Alert: No Company Should Enter the Amulsar Area by Force

The Armenian Environmental Front, along with the residents of Jermuk and Gndevaz, have been continuously raising alarms in recent months regarding the aggressive actions instigated by a newly hired security company and another contractor associated with the bankrupt Lydian company in the Amulsar protected areas.

Previously, we reported on the issues created by the new security company, "Special Security Services" LLC, which has armed presence with guns and clubs along the Jermuk highway. Demonstrations of brutality, including the killing of puppies by the guards, as well as threats indicating they would do everything to allow Lydian to enter the area, have escalated tensions, with local police intervening. Furthermore, employees of the security company have not worn the legally required identification, prompting us to submit a complaint to the police on July 17, 2020.

As of August, "Special Security Services" LLC has been actively seeking to recruit personnel. In addition to posting job announcements on their Facebook page, they have advertised for "tall, sturdy, intelligent, and athletic individuals capable of handling tense situations" on list.am. Reports indicate that former military personnel are working in the area, aligning with the presence of armed guards donning camouflage attire.

It is clear that Lydian's new management strategy is to provoke violence to justify police intervention against the residents of Jermuk and Gndevaz, who have been fighting for two years to safeguard their lives and their right to live in their chosen environment.

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has stated that no issues will be resolved through violence in Armenia. The residents of Jermuk and Gndevaz are engaging in peaceful resistance methods alongside other conscientious and responsible citizens from various settlements across Armenia, exercising their right to peaceful dissent against a disastrous mining project imposed upon them and future generations by corrupt former authorities.

The militaristic posture and threats from Lydian signal that this private company may attempt to enforce its illegal, deadly, and speculative agenda through violence. We urge all citizens of Armenia, officials, and media representatives to prevent any potential violence in the Amulsar area, ensuring that no private company, whether security, construction, or mining-related, can carry out any violent act in Amulsar, let alone raise their hands, clubs, or weapons against the conscientious and responsible citizens who are addressing Armenia's and the region's ecological, social, and economic issues at the cost of enormous sacrifice.

The struggle for the protection of Amulsar has been and will remain a peaceful resistance. We call for the following actions to confront attempts to introduce violence into the Amulsar area:

1. Refuse to cooperate with "Special Security Services" LLC, "Ecobuilding" company, Lydian, and its contractors altogether. This means not working for these companies or rendering them any services. This is a peaceful method of civil disobedience.
2. Physically be present at the Amulsar protection points and in Jermuk, offering moral and material support to the local residents.
3. Document the violations of the aforementioned companies against the protectors of Amulsar.
4. Boycott media outlets that propagate news materials commissioned by Lydian.

Meanwhile, we encourage the selfless residents of Jermuk and Gndevaz to continue their peaceful stance, as those who raise their fists, clubs, or weapons have long been defeated. Lydian can remove its last assets from the Amulsar area, restore the damaged landscape, and permanently leave the area. The presence of this company in Amulsar for any other purpose will not be permitted.

Armenian Environmental Front