The state commission’s environmental claims do not appear to muster confidence. Mr Sariev says Kumtor wreaks “colossal damage” upon the environment. Yet two foreign audits he commissioned found no evidence of Centerra breaking Kyrgyz law.
The accusations gain credence, however, because of negative perceptions of Kumtor’s environmental record. In 1998 a lorryload of cyanide spilled into a river near the mine. Now, residents of Barskoon, a village about an hour’s drive down from the mine, are divided. The mine employs 2,600 Kyrgyzstanis, mostly from their neighbourhood. Salaries start at $1,500 a month, more than seven times the national average.
No comments:
Post a Comment