(MENAFN- Trend News Agency) BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 18. Western Azerbaijan
Community has appealed to the international community on Armenia's
eco-terror, trend reports.
The appeal, in particular, call upon the international community
to take decisive action and exert maximum pressure on Armenia to
immediately stop efforts aimed at making the areas, where the
expelled Azerbaijanis are expected to return, uninhabitable.
"During its Occupation of Azerbaijan's territories, Armenia
destroyed almost all cities, towns and villages from where
Azerbaijanis were expelled, and planted over a million landmines to
prevent their return," the community said.
"Deep-seated ethnic hatred towards Azerbaijanis in the policy of
the Government of Armenia is evident in its willingness to go to
extreme lengths, even at the expense of devastating the territories
of Armenia, where Azerbaijanis are deemed to return, by
deliberately causing environmental disasters," the appeal noted.
"For instance, the Zangezur Copper-Molybdenum Combine in Gajaran
and the mining combine in Gafan release mining waste containing
heavy metals such as chromium, nickel, copper, molybdenum, zinc,
aluminum, vanadium, and lead. This pollution directly affects the
Okchuchay and Araz rivers, which flow downwards to Azerbaijan,
jeopardizing the health and well-being of communities in the
region."
The community further said that the Akarak (Agarak)
Copper-Molybdenum Combine contaminates the Araz River through
Karchivanchay with mining waste containing heavy metals. The Goycha
(Gegharkunik) Copper Smelting Plant emits large amounts of sulfur
dioxide and other pollutants, causing air pollution and acid
rain.
"The Zod (Sotk) River, located near the mine, has been
contaminated with hazardous heavy metals including copper, iron,
cadmium, and molybdenum. These examples serve as clear evidence
that Armenia's destructive mining practices are concentrated in the
very areas that were once densely populated by Azerbaijanis," said
the appeal. "We call upon the international community to take
decisive action against Armenia's malicious practices, which
contravene to Armenia's obligations under international conventions
in the field of protection of environment."
The appeal said the international community must condemn
Armenia's actions and demand that they immediately cease all
activities that violate international environmental norms, endanger
human health, and impede the safe return of Azerbaijani refuges and
causes significant transboundary damage to neighboring
Azerbaijan.
"The restoration of environmental balance and the protection of
human rights should be pursued with utmost urgency. The
international community must work to ensure the safe and dignified
return of Azerbaijani refugees to their homes, free from the threat
of pollution and destruction. By addressing these egregious
violations, we can foster a sustainable and inclusive future that
respects the rights and well-being of all individuals affected by
Armenia's harmful practices," the appeal concluded.
Previously, Azerbaijani environmental activists sent an open
letter to Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, mentioning
enterprises of Armenia polluting environment. The letter noted that
degradation of the ecosystem as a result of ongoing mining
operations is not only a threat to Armenia's environment, but also
a great threat to the neighboring countries, and demanded Armenia
to immediately stop the work in the mining industry that threatens
the region and the planet as a whole.
In addition, the letter pointed out that the construction of a
new metallurgical plant in Arazdayan, which is being built against
the requirements of environmental norms and international
conventions, should also be stopped.
According to the letter, the potential impacts of toxic chemical
waste from this metallurgical plant on the local ecosystem could be
enormous.
The discharge of waste into the Araz river means a tragedy for
the creatures living in the river and for the large farms that use
the Araz water for irrigation. This impact on drinking water
supplies can also lead to the spread of infectious diseases in
border areas. This will create a serious public health crisis for
both Azerbaijan and Armenia, the letter added.