We are posting this SOMO longread by Bart-Jaap Verbeek and Abdurrahman Erol as a guest blog.
The Kirazlı gold mining conflict in Türkiye’s Mount Ida region (Kaz Dağları) highlights the steep challenges local communities face when their rights and livelihoods collide with foreign-backed extractive projects. Despite intense public opposition that led to the cancellation of Alamos Gold’s mining permit, the company responded with a billion-dollar ISDS claim under the Bilateral Investment Treaty between the Netherlands and Türkiye. Now, as proceedings unfold behind closed doors in Washington, local communities are left out, bearing the social and environmental costs while having no say in the outcome.
This new longread shines a light on the voices of local communities affected by the Kirazlı gold mine project, amplifying their experiences and concerns in a process that otherwise silences them. As demand for minerals rises globally, the need for investment frameworks that respect community rights and environmental protections is more urgent than ever.
Read the full story here: https://www.somo.nl/disputed-grounds/
Watch the short documentary here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GrhA39JhMBc
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https://x.com/BJVerbeek/status/1856728751217816009