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Kyrgyz protesters lift siege on Canadian gold mine

02 June 2013 01:56 (UTC +04:00)

Baku-APA. Hundreds of protesters have lifted their several days-long blockade of a Canadian gold mine in eastern Kyrgyzstan, officials say, APA reports quoting Press TV.

Last week, about 1,000 demonstrators besieged the Kumtor mine, operated by Toronto-based Centerra Gold, and demanded the mine’s nationalization and better social benefits.

Kyrgyz Prime Minister Zhantoro Satybaldiyev toured the area and told the angry protesters that his government was in talks about ownership of the Canadian mine.

On Saturday, the protesters lifted the blockade on the mine.

A day earlier, Kyrgyz President Almazbek Atambayev declared a state of emergency in some parts of the country after violent clashes broke out between riot police and stone-throwing protesters.

The police fired rubber bullets and stun grenades at the protesters.

The Dzheti-Ogyzsky district of the northern Issyk Kul region has been under curfew since Friday when the president signed a state of emergency declaration.

The state of emergency declaration, which includes a 9:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. curfew, will last until June 10.

"All the organizers of the meeting at Kumtor will be punished in full accordance with the law. I guarantee that as president of the country," said Atambayev.

The leader of the protestors, Ermek Dzhunushbayev, has said that the Kumtor mine either "works for the good of the Kyrgyz people or does not work at all."

Centerra Gold company has said, "...until calm returns and safe and secure access can be restored, the Company will continue with an orderly shutdown of the mine facilities."

"We have a contract in place which clearly states the economic conditions set out regarding the mine, as to the taxes that we pay," John Pearson, Vice President of Investor Relations at Centerra Gold stated.