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SHNOGH VILLAGERS DEMANDING FROM DANISH EXPORT CREDIT FUND TO ANNUL AGREEMENTS SIGNED WITH 'TEGHOUT' CJSC
14:30 December 18, 2014
EcoLur
Shnogh villagers have sent a letter of protest to Danish Export
Credit Fund aginst Teghout project. The letter says, "In 2013, the
Denmark-based "Pension Denmark" private pension fund, the company
"FLSmidth", the Export Credit Fund (EKF), and the Armenia-based
"Teghout" CJSC signed agreements
whereby financial support was provided for the operation of the
copper-molybdenum mine located in our communities.
The reports and official communication of both the pension fund
and EKF tout strict compliance with the environmental and social
responsibility standards.
We would like to stress that the statements in your reports, according
to which the company operating the Teghut mine meets the international
standards of operation and that no norms and laws are violated,
is not true.
1. The permits for operation were issued with grave violations of
the Armenian law, thus the operation of the mine is illegal.
2. Our communities were not aware of the details and possible
impact of the mine operation; we did not duly participate in the
decision-making process. This is a breach of the Aarhus Convention,
as recognized by decision ECE/MP.PP/2011/11/Add.1 IV/9b of the UN
Economic and Social Council.
3. Our communities have suffered huge material damages, including
losses of private and community lands for which the communities have
not been adequately compensated to date. Our complaints have not been
adequately examined by the Armenian judicial bodies; a total of 109
households have challenged in court the decisions about their land
plots. 9 cases are currently being examined by the European Court of
Human Rights.
4. The Armenian judicial authorities have not ensured access to
justice for local NGOs that wish to prove through the legal system
the irregularities and falsifications committed during the licensing
of the mine. This is another breach of international law (namely
Article 9 of the Aarhus Convention), as recognized by decision
ECE/MP.PP/2014/2/Add.1 V/9a of the UN Economic and Social Council.
5. In the environmental assessments demanded by you, it is mentioned
that the 2005 environmental impact assessment had many faults. It is
also stated that the mining project had changed, and those changes were
not authorized by the state, nor was there a new environmental impact
assessment. This assessment was supposed to undergo public hearings,
and we at the communities were supposed to participate in the approval
of this assessment. The environmental and social management plan,
which is based on the environmental assessment demanded by you,
does not have any legal grounds. Moreover, it is not approved by the
Armenian government.
6. Teghout CJSC has damaged the drinking water pipes of Teghut village,
as a result of which the community did not have drinking water for
a long time; even after the repairs, the village suffers from the
scarcity of drinking water. The springs have dried up.
According to a recent monitoring by the government, the quantity of
molybdenum in the Shnogh River exceeds the permissible levels.
Overall, the Teghut community is deprived of any opportunities to do
farming or forest-related activities.
7. To date, no health assessments have been made in our communities.
8. The activities on the mining company have never been inspected by
any government body in the last 8 years, despite calls made for years
by the Armenian Human Rights Defender, members of the parliament,
NGOs, and individual citizens to inspect the operation of the company.
The authorities in charge of inspection refuse to inspect, despite the
fact that the promises and obligations of the company have not been
fulfilled. This speaks of a high level of patronage and corruption.
These and many other facts show that what is written in your
reports and official communications is nothing but window dressing
that conceals the contradictions to your own internal regulations,
the legislation of Denmark, the international law, and the Armenian
legislation.
In view of the aforementioned, we, the undersigned, hereby demand:
To abolish the credit agreement with VTB bank, and to abolish all
agreements made with Teghout CJSC.
We call upon you not to be part of the illegalities committed by
Teghout CJSC and VTB Bank."
Translation by Khachatur Adumyan
http://ecolur.org/en/news/mining/shnogh-villagers-demanding-from-danish-export-credit-fund-to-annul-agreements-signed-with-teghout-cjsc/6894/
14:30 December 18, 2014
EcoLur
Shnogh villagers have sent a letter of protest to Danish Export
Credit Fund aginst Teghout project. The letter says, "In 2013, the
Denmark-based "Pension Denmark" private pension fund, the company
"FLSmidth", the Export Credit Fund (EKF), and the Armenia-based
"Teghout" CJSC signed agreements
whereby financial support was provided for the operation of the
copper-molybdenum mine located in our communities.
The reports and official communication of both the pension fund
and EKF tout strict compliance with the environmental and social
responsibility standards.
We would like to stress that the statements in your reports, according
to which the company operating the Teghut mine meets the international
standards of operation and that no norms and laws are violated,
is not true.
1. The permits for operation were issued with grave violations of
the Armenian law, thus the operation of the mine is illegal.
2. Our communities were not aware of the details and possible
impact of the mine operation; we did not duly participate in the
decision-making process. This is a breach of the Aarhus Convention,
as recognized by decision ECE/MP.PP/2011/11/Add.1 IV/9b of the UN
Economic and Social Council.
3. Our communities have suffered huge material damages, including
losses of private and community lands for which the communities have
not been adequately compensated to date. Our complaints have not been
adequately examined by the Armenian judicial bodies; a total of 109
households have challenged in court the decisions about their land
plots. 9 cases are currently being examined by the European Court of
Human Rights.
4. The Armenian judicial authorities have not ensured access to
justice for local NGOs that wish to prove through the legal system
the irregularities and falsifications committed during the licensing
of the mine. This is another breach of international law (namely
Article 9 of the Aarhus Convention), as recognized by decision
ECE/MP.PP/2014/2/Add.1 V/9a of the UN Economic and Social Council.
5. In the environmental assessments demanded by you, it is mentioned
that the 2005 environmental impact assessment had many faults. It is
also stated that the mining project had changed, and those changes were
not authorized by the state, nor was there a new environmental impact
assessment. This assessment was supposed to undergo public hearings,
and we at the communities were supposed to participate in the approval
of this assessment. The environmental and social management plan,
which is based on the environmental assessment demanded by you,
does not have any legal grounds. Moreover, it is not approved by the
Armenian government.
6. Teghout CJSC has damaged the drinking water pipes of Teghut village,
as a result of which the community did not have drinking water for
a long time; even after the repairs, the village suffers from the
scarcity of drinking water. The springs have dried up.
According to a recent monitoring by the government, the quantity of
molybdenum in the Shnogh River exceeds the permissible levels.
Overall, the Teghut community is deprived of any opportunities to do
farming or forest-related activities.
7. To date, no health assessments have been made in our communities.
8. The activities on the mining company have never been inspected by
any government body in the last 8 years, despite calls made for years
by the Armenian Human Rights Defender, members of the parliament,
NGOs, and individual citizens to inspect the operation of the company.
The authorities in charge of inspection refuse to inspect, despite the
fact that the promises and obligations of the company have not been
fulfilled. This speaks of a high level of patronage and corruption.
These and many other facts show that what is written in your
reports and official communications is nothing but window dressing
that conceals the contradictions to your own internal regulations,
the legislation of Denmark, the international law, and the Armenian
legislation.
In view of the aforementioned, we, the undersigned, hereby demand:
To abolish the credit agreement with VTB bank, and to abolish all
agreements made with Teghout CJSC.
We call upon you not to be part of the illegalities committed by
Teghout CJSC and VTB Bank."
Translation by Khachatur Adumyan
http://ecolur.org/en/news/mining/shnogh-villagers-demanding-from-danish-export-credit-fund-to-annul-agreements-signed-with-teghout-cjsc/6894/