Epress.am News from Armenia
Today, a report presentation about the Amulsar gold mine was held at the Hyatt Place Hotel, while about 30 environment activists protested the mines' exploitative measures in front of the hotel entrance.
The protest participants, under the slogan “No More Mines in Armenia,” tried to enter the hotel, however, police were lined up in front of the entrance and pushed the protesters away from the stairs. A representative of the hotel’s administration came out and told the protesters that “this is not state property, get out of here,” and urged the organizers to “gather the children (and leave).”
“Go ahead and please your bosses,” “they are ruining your children’s health, are you satisfied?,” “since we have such police, Armenia will be no different,” and “can you save Amulsar like this” said the protesters to the police while being pushed away.
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British Lydian International Limited company is preparing for operations at the Amulsar gold mine. The company president, Howard Stevenson, claims that they are going to invest in new technology which excludes emissions from going into the surrounding area. However, Armenian environmentalists have regularly been raising the issue of the Amulsar gold mine and stressing its negative aspects.
Yesterday, Gndevaz village residents sent a petition to the Ombudsman and the European Bank of Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) demanding to stop financing the mine’s development and heap leach facility in the territory of the village, says Ecolur.