit came to the place where people stand guard in the morning and told people they would intervene in half an hour. After an hour and a half, gendarmerie didn’t intervene in. people didn’t allow measuring equip to do their job. 300 people are waiting in the region now. Supporters from Kafkasör Plateau also gathered for solidarity.

Tradesmen in Artvin react to mining by hanging handmade banners.

In Cerattepe region of Artvin, people have been struggling against mining for 20 years.

Cerattepe region is one of the most important regions in Turkey. This region provides drinking water for people. It has Hatina National Park and Kafkasör Tourism Protection and Development Site. 2000 plant species, 124 endemic species and hundreds of animals live in the region.

People living in Cerattepe, Kafkasör Plateau and Mountain Genya which are like a home to one of the richest flora in the world have been struggling against gold, copper and silver mining in the region for years.

On January 5, 2015, positive decision of Environmental Impact Assessment Report (ÇED) related to copper mining project in the region was cancelled. Now, ÇED made a positive decision for the copper mining and telepherique line projects of Özaltın Construction Company subjected to Cengiz Holding owned by Mehmet Cengiz.

Upon the decision was made, people of Artvin have been on duty since June 20. They stopped heavy construction equipment which came to the region before. (NV/BD)

Click here to read the article in Turkish