DISABLED MINERS ON HUNGER STRIKE
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[08:42 pm] 12 June, 2006
more images “We are not begging. We are asking for the money we
deserve”, claim Ilya Barseghyan and Vladimir Hovsepyan, former miners
from Kapan. They have been on a hunger strike since yesterday in the
Garegin Nzhdeh square of Kapan. Together with 170 other miners they
have been deprived of their disability pension. The former disabled
workers of “Dino Gold Mining Company” (former Kapan ore mining and
processing enterprise) have not received any compensation for the
last 20 months.
The authorities of the Company refuse to pay them saying that the
miners were not disabled under the present authorities. The owner
of “Dino Gold Mining Company” refused to sign a collective contract
with the trade union of the company. There is no way for the miners
to solve the problem and get at least their pension of 15 thousand
AMD a month. There is no Law on working disability and they cannot
even turn to court.
The hunger strikers in the Kapan square announce that they will keep
on strike until their rights are restored. This is the second case
during the last few years that the disabled miners have gone on a
hunger strike in Kapan.
TV Company “Sosi”, Kapan