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GREEN TRENDS: ENVIRONMENTAL MOVEMENT RISING IN ARMENIA AFTER A FEW SUCCESSFUL CAMPAIGNS
By Naira Hayrumyan
ArmeniaNow
18.01.12 | 15:09
Photo: www.ecolur.org
It seems that the establishment of the Green Party is in the offing in
Armenia. Environmental movements are growing stronger, amidst growing
awareness that mining is causing considerable damage to nature. Yet,
ecologists so far have used only civilian instruments, not trying to
get a political foothold.
The latest example of such civil struggle was the large action on
January 15 by environmentalists from the Teghut Protection Group
fighting for the conservation of a large forest in the northeastern
Lori province of Armenia that is set to be mined for copper and
molybdenum. The activists visited the site, recording the logging of
hectares of forest. The action aroused a great public response, but
has had no political consequences yet. Moreover, it was announced
that the company developing the deposits, Vallex, intends to sue
environmentalists for "obstruction to normal operation."
Earlier, the Group accused the government of Armenia of failing
to live up to its commitments under the Aarhus Convention and
filed a corresponding action with the compliance committee. But
administrative courts have repeatedly refused to accept such
claims. Now environmentalists are preparing another lawsuit in
this regard.
Perennial environmental activist Mariam Sukhudyan, who, for many,
has become the campaign's abrasive embodiment, says that environmental
movement has become stronger in Armenia in recent years. "The victory
in Trchkan inspired us," says Sukhudyan, referring to the successful
campaign for conserving a waterfall last fall. "For example, Hrazdan
or Jermuk also began to fight, and they say they are inspired by that
victory in Trchkan. In the end, everyone understands that this is not
only the movement of the green, but is a matter of national security.
To the people who ask whether our movement will become political
I'll say that in one way or another we influence the system with our
struggle. Our driving force is not the pursuit of power, but I know
that without having any affiliation with a political party, fighting
for Teghut, Trchkan, for Armenia, we are forming a new system,"
says Sukhudyan.
However, it is obvious that the availability of policymaking tools,
representation in parliament, would enhance the positions of the Green
Movement. Now environmentalists have been joined by the parliamentary
opposition Heritage party, which tries to raise certain questions in
the legislative body. However, it doesn't seem to be enough.
Environmentalists have actually already celebrated several victories
and perhaps the biggest of them was preventing the construction of
a mini hydropower plant on the Trchkan waterfall situated on the
administrative border of Armenia's northern Shirak and Lori provinces.
Now there is some information that Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan
was outraged to learn from the press that the development of the
Kajaran copper deposit would require the eviction of residents from
the borderline village of Kajaran - something that was resisted by
the local residents and became a matter of concern for environmental
groups late last year. According to the press, Sargsyan said that he
had been previously misinformed. And if environmentalists actually
blocked this project, it would become a huge victory for the greens.
"On the one hand the mining predator is stifling [the country],
on the other hand the pseudo-economic and pseudo-regional effects
of the development are evident: residents in the villages of Syunik,
from where so much gold is taken out, live in appalling conditions. Our
country is moving towards environmental colonization," says Sukhudyan.
By Naira Hayrumyan
ArmeniaNow
18.01.12 | 15:09
Photo: www.ecolur.org
It seems that the establishment of the Green Party is in the offing in
Armenia. Environmental movements are growing stronger, amidst growing
awareness that mining is causing considerable damage to nature. Yet,
ecologists so far have used only civilian instruments, not trying to
get a political foothold.
The latest example of such civil struggle was the large action on
January 15 by environmentalists from the Teghut Protection Group
fighting for the conservation of a large forest in the northeastern
Lori province of Armenia that is set to be mined for copper and
molybdenum. The activists visited the site, recording the logging of
hectares of forest. The action aroused a great public response, but
has had no political consequences yet. Moreover, it was announced
that the company developing the deposits, Vallex, intends to sue
environmentalists for "obstruction to normal operation."
Earlier, the Group accused the government of Armenia of failing
to live up to its commitments under the Aarhus Convention and
filed a corresponding action with the compliance committee. But
administrative courts have repeatedly refused to accept such
claims. Now environmentalists are preparing another lawsuit in
this regard.
Perennial environmental activist Mariam Sukhudyan, who, for many,
has become the campaign's abrasive embodiment, says that environmental
movement has become stronger in Armenia in recent years. "The victory
in Trchkan inspired us," says Sukhudyan, referring to the successful
campaign for conserving a waterfall last fall. "For example, Hrazdan
or Jermuk also began to fight, and they say they are inspired by that
victory in Trchkan. In the end, everyone understands that this is not
only the movement of the green, but is a matter of national security.
To the people who ask whether our movement will become political
I'll say that in one way or another we influence the system with our
struggle. Our driving force is not the pursuit of power, but I know
that without having any affiliation with a political party, fighting
for Teghut, Trchkan, for Armenia, we are forming a new system,"
says Sukhudyan.
However, it is obvious that the availability of policymaking tools,
representation in parliament, would enhance the positions of the Green
Movement. Now environmentalists have been joined by the parliamentary
opposition Heritage party, which tries to raise certain questions in
the legislative body. However, it doesn't seem to be enough.
Environmentalists have actually already celebrated several victories
and perhaps the biggest of them was preventing the construction of
a mini hydropower plant on the Trchkan waterfall situated on the
administrative border of Armenia's northern Shirak and Lori provinces.
Now there is some information that Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan
was outraged to learn from the press that the development of the
Kajaran copper deposit would require the eviction of residents from
the borderline village of Kajaran - something that was resisted by
the local residents and became a matter of concern for environmental
groups late last year. According to the press, Sargsyan said that he
had been previously misinformed. And if environmentalists actually
blocked this project, it would become a huge victory for the greens.
"On the one hand the mining predator is stifling [the country],
on the other hand the pseudo-economic and pseudo-regional effects
of the development are evident: residents in the villages of Syunik,
from where so much gold is taken out, live in appalling conditions. Our
country is moving towards environmental colonization," says Sukhudyan.