3 individuals sew their mouths shut in protest against Georgian Manganese mine

Three residents of Shukruti village in Chiatura of Imereti region of Western Georgia sewed their mouths shut to protest against the environmental damage caused by the Georgian Manganese mine, which produces and exports ferroalloys and manganese ore.

Marking the 85th day of protests against the Georgian Manganese, residents of the Shukruti village demand that the company compensates for the damage it has caused. The company’s official position revolves around the claim that the damage was caused during the Soviet period and was already compensated back then. One of the residents of the Shukruti village Jano Labadze said in an interview with the Georgian service of Radio Liberty/ Radio Free Europe that are currently 280 families living in the village and some of their houses have already been damaged to the uninhabitable condition.

Vladimer Saladze, a representative of Georgian Manganese Ltd, stated that the radical demands of the protesters are hindering the process of negotiations:

“The company is trying to negotiate with the locals. As for this particular case, it is a truly extraordinary situation. Of the three individuals who arranged the action, the property of two has been assessed by a private auditor and the amount exceeds the market value. It is unclear to us why these individuals did not agree to the compensation. As for the third person, the family is an eco-migrant and was satisfied with the house in 2018, therefore, their radical position is unclear, we are left with the impression that the processes are managed by certain groups.”

Protesters in Chiatura believe that as a result of improper factory processing and extraction, the river Kvirila, air, and drinking water are polluted and the soil in the nearby areas becomes useless. Besides, the activists claim that the activity of the mine causes landslides and damages to the roads and houses located in its vicinity.