Loei: Villagers near gold mine seek police help

[webfact]

ENVIRONMENT
Villagers near gold mine seek police help
The Nation

LOEI: -- Residents of six villages in Baan Khao Lueng of Loei's Wang Saphung district called on the government yesterday to maintain peace and order after a group of some 20 armed and camouflaged men destroyed a barrier set up to protect the communities from the operations of the Tungkum gold-mining company.

"We demand that police bring the perpetrators to justice," the residents said in a statement.

The villagers, calling themselves the Love Homeland Group, said in the statement that the firm, which has been in the area since 2006, had its mining operation suspended due to its adverse impact on the environment and the potentially fatal health hazard it posed to villagers.

Since the firm entered the area, villagers have also been pitted against one another, and have even taken their dispute to court, the statement said.

The firm was fined in 2007 after water sources were found to be contaminated.

In 2010, the governor led villagers in inspecting the dyke, and discovered leaks and traces of cyanide outside it. However nothing had been done about the health danger to villagers and the contamination of not just the water but also the soil and vegetables, they said.


-- The Nation 2013-09-23

[Tatsujin]

You're asking for help from the wrong people, those in power don't give a monkey's about the little people.

[farmerjo]

Whats a trace of cyanide?

A little a lot or in between.

[rotary]

Is the mine still operating?

[Halion]

This is a total disgrace. Cyanide is used extensively in both the mining process and leaching and is an accumulative poison. and will reside in the soil for years contaminating crops and possibly enter the water table.

They say that the company was fined by no mention of soil remediation.

Would appear that this company has friends in high places. Yet another example of the laconic and criminal behaviour of the Thai administration. Little people are merely cannon fodder for those who consider themselves superiour.

[hellodolly]

This is a total disgrace. Cyanide is used extensively in both the mining process and leaching and is an accumulative poison. and will reside in the soil for years contaminating crops and possibly enter the water table.

They say that the company was fined by no mention of soil remediation.

Would appear that this company has friends in high places. Yet another example of the laconic and criminal behaviour of the Thai administration. Little people are merely cannon fodder for those who consider themselves superiour.

More like friends in far away places.

[kawaiimomo]

What a disgrace, not only poisoning the water and the soil but also sending thugs. If I were them I would put some money together and hire another of those armed groups (maybe even the same).

[lee b]

Disgraceful

[farmerjo]

A lot of scaremongering going on on behalf of both parties.

Will be interesting to see what eventuates,a loss of royalities for the government and approx 400 local people out of work.

Or a order to move the people off the rich red oxide ore land deposit.

[farmerjo]

For those who are interested,in the past there has been alot of cassava grown in the area.

If you have the time search cassava and cyanide on the net.