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IPS - Oct 4, 2007
http://www.ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=39517

Villagers Resist a Corporation

By Claudia Ciobanu

ROSIA MONTANA, Oct 4 (IPS) - "I never had money, I never wanted money,
and I never will want money." "I fear no one but God." "I will not
leave this place for as long as I live." Such statements, from a small
yet determined core of inhabitants of Rosia Montana are indication that
the Canadian corporation that wants to dig for gold here could get
blocked by at least some people.

Rosia Montana is a commune with a population of 3,500 in the
Transylvanian county Alba, roughly 600 km northwest of capital
Bucharest. The largest gold deposits in Europe, exploited since
antiquity, are located in the area. A little over 300 tonnes of gold
and around 1,500 tonnes of silver could still be extracted from here,
along with other valuable metals such as titanium, experts say.

Rosia is the oldest mining locality in Romania. But apart from these
resources, it has a rich historical and cultural heritage. It hosts
some of the most ancient Roman underground galleries, and numerous
monuments of the 18th and 19th centuries.

For the past 11 years, the Gold Corporation has been trying to persuade
inhabitants to accept its development plan for the region.

The Canadian company wants to start extracting gold in Rosia in the
autumn of 2009 and, going at a rate of 20 tonnes per year, to exhaust
the deposits within about 15 years. It promises to create 6,000 jobs in
an area where unemployment stands at 70 percent. The company also says
it will "generate 2 billion euro for Romania."

While so far, from antiquity to the communist period, mining has been
done through underground access, Gold Corporation proposes open quarry
exploitation and use of cyanide for metal separation. These are "modern
mining practices and technologies, which have proven profitable all
over the world," the company argues.

To make space for extracting gold, the company has started relocating
some inhabitants from Rosia to 'The New Rosia Montana' being built from
scratch six kilometres from the old village. The company has already
bought about 80 percent of the total of about 800 homes in old Rosia
Montana.

More than 100 of these have already been demolished. The rest are
either abandoned, or occupied by their former owners who have taken up
jobs with Gold. Gold bought houses both in the historical centre of
Rosia and on the outskirts.

The company explains that relocation and demolitions are necessary in
order to clear areas on the outskirts of Rosia. It also argues that
their mining plan will not affect the historical centre of the commune,
which includes a concentration of protected historical monuments.

Gold says on its website that it is totally dedicated to safeguarding
the cultural heritage of Rosia. "Over the past five years, we have
financed with over 10 million dollars the research and recovery of
cultural heritage, this being one of the largest programmes of this
type in Europe," says the company. It says its archaeological efforts
are "in conformity with UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific
and Cultural Organisation) standards and EU archaeological regulations."

Stefan Balici, an architect working on restoration of houses in Rosia
Montana, told IPS there is no way the historical centre would remain
unaffected by the exploitation. Trucks the size of houses carrying
loads from the quarries through the narrow roads in the centre shake
the fragile cottages, Balici said.

The four peaks around the village would be replaced by four huge holes,
radically altering the scenery and ecosystem. Valuable historical sites
located outside the centre would be destroyed as well, Balici says.

One of the most worrying consequences is cyanide pollution. The group
Romania Without Cyanide says Gold intends to use 10 to 13 million
kilograms of sodium cyanide a year in Rosia. The poisonous substance
would be kept in protected pools, but the cyanide could easily
infiltrate the soil and underground water, a report from Romania
Without Cyanide says. In addition, toxic hydrocyanic acid would be
released into the air.

The corporation argues that it will help improve environmental
conditions in Rosia rather than worsen them. It claims it will improve
community life rather than disrupt it.

But Gold has started uprooting the community. Families have been paid
money to unearth their dead and bury them outside Rosia.

While some in Rosia would never accept the Gold plan, many have opted
for the jobs and the good prices for houses offered by Gold. "Here, in
Rosia, we are divided in two camps," says Rodica, owner of a local shop.

Houses bought by the Canadian company carry signs saying "Property of
Gold Corporation". Notices on some of the other houses say: "This house
is NOT for sale."

The tense atmosphere in the commune can be felt as one enters the
centre. Rodica, who has been refusing to sell her house to Gold, says
she was forced to get rid of her pigs because the company threatened it
would bring her to trial because of the animals' bad smell.

Marti was first given gifts from the company, but it became clear she
would never sell her house. Then, she says, the intimidation began.
Zelo Ornea, one of the most outspoken opponents of Gold, says he has
been receiving death threats.

Religion too has become involved. While officially all churches
represented in Rosia (Orthodox, Catholic and Protestant) are opposed to
the project, the local Orthodox priest has been heard preaching in
favour of the company during service, several villagers going to the
church told IPS.

With the battle ongoing, there are some reasons to believe that the
villagers opposed to Gold will win. Authorities have temporarily
suspended environmental authorisation for the Gold project. The
Social-Democratic Party, the largest opposition force in the country,
announced Sep. 24 it would support a law to prohibit use of cyanide.

Aware that political statements cannot be counted on, the villagers
resisting Gold are relying on their own strength.

"Our allies own houses and lands in areas crucial for Gold," says Zelo
Ornea. "And nothing would persuade us to sell out to the company. I
think we are winning this time."

(END/2007)

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