MAYOR OF JERMUK SAYS NO TO AMULSAR GOLD MINE

hetq
11:47, March 17, 2012

Jermuk Mayor Vardan Hovhannisyan spoke at a March 13 conference
discussing the impact of the Amulsar gold mine on the town, noted
for its natural mineral springs.

Here’s what he said:

We have a similar problem when the Americans tried to tell us that
they found something toxic in our water. Our grandmothers have lived
her for a hundred years and have drunk the water thrice daily.

Our guest tried to convince us to hand over the town and make transform
it into a manufacturing center.

We will not allow some outside companies to come here, dig up their
gold, and thus discredit the brand name of Jermuk. We already have
gold; it’s our water.

They are trying to convince us that there are no threats to Jermuk.

They say they will build a barrier of trees and that we are 10
kilometers away. What about the winds? When they blow they will bring
all that dust on us. There will be a tailings dam. Do they think we
are kindergarten kids?

Had we been a small village, it might be possible to relocate us. But
we’re a large town and they can’t play with our fate.

Now that they have found gold, they want to talk to us. Isn’t it a
bit late?

Show me a resort town where a mine is built right alongside.