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.