NGO coalition calls for its experts to be allowed to monitor gold mining enterprise in Seyudlu

Baku/06.07.23/Turan: A coalition of NGOs to increase transparency in the extractive industry, uniting about 90 public associations, appealed to the Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources of Azerbaijan Mukhtar Babayev due to the environmental situation in the village of Seyudlu.

The appeal expressed concern about the creation of a second artificial lake on an area of 45 hectares for the flow of chemical waste generated at the gold processing plant located in Seyudlu. The appeal recalls that local residents held a protest rally in protest against the dumping of toxic chemicals from the enterprise into a previously created artificial lake, which has a negative impact on human health and the environment. However, the protest of local residents was harshly suppressed by the police, using excessive force, including against elderly women.

In connection with these events, arrests were made among local residents, and police posts were set up at the entrance to the village in order to restrict the passage of people, including independent journalists and activists to Seyudlu.

The appeal also recalls the creation on June 21 of a government commission to study the situation in Seyudlu under the leadership of Babayev, and the Minister has already shared in the media the primary conclusions of the research.

The authors of the appeal also remind that they have previously applied to the Ministry of Ecology with a request to provide the coalition with the opportunity to conduct monitoring in regions where there are extractive industries, including in the liberated territories to assess the real situation and the impact of production on the environment.

However, these appeals were not taken into account.

At present, the coalition considers it necessary to conduct an assessment of the production situation at the enterprise in Seyudlu with the participation of representatives of independent civil society institutions in order to develop an alternative environmental impact assessment accepted in international practice.

"The participation of the independent civil society in this process would contribute to the trust of the local community and the overall positive image of Azerbaijan, would increase the faith of citizens in our state," the appeal further notes. -06B-