Women of Kirazlıyayla against mining company: ‘We won’t give up’

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The works of Meyra Mining Company for a lead, zinc and copper processing plant and tailings dam have been underway in the village of Kirazlıyayla in Bursa's Yenişehir despite all objections of villagers.

The women of Kirazlıyayla underline that the water sources of the village are destroyed and their cattle do not graze in the pasture any longer due to the mine. They protest against the view of the mining site.

Bu tesisi köye 200 mt. mesafeye yaptığınız için bu kadınları hep göreceksiniz.
Hayatlarının tam ortasına düştüğünüz için hep direnecekler.

Vermeyeceğiz, vazgeçmeyeceğiz

Sen de #KirazlıyaylayıSavun

Devamı için https://t.co/JOJqmV5j3M pic.twitter.com/FUdSbXsAbH

— Yenişehir Çevre Platformu (YEÇEP) (@YYecep) April 12, 2021

'We won't abandon this place to them'

The women of the village have addressed President and ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) Chair Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and said, "Where is our President? He must hear our voice already."

Women have also protested against the company, saying: "We are not let in the pasture. But the mining company uses our pasture as it wishes. We will always come here, come rain or come shine. We will not abandon this place to them. We will keep struggling. You burned us, may God burn you.

"They promised us. They were supposedly not going to enter it. They have messed up everywhere. I cared for 100-150 cattle, we could not even bring a twig. We bought and fed the cattle. Will we go through this every day? Use up your money in tears, just as we are in tears now."

What happened?

The panel of experts examined the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report given by the Ministry of Environment and Urbanization for the tailings dam of the Meyra Mining Company in Kirazlıyaya and concluded that the mine was against the law. After the panel gave a negative EIA report, the court also ruled that the execution of the project be halted.

However, a week later, the court reversed its own ruling. The villagers appealed against this ruling as well; however, the mining company returned to the construction site and the works have been ongoing since then. (SO/SD)