Mary Matosian
Young Armenians concerned with environmental threats in Armenia
created the Save Teghut civic initiative in Nov. 2007. Many participated
in successful actions to save Kacharan, in the Syunik region, from
harmful mining and Trchkan waterfall from destruction. These activists
are not affiliated with any organization or political party and they
insist on covering their expenses either through their own means or
donations from the general public. While they started with about 20
activists, today Save Teghut has over 6,000 followers on Facebook, and
many more supporters in the regions of Armenia without internet access.
Groups who support the Save Teghut movement have so far been established
in Moscow, Germany, and Los Angeles.
Save Teghut addresses the disastrous environmental situation in
Armenia. It aims to raise awareness among Armenians of the environmental
dangers looming over our country, as well as the irresponsible,
illegal, and secret activities of mining companies in collaboration with
the oligarchic system in Armenia. The group works to protect the
ecosystem and promote public health by ensuring that Armenia’s water,
air, and land are clean. In the Teghut forest, specifically, the civic
initiative demands the end of the mining project.
Unfortunately, environmental restrictions are not enforced in Armenia
for most of the major mining operations, which results in damages to
the ecosystem of the surrounding areas. Often corruption originates at
the stage of issuing licenses and acquiring permits. Corruption in the
forest sector is widely believed to be associated with businesses
sponsored by high-level government officials. The government’s actions
have been insufficient to stop the destruction of Armenia’s forests as a
result of illegal logging. In addition, the government has recently
reclassified many forest areas without due justification, and has
allocated them to local communities or private individuals.
The Armenian Copper Program (ACP), whose majority shareholder is the
Vallex F.M. corporation, has been awarded a 25-year exploitation license
by the Armenian government to extract the copper and molybdenum ore
buried in the Teghut mountains. ACP is in the process of developing an
open pit mine. The amount of forested land the company plans to clear
cut is around 1,500 hectares (approximately 650 football fields).
Several rivers will be polluted or dry up. It takes around 200 years for
a forest to recover. Armenia has lost 7-12 percent of its forests since
1998.
Furthermore, villagers relate that they received miserable
remuneration. One villager stated that he applied to the mining company
for a job and was offered a salary of 60,000 AMD ($155) per month for
very hard work, and had to decline the job offer. He complained that
parcels of lands were announced as eminent domain and were bought by the
mining company for 38 AMD ($0.9 cents) per 1 square meter. No effort
has been made by the government to develop agriculture or to invest in
the area.
Since November 2007, environmentalists have tried to halt the further
development of copper and molybdenum processing near the village of
Teghut in the Lori province, which, they say, will irrevocably damage
the ecology and surrounding villages. Twenty-five years from now, when
the Vallex Corporation finishes mining in the region, the arable and
surrounding land will no longer be fertile or usable.
The health risks of mining are quite apparent, especially in Armenia
where no regulations, safety standards, and monitoring are implemented.
Irresponsible mining in Armenia has created devastating health problems
for the population, including unnaturally high rates of birth defects,
developmental defects, and chromosomal disorders accompanied by
increased respiratory diseases, allergies, and other health problems.
Many environmental problems in Armenia—including those related to
water resources, mining, forests, and protected areas—are closely
associated with corruption. The exploitation of natural resources takes
place without due justification of decisions and with restricted public
access to information. Furthermore, decisions can typically be traced to
special interest groups and are made without due attention to the
declared long-term sustainable development goals of the government.
The Zhoghovurd Daily, for example, reported that a 148-hectare forest
was allocated to Arab Sheikh Mohammed Musallam by Armenian Nature
Protection Minister Aram Harutyunyan, but in return for what, it asked.
The construction of the ore processing plant, as another example, and
the exploitation of the copper-molybdenum mine in Teghut will
ostensibly result in a breach of 77 Armenian laws and a range of
international conventions signed and ratified by the Republic of
Armenia, such as the UN Aarhus Convention Compliance Committee. In 2009,
the UN Economic Commission for Europe (ACCC/C/2009/43) condemned the
decisions of the government of Armenia regarding its exploitation of the
mine in Teghut and adjacent territory since it does not comply with the
Aarhus Convention.
The 44 members of the UN Economic Commission for Europe have strongly
condemned Armenia’s continuing violations of international obligations
and demand that all decisions regarding the Teghut mining exploitation
be considered invalid. On Jan. 25, 2012, the members also signed a
declaration condemning the flagrant human rights violations associated
with the exploitation, and demanded a stop to mining in Teghut forest.
Armenia’s laws do not allow the exploitation of areas populated by
endangered species, nor do they allow damage to archeological sites.
Teghut forest houses 19 animal and plant species that are part of
Armenia’s Red Book of Endangered Species, and an archeological team from
Armenia’s Academy of Sciences uncovered many artifacts dating back to
the Bronze Age and many other Christian-era monuments. If mining
continues, these will be completely lost.
Activists, energized by the results from Trchkan and Kacharan, have
undertaken the defense of the Teghut forest. On Jan. 15, around 250
people visited the area in a hiking action initiative to familiarize
people with the issue. Media coverage was significant, and the Teghut
issue was featured in articles, TV interviews, and YouTube clips. The
country has finally taken notice of the damage created by the ACP/Vallex
group and the environmental dangers awaiting us. Irreversible
environmental damage, unfortunately, has already resulted from the lack
of strict mining regulations, coupled with barbaric exploitation and
corruption, as government and interested parties have proved they are
only concerned with making a profit.
Activists were able to energize the Armenian youth in Moscow and many
have extended their support. The Save Teghut movement is proud of this
achievement and is in the process of involving diasporan youth into the
civic movement in Armenia. The “Shant” AYF Western U.S. Region has
already been active in supporting the movement, raising awareness among
diasporans, and extending various skills to support the group. Save
Teghut activists have contacted German environmental activists and
groups and are working in unison to raise awareness in international
organizations about the ecological and environmental disasters in
Armenia.
The young activists ask that Armenians in the diaspora create support
groups and pressure the Armenian government to obey the laws and
environmental conventions it has signed, and to condemn its harmful
mining policy. Soon, Save Teghut will launch its website and an online
petition. Donations to the group are helpful to organize future
initiatives and disseminate information. The group is also appealing to
businesses in the diaspora to look into investment options in the Teghut
region, so that they can help protect the ecosystem of the forest and
the fundamental rights of the local population to live in a healthy and
safe environment.
"The Armenian Weekly," February 21, 2012
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