08. Jun 2009
Mine standoff resolved
(RFA) Talks have resolved a standoff over a planned gold mine in Markham (Chin: Mangkang) county, Chamdo (Chin: Qamdo) prefecture, TAR, at a site Tibetans consider sacred, but questions remain regarding the disposal of poisonous waste at the site, according to sources in the region. The dispute over operations at the mine built by a Chinese firm, Zhongkai Co. had continued for weeks, with hundreds of Tibetans protesting against the mine's planned expansion and blocking access to the area, according to RFA. Both sides agreed that the mine would now cease operations. "It was agreed in writing that there will be no mining in the area", said a local Tibetan man. "All the Chinese security forces deployed in the area will be withdrawn. The Tibetans who are blocking the road will also return to their respective areas". "Chinese authorities will build concrete barriers to block the poisonous residue of earlier mining in the area so that this will not filter down into the drinking water", he added. All points of agreement were set down in writing in the presence of prefecture and county-level officials, the source said.