Protest against 'predatory mining' in Istanbul!

The Istanbul Giresun Residents Environment, Culture and Solidarity Association held a press conference at Freedom Square in Bakırköy, Istanbul, to draw attention to predatory mining in Giresun. The Gümüşhane Residents Culture and Solidarity Association and the Harşit Valley Platform also supported the press conference.

The press statement is as follows:

"In our country, all areas protected due to their natural and cultural wealth—such as forests, national parks, protected sites, agricultural lands, and water basins—are open to mining activities.

According to MAPEG data, 85% of Giresun and 95% of neighboring Gümüşhane are licensed for mining. Within the boundaries of mining work areas, 90% of forest areas, 79% of forest clearings, 85% of agricultural lands, 99% of pastures and plateaus, and 84% of residential areas have been licensed for Group IV mining.

Giresun is a geography rich in nature and cultural history. There are Important Nature Areas in Giresun that are of great importance for the ecosystems of Turkey and the world. We state with regret that 94% of these areas are also licensed for mining.

However, the recently increasing predatory mining activities in Giresun and much of the Eastern Black Sea Region are causing irreparable damage to the region's unique nature and human life.

Especially recently, major environmental disasters are occurring in the high forest villages of Giresun's paradise districts, Tirebolu and Doğankent, due to predatory mining activities carried out by mining companies without complying with necessary environmental regulations and ethical principles.

Due to the lawless and rule-defying actions of mining firms, our clean water sources in the region have been polluted, and mass fish deaths have recently occurred in the Gelevera Creek.

Our flowing streams, which are the subject of folk songs in our region, have dried up, first due to hydroelectric power plants (HES) and now due to predatory mining. Water shortages are even being experienced in some districts of Giresun, which is one of the rainiest provinces in our country.

Our forests and hazelnut orchards are being damaged due to mining. It is becoming difficult to obtain yields from agricultural products grown in our region, especially hazelnuts, which are the highest quality in the world and more valuable than gold.

Furthermore, destruction in rainy regions like the Black Sea can lead to serious environmental disasters, and predatory mining can also accelerate soil erosion as it causes the loss of natural vegetation.

The local people are also directly experiencing the social and economic consequences of these destructive activities. The damage to agricultural lands, reduced access to clean water, and the difficulty of living conditions are negatively affecting the local people due to predatory mining. In addition, predatory mining threatens public health in our region and could lead to serious health problems for the public in the long term.

Especially in the Çatalağaç Village of Doğankent, chemical substances and waste released during mining activities are left on the banks of streams. This waste mixes with underground and surface water sources, posing a major risk, especially for the surrounding creeks and rivers. Water pollution in the region creates negative effects on the ecosystem and human health by contaminating both local drinking water sources and water used in agriculture.

The Harşit Valley Platform, which includes 1 federation, 1 foundation, 28 associations, and opinion leaders, has held various press conferences and rallies in Giresun for the Çatalağaç village of Doğankent district and the Garigen Hill of Tirebolu in Giresun province. While our current struggle continues, we are now faced with mining activities planned to be initiated in Harkköy, Tirebolu district. The interim license granted for the 'Lead-Zinc-Gold-Silver Mine' underground mine operation covers the villages of Karaahmetli, Örenkaya, Menderes, Harkköy, and Kuskunlu. The historic Bedrama Castle is also within this licensed area. However, the applicant firm has only obtained an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Report for a small area in Harkköy, where old mine deposits are located in the center of the licensed area, while the large part remaining in agricultural and forest land is excluded from this. We know very well that after starting work, all areas and villages within the licensed area will become mining sites upon the company's request to the state for 'Reserve-Capacity Increase Areas'.

We attended the Project Promotion File (İDK) meeting at the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change on 8/10/2024 and voiced our objections. The EIA process has not yet been concluded, and we call on all NGOs and local people to support our struggle.

Today, our region is under the open threat of mining licenses. It is our duty to fight against predatory mining for every inch of our homeland, including the Tirebolu Garigen Hill-Olucak Plateau, Harkköy, Doğankent Çatalağaç Village, Ordu Aybastı Perşembe Plateau, Artvin Cerattepe and Cankurtaran, Gümüşhane, and other paradise corners of our country such as the Kaz Mountains and Akbelen.

In conclusion, predatory mining activities in our region have become a form of plunder and exploitation, creating various problems that threaten both our environment and the lives of the local people.

As the Harşit Valley Platform and the Istanbul Giresun Residents Environment, Culture and Solidarity Association, we are holding this press conference today to put a stop to this destruction and plunder and to draw attention to our Eastern Black Sea Region, especially Giresun.

We call on all our people to fight against predatory mining, and we call on public officials to protect our nature and our lives, not a handful of mining companies; we demand that predatory mining activities be stopped immediately."