Emergency declared in parts of Kyrgyzstan after gold mine clashes

President Almazbek Atambayev signed the declaration of emergency for the Dzheti-Ogyzsky district.

Parts of Kyrgyzstan were under curfew today after clashes between security forces and protesters who want a Canadian-owned gold mine nationalised led the president

to declare a state of emergency.

President Almazbek Atambayev signed the declaration yesterday for the Dzheti-Ogyzsky district of the northern Issyk Kul region,where the protesters have converged on the mine.

The violence broke out after the arrests of dozens of demonstrators cut off power to the Kumtor mine,owned by the Canadian mining group Centerra Gold.

Prosecutors said 92 people were arrested when security forces moved in to disperse the protest over the mine,retake control of an electrical substation and dismantle the

activists8217; camp.

But this sparked a new protest yesterday morning,as thousands of locals began a march to call for their release.

Local media quoted eyewitnesses as saying 3,000 locals from the Dzheti-Ogyzsky district close to the Kazakh and China borders,where the substation is located,staged a march to demand their liberation.

They blocked roads and occupied local administration buildings,the reports said. One bus transporting special forces was set on fire. The security forces hit back with tear gas and rubber bullets.

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At least 55 people,including a dozen members of the security forces,were wounded,said a health ministry statement.

The protesters then marched again on the Tamga substation and,without resistance,switched off the power,as they had done a day earlier.

The activists have called on the government to nationalise the Kumtor mine,which has been wholly owned by Centerra Gold since it started operations in 1997.

Atambayev yesterday declared a state of emergency in the troubled district,which includes a 9:00 pm to 6:00 am curfew. The state of emergency will last until June 10.

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8220;All the organisers of the meeting at Kumtor will be punished in full accordance with the law. I guarantee that as president of the country,8221; said Atambayev.

8220;We will not give them the chance to shake and destroy the country.8221;

The protests started late on Thursday when hundreds of people stormed the local substation that supplies the high-altitude mine and cut off the electricity.