Residents of Jermuk and nearby settlements demand a meeting with Prime Minister Nikol Pashiyan and state once again that they won’t allow the operation of a mine near Mount Amulsar. Armenian News-NEWS.am presents the letter addressed to Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.

“Dear Mr. Prime Minister,

We residents of the enlarged Jermuk community, who have suspended works in the Amulsar Gold Mine with our physical presence for over a year, are addressing you with the request for an urgent meeting. We believe it is important to let you know about the crisis here and take immediate actions to solve the issue.

Our fair expectation from the revolution was that our voices would finally be heard and that the Amulsar project, which poses a threat to our community’s existence, its society and economy and Armenia’s development, would immediately end. Unfortunately, our expectations weren’t met.

Understanding the fact that the incumbent authorities face numerous issues that the former authorities created and realizing the intricacy of the issue of the mining industry, we suspended the construction works in the mine through the community’s efforts. By doing this, we provided an opportunity for the government to win time, become familiar with all the aspects of this multilayered issue and find the best solution to the crisis for the people.

We have spent nearly 400 days and nights to ensure blockage of all roads leading to the mine. We have temporarily suspended the works in the mine and have often seen provocations, been attacked and repressed.

Two days ago, the Investigative Committee released the ordered study that states the many serious mistakes and shortcomings of Lydian, and by law, Lydian was supposed to be unauthorized. However, the reports of the representatives of the Investigative Committee during the government session and during the preceding press conference were manipulation.

Dear Mr. Prime Minister, we still hope you stand with the public, the community that confides in you and you protect the interests of the public that contradicts the interests of corporations in regard to Amulsar. We trust you to make a decision to immediately put an end to the Amulsar project after you learn about the reality and trust your government to at least annul the permits granted to Lydian by virtue of law since it is no longer necessary to prove that Lydian disoriented the people and government of Armenia.

Mr. Prime Minister, we would especially like to stress that all Armenians in Armenia have joined the struggle for the conservation of Amulsar. People from different cities of Armenia express willingness to join us every day. Unfortunately, anti-revolutionary forces may take advantage of the struggle for Amulsar against your cabinet and the revolution. To this day, we haven’t had anything to do with those forces and have even retaliated their attempts to speculate the issue. If the Amulsar Gold Mine project is not stopped, you will become a reason for those forces to use this against you.

It is very important for us to meet with you. During the election campaign in December of last year, you promised to meet with us. We ask you to come to Jermuk and discuss the results of the study ordered by the Investigative Committee. What is also strictly troubling is the fact that the Police of Armenia have processed Lydian’s application and have made a decision to institute criminal cases against us.

We want to know what actions you are taking personally and ex-officio to provide an ultimate solution to the issue since our future actions depend on those actions.

Residents of the enlarged Jermuk community who are conserving Amulsar.”