Demonstration in Montreal for the Kaz Mountains
Montrealers staged a demonstration to show solidarity with Turkish citizens who have been protesting mining projects since the beginning of August for gold mining in the Kaz Mountains near Çanakkale (Chanakkaleh) in west of Turkey.
The demonstration which organized by Canadian Solidarity in Montreal for the Kaz Mountains, began on August 16th at 6:00 pm at Cabot Square near Sainte-Catherine Street.
In the press release that was read, it was stated:
“A company based in Canada, Alamos Gold, is conducting a huge open pit gold mining operation together with its local subsidiary in Turkey’s Kaz Mountains. The company has apparently destroyed around 200,000 trees, 20 times more than what Alamos initially claimed had been cut down. Also, some twenty thousand (20,000) tonnes of cyanide would be used to extract gold. This toxic substance could devastate the natural life in this historic region in case of a leak. Large quantities of arsenic and heavy metals will also litter the area once the company completes the project.”
The press statement followed saying that, “The situation in Turkey’s Kaz Mountains is not an isolated one. Similar destructive projects are underway in Turkey’s other regions, as well as in Africa, Asia, Latin America, Eastern Europe, and beyond. Mining companies headquartered in Canada represent 75% of the world’s mining companies. Canadian-based mining companies are working arm-in-arm with many governments of countries in which they operate to plunder natural resources, taking advantage of relatively lower labor costs and legal gaps. These mining corporations are also responsible for crimes perpetrated against local people, often Indigenous populations who oppose such activities on their traditional lands.”
Canadian Solidarity in Montreal for the Kaz Mountains showed the hypocrisy of governments and continued like these: “It is hypocritical that governments, including Canada, on one hand depict themselves as being “pro-environment”, while, on the other hand, their companies cause deforestation, enhance climate change along with soil erosion damaging agriculture and contaminate water sources and numerous species’ habitats in order to increase profits. It is also hypocritical that the Canadian governments introduces “carbon taxes” to be paid by its citizens, while Canadian-based mining companies pay next to nothing in royalties and taxes for their destructive activities in Turkey and elsewhere.”
The peoples have been called to fight
The Canada Solidarity group called the people to the fight and said, “We, Canada Solidarity with Kaz Mountains (Montreal), call on the people of Quebec and people elsewhere in Canada to support the struggle against the looting in the Kaz Mountains. Such mining activities must be stopped. We are in solidarity with the people who are resisting and taking actions to protect the future, not only in the Kaz Mountains, but all over the world where such exploitative capitalist ventures are destroying natural life and resources.”
After reading the press statement, the people who took part in the demonstration took Sainte-Catherine Street in downtown Montreal and chanted slogans during the march. Among the slogans we heard “Solidarity with Çanakkale!”, “Solidarity with the Kaz Mountains!”, “Alamos Gold has to go!” etc…
Once in front of the building on Boulevard René-Lévesque where the Consulate General of Turkey is located, the press statement was read in French, English and Turkish.
After chanting other slogans, the crowd left in peace.
The demonstration was also supported by organizations such as the Turkish Communist Party, the People’s Liberation Party from Turkey, the Communist Party of Canada, the Peace Movement of Quebec and the Association of Greek Workers in Montreal.
According to the information obtained, demonstrations in Vancouver and Toronto where Alamos Gold’s headquarters are located are being considered.
Bizim Anadolu / August 20, 2019
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