Engineering Vehicles Enter Site in Cerattepe

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Following two-day attack of security forces against people keeping watch in protest of copper mine planned to be built, engineering vehicles entered the site in Cerattepe area of Artvin province yesterday.

Those including Green Artvin Association President, Neşe Karahan detained yesterday were released at the evening hours. Group of 1,000 people rallying in front of Governorate building protested against security forces. Besides this, protests have taken place in various cities to stick with Cerattepe.

Erdem Karslıoğlu from Green Artvin Association speaking to bianet spoke as follows:

“Engineering vehicles entered the site last night. They are building worksite. They are allocating space for themselves. They may start chopping down the trees after a while. As far as we know, they don’t have permission to cut the trees. However, we will ask of this via petition to Forestry Operation Directorate to confirm it”.

Struggle of 20 years

Cerattepe is one of the most important 41 sites in Turkey, all of Artvin’s drinking water come from Cerattepe. There is Hatina National Park next to it, and Kafkasör Tourism Conservation and Development area under it. The area hosts 2,000 plant forms, 124 endemic forms, hundreds of animal forms.

First drilling works were launched in the area in 1987, people reacted against opening of the first gallery, and Green Artvin Association was found in 1995.

Ministry of Environment and Urbanization expressed a positive opinion to ÇED’s second report in 2013.

Rize Administrative Court overruled ÇED’s positive report in January 2015. However, the company has received another positive report from ÇED despite the ruling. A criminal complaint has been filed with the signature of 750 people and that examination of panel of experts has been awaited in these days. (NV/TK)