ILLOGICAL DECISIONS ON DENO GOLD MINING CASE

ArmInfo
2009-11-20 14:32:00

ArmInfo. The verdict of the Syunik regional court to reject suit
against Deno Gold Mining company still causes many questions. To
recall, the lawsuit was filed by the public organization "On ensuring
ecological safety and democracy development", which represents the
interests of 140 owners living not far from the DGM of Shaumyan
deposit. Permanent explosion and making holes led to destruction of
houses and communications. In 2008 Deno Gold Mining company gave
compensation only to 8 owners living in Shahumyan region, all the
rest 140 families did not get compensation.

As the of the ‘Ecolur’ organization Inga Zarafyan told ArmInfo
correspondent, on 23 October the regular court of Syunik region issued
a verdict which sounds a little bit misty ‘About prevention of danger
to the life and health of Shaumyan region residents because of the
mining activity at this territory’. But it is not clear what events are
supposed under the word "prevention". Some time later, in November the
same judge Anahit Tumanyan rejected suit against DGM, grounding such
a decision that no proof of threatening the life and health of people
was presented in the materials of the case. ‘We think that the court
issued judicially wrong verdict. If on 23 October the court made a
verdict to prevent danger to life and health of Shahumyan residents,
it means that time it had all the needed proof’, – Zarafyan said.

According to her, the experts have multiply indicated a number of
violations revealed in the activity of Deno Gold Mining. "We are much
concerned over the poisonous dump, which numbers a thousand tons
and which are overthrown right in the center of Kapan. Noteworthy,
Armenia’s Ministry of Nature Protection said, responding to our
request, that the dump is in the territory the Company owns. However,
this territory is actually the property of Kapan community", I.

Zarafyan said. Another circumstance, which is neglected by the
authorized instances, is illegal change of Atchanan riverbed aimed
at facilitation of ore generation in the mine. As a result of
investigation, it was cleared up that DPM company contaminates both
the river and the riverside territories by wastes. "We think that
Armenia’s Nature Protection Inspection is in close relations with
DGM company", Zarafyan said.

To note, all the issues related to the activity of DGM in Armenia,
will be raised by Inga Zarafyan on November 24 within the frames of
international conference in London.