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As many as 209 civil society organizations and people, including MPs, have warned the authorities to stop all gold mine projects around Ida (Kaz) Mountains in Çanakkele province and evacuate the Alamos Gold firm, the license of which expired on October 13, 2019, and was not renewed.
"As in many regions of our country, the Ida Mountains are threatened especially by gold mining projects. Almost all parts of the region are licensed and sold to domestic and foreign companies," they said in an open letter.
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The most advanced project among them is the Kirazlı Gold Mine Project, which is owned by Doğu Biga Mining company, the subsidiary of the Canada-based Alamos Gold, the letter says.
The company's operations in the area caused public outrage in July 2019 after photos of cutting down of trees emerged. Environmental defenders say that more than 300,000 trees were cut down during the construction of the gold mine.
In late July, activists started a "Water and Conscience Watch," which is still going on. As the letter notes, they were fined many times because of "illegal accommodation."
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Most recently, the activists were asked to leave the area after an order by the Provincial Public Hygiene Committee due to the Covid-19 outbreak and fined 57,240 lira (~8,400 USD) for illegal accommodation, according to the letter. "Those who should leave the area are not the life defenders but Alamos Gold, which continues to occupy Kirazlı although its license expired on October 13, 2019, and was not renewed."
"In the Ida Mountains, Alamos Gold also has Mount Ağı and Çamyurt projects. After reactions, the Çamyurt project has been withdrawn for now. Apart from these projects, there are dozens of more projects. It is observed that there are various developments in the surrounding villages regarding the Halilağa Project, which was sold to Cengiz Holding," the letter further says.
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Following demands from authorities are listed in the letter: