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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 After reactions, the Çamyurt project has been withdrawn for now.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:
- All gold mining projects in the Ida Mountains should be urgently dropped, and all licenses and allocations should be canceled.
- The Mining Law and Regulation should be rewritten in an open, democratic and participatory way with the participation of environmental and ecology organizations, relevant professional chambers and bar associations. The cyanide leaching method used in gold mines should be banned as it poses a threat to public health.
- Alamos Gold (Doğu Biga Mining) should be urgently evacuated from Kirazlı and all projects of the company should be canceled.
- In order to prevent other companies from setting their sights on Kirazlı with similar projects and to repair the destruction of the ecosystem, the area that was trimmed due to the Kirazlı Gold Mining Project should be rehabilitated with ecological methods.
- Local people's demand for jobs and employment should not be met through mining companies but by the public by projects that suit the region and prioritize ecological agriculture and tourism.
- All fines against life defenders should be canceled. (EMK/VK)
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