Armenia: eight opponents of Amulsar field development detained

Opponents of the development of the Amulsar gold deposit accuse the owner of the mine, the "Lydian Armenia" Company, of provocation.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that actions against the development of the Amulsar mine began in 2014. On December 15, Jermuk townspeople held a meeting and voted unanimously against the opening of roads to the mine.

Law enforcers detained eight Amulsar defenders after a clash with the police at a checkpoint on the way to the mine, Shirak Buniatyan, a Jermuk resident, has informed.

According to his story, the incident was preceded by a provocation staged by "Lydian Armenia" – a couple of days ago six workers entered the territory of the field aiming to carry out certain works.

"This news has angered local residents who demanded to stop all the works at the field. However, the workers refused to leave the territory, claiming that they were afraid of us, although we gave guarantees of their safety. Negotiations gave no result; and community members decided to drive them out of the territory on their own," Mr Buniatyan has explained, adding that it was a pre-planned provocation aimed at provoking a conflict.

"The police have pulled numerous forces to the venue ... as a result, the incident ended in the detention of eight local residents," the source has noted.

Gegam Oganyan, a member of the "Save Amulsar" initiative group, is sure that the conflict with the police was pre-planned by the gold-mining company.