Independence Road also argued that granting mining permits is on the agenda in the country and stated that they should fight together to prevent this permission from being granted.
Noting that millions of tons of soil reaching the waterways poses the danger of cyanide poisoning [used to extract gold from low grade ore] of the people of the region, Bıldır stated that gold exploration companies are destroying Turkey’s ecology.
Pointing out that there is no known way to clean up cyanide pollution, Bıldır said, “Once it gets into our soil, we have to deal with the environmental problems it causes for generations. We, Cypriots, have been living side by side with cyanide waste in Lefke since 1933.
“Despite decades of struggle, we haven’t even started cleaning it yet”, he said.
Stating that the issuance of new mining permits, including gold mines, is on the agenda both in the north and south of Cyprus, Bıldır said, “There are serious struggles against mining activities both in Turkey and in Cyprus.
“These struggles need to be continued with more organisation and inter-organisational solidarity“, he said.
*It was reported in the mainstream media on Tuesday that millions of tons of mining spoil have collapsed in a landslide in Erzincan İliç in the Eastern Anatolia region of Turkey. A massive search and rescue operation was launched. There are fears of waterways being polluted by the spoil as there is no way to remove cyanide from water. [Ed.]
