Greek Residents Protesting Canadian Gold Mining Company Scuffle with Police
Published by MAC on 2002-04-18
Maria Kadoglou of Hellenic Mining Watch notes that the first violent clashes with the police took place yesterday at Stratoniki, the village that is being undermined by TVX.
For the past month, the villagers have been peacefully protesting every day against the company activity that is causing their houses to crack. Under the protection of a strong police force, TVX is extracting 1,500 tons per day from underneath the village. Three days ago the first subsidence pit appeared in the village, over the newly mined area.
Their trial has been set for tomorrow. The Associated Press article below does not give the real picture - the truth is that many people, mostly old folks, were badly beaten by the police who areprotecting the company. It won't be long until more pits appear. Violence is bound to continue - meanwhile the government has so far succeded in keeping everything out of the media and newspapers.
Maria Residents protesting Canadian gold mining company scuffle with police
THESSALONIKI, Greece (Associated Press)
Residents of a northern Greek village protesting a Canadian company's mining activities scuffled with police, leaving one policeman slightly injured, authorities said Wednesday.
The scuffles occurred late Tuesday near the village of Stratoniki, about 65 kilometers (40 miles) southeast of Thessaloniki, when a protester allegedly lay down in the middle of a road in an attempt to prevent vehicles from reaching the facilities of the TVX mining company.
A policeman was treated for minor injuries in a nearby hospital after being hit by a rock thrown by protesters. A total of four people were arrested, police said.
Stratoniki residents have been protesting an expansion to the Toronto-based company's base metals mine underneath the village. They claim the mining has damaged a number of buildings in the village. The protesters are fighting in court to try and overturn a government permit granted for the expansion. Similar court action forced TVX to abandon a gold mining and processing project at a nearby site. Maria Kadoglou