A state commission has been set up to review the environmental impact of Kumtor, an issue fraught with emotion in Kyrgyzstan.
In 1998, an accident involving a truck carrying chemicals to the mine released large amounts of cyanide into the Barskaun River, which environmental groups say resulted in hundreds of local people being hospitalized. Local media reported four deaths from cyanide poisoning.
“In many people’s minds, Kumtor represents foreigners coming in from outside and taking the Kyrgyz wealth for themselves and poisoning the Kyrgyz population at the same time,” said Nick Megoran, senior lecturer in human geography at Newcastle University in Britain who specializes inKyrgyzstan.
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