International call for solidarity with the struggle against gold mining in Halkidiki, on Saturday November 9

We, the people of the movement against the destructive extractions in Halkidiki, turn once again to you, our fellow citizens, fellow fighters, fellow people.

A crime is taking place in Greece these days. With the pretext of the financial crisis, the environment, human rights, human dignity, democracy, freedom of speech and the quality of life are all being sacrificed on the altar of business interests, political ambitions and a neoliberal capitalism, which shows its most inhuman face in Greece.

In Halkidiki, we have been witnessing for a long time the policy of “national salvation at any cost”. At the cost of human lives, of human rights and of the natural environment.

Large scale extracting activities have been planned in our land, which are threatening to destroy a forest of incredible beauty and ecological value. They are threatening to contaminate the aquifer, the air, the ground and the sea. They are threatening our productive activities. They sentence and mortgage the future of our children.

The social movement of protest and resistance to those destructive plans has suffered terrible state repression, police violence, prosecutions, imprisonments, defamation, muzzling and criminalization. And yet we hold on. We continue to fiercely claim our right to live and to dream.

Our strength is the love for our land, our natural and cultural space. Our strength is our unity in a common struggle for life. Our strength is solidarity.

On the 9th of November we will meet in Thessaloniki for a rally of protest, struggle and solidarity.

We call on you to stand by our side, on the same day, and to meet at your own gathering places in a joint action of solidarity.

Only united and in solidarity we can fight for a dignified present and a better future.

STRUGGLE COMMITTEES OF HALKIDIKI AND THESSALONIKI

 The call of the Solidarity Committee in Halkidiki (Attica)

9th November 2013
International Action Day Against Gold Mines in Halkidiki

What is at Stake
Halkidiki, the birthplace of the ancient philosopher Aristotle, is a place of such great natural beauty that, every year, it is flooded by tourists from all over the world. In the western part of Halkidiki lies the primeval forest of Skouries. A few years ago the multinational gold mining company Eldorado Gold settled in Skouries and with the backing of powerful domestic private interests has begun large-scale mining activities. Thus, the irreversible destruction of the ecosystem of Skouries and the contamination of soil and groundwater with heavy metals throughout western Halkidiki has already started.

When Injustice Becomes Law
We are residents of Halkidiki. We are fishermen, farmers, stockmen, beekeepers, entrepreneurs and scientists, everyday people like all of you who cherish and protect our land. A few years ago, when we requested information on gold mining in our area from state authorities, we only encountered silence from their part. Afterwards, when we requested a public debate to be conducted on the issue, state authorities repeatedly postponed it until they infinitely deferred it. When we turned to independent scientific and academic institutions to find out the potential impacts of mining on our lives, we were informed that the consequences were going to be irreparable for both our ecosystems and local economy. When we appealed to justice, competent courts proceeded to review only the legality of mining permits, without ruling on the essence of the matter and the ensuing destruction. When we protested against the mining, the police forces took over acting as an occupation army in our region, spreading violence and terrorizing us and our children. When, in August 2013, it was officially announced that the water in the local Neohori village is not potable due to toxic level concentration of arsenic, the State did not examine possible connections between this incident and the presence of Eldorado Gold drillings at a short distance from the village water resources. When, recently, EU institutions looked into state backing to the ‘investment’, the European Court of Justice condemned Greece for having illegally financially supported mining companies in Halkidiki with millions of Euros, and thus the state’s dubious involvement in this “investment” was undeniably proven. Today, when we attempt to hike in the forest of Skouries or harvest our beehives we encounter control checks from Eldorado Gold’s armed men who deny us access thus restricting our freedom of movement. And now the Greek State is characterizing our movement as terrorist, equating our actions with the criminal violence of the neo-Nazi Golden Dawn party, sending to prison four locals and launching dozens of prosecutions against other locals active in our struggles, thus institutionalizing and legitimizing the violence and injustice against us.

Then, Resistance Becomes a Duty
We, who issue this call, are residents of Halkidiki and citizens of Greece in solidarity to Halkidiki. For three years now we have taken to the streets to protest against what is happening in Skouries. We are not merely demonstrating for our rights but for life itself, for our own and our children’s future. We stand in solidarity to everyone who fights for life, equality, freedom, and dignity. The criminalization and repression of the struggles of social movements who support basic freedoms is the only reaction left to a panicky system of power. It is our duty to raise our voice and protect those who resist the arbitrariness of power. We believe that united we have the power.

On November 9th we call for simultaneous protests, events or actions around the world to stop all imprisonment and persecution against us and to immediately cease the mining of gold in Halkidiki. Our struggle has reached a critical point. Now we need you all.

#saveskouries
9th November 2013: Skouries Calling Out To Greece And All The World