We never went to conquer and pillage other countries because Romania, under different names, different territory sizes, different social order and different political systems, knew how to manage from its own resources.
Now, when Gabriel Resources Ltd. wants to exploit our resources in Roșia Montană, through its Cyanide-based Open-pit Gold mining project, I remember a story I heard in school. Apparently, during one of the pillages of the Romans on the territory of our ancestors, the Dacians, they took so much gold to Rome that they feasted for a year, with no worry.
After several different empires, after monarchy, communism and now a so-called democracy, it seems like we had enough of exploitation. Thousands of citizens, night after night, have gathered to protest on the streets of several major cities and it is not over. Tonight I read about tear gas against the pacific protesters.
Romanian media kind of kept its mouth shut for the first days. Shamelessly silent. So, to compensate, we, ordinary citizens, from wherever we are, we must and we will speak against this abusive project that threatens our environment, the landscape and the cultural heritage that Roșia Montană represents.
This projects involves using a very dangerous method, like I previously mentioned, a Cyanide-based Open-pit. What do we get in return? Some 6% of royalties and some jobs for the time there is gold in there. No thanks! Even if the value of the royalties increases, this is not a sustainable project.
The game is obvious, Gabriel Resources Ltd. and their ”friends” among our politicians, threw some dust in the eyes of the population by promising jobs in a time of unemployment. Just that... something went wrong. For them. We refuse to believe that there is a fair price for taking our gold. Especially because it is not about the gold, it is about our cultural heritage, about the air we breathe and the inheritance we want to leave to our children. One of the banners the protesters use says: What kind of parents would leave to their children a cyanide lake instead of mountains of gold?
I believe we have grown and learned from our past and these protests are a good proof of it, we are now able to think on the long-term effects of the decisions that concern all of us.
The Ministry of Justice has already said that this project is unconstitutional. It violates our Constitution.
So, we demand the rejection of it by the Parliament.
As it is obvious, we need to come with a solution, and we have it. Roșia Montană is a World Heritage worthy region. We can work to make it a touristic attraction by providing the local population the opportunity to earn a living from environmental-friendly activities, such as sustainable tourism.
For the past 5 years I have been travelling and working in different countries, some more developed than other, with the aim to see how other countries take care of their people and of their natural resources.
Some do it better than us, others worse. But what matters is that we, Romanians have an alternative. I have witnessed small-initiatives that have the potential to grow and provide sustainable livelihoods for the inhabitants of Roșia Montană. One of them is People First Tourism, an initiative I have mentioned in a previous post.
I believe we have the resources and the know-how to create jobs for our citizens without foreign intervention that comes at such high costs.
And above all, I believe that my country is worth more than the gold in its mountains!
