Work of the Kyrgyz-Turkish gold mining company Eti Bakyr Tereksai in Terek-Sai village, Chatkal district of Jalal-Abad region was suspended for two months due to discontent of local residents. Villagers told 24.kg news agency.
According to local resident Yuldash Daminov, villagers blocked the road to the plant on December 12.
«We also set up yurts. We demanded the arrival of the President Sadyr Japarov, because the local and regional officials could not solve our problems. The deputy head of the district came to us and said that a commission would be set up for two months to study the work of the gold extraction company and its impact on the environment and the health of the locals. We opened the road, but the yurt won’t be dismantled. It will remain standing until the issue with the Turkish company is resolved,» Yuldash Daminov told.
He stressed that if the commission does not resolve the issue in favor of the locals in two months, the next time the residents of the two districts intend to hold a protest against Eti Bakyr Tereksai company.
Eti Bakyr Tereksai LLC, a joint venture of Kyrgyzaltyn (25 percent) and the Turkish company Eti Bakyr (75 percent), won a tender in 2015 for the development of Terek, Terekkan and Perevalnoye gold deposits.
The company’s activities have been accompanied by provocations and disagreements since the very beginning. In 2018, a conflict with the participation of local residents took place on the territory of Eti Bakyr Tereksai company.
The reason for the conflict is that 62 households on Myrzabaev St. in Terek Sai village fell under the license area of Eti Bakyr Tereksai LLC. In this regard, it was decided to relocate the residents to another place. Eti Bakyr Tereksai reported that the purchase of land plots and houses would be based on the calculations of an independent evaluation commission. However, the locals do not want to leave their land.
The residents are also dissatisfied with the open gold mining method, which negatively affects the ecology of the area. The villagers have repeatedly protested against the company and complained that the enterprise pollutes the air and causes respiratory diseases in children and adults.
