Lefke is an important town on the north-west shore of Cyprus. It is one of the large towns in north Cyprus. It is also the host of the largest copper and minerals mine of Cyprus which is owned by Cyprus Mining Company (CMC). Currently, the region is under the Turkish Cypriot control and the mines are deserted due to political reasons and allegedly because the copper ore has been used up. Also CMC 's shares were bought by another company called AMAX which now owns CMC.

The minning activity in the region has caused tremendous environmental damage during its operation by destorying the plant cover, digging up the hills and polluting the nearby sea shore where a small port is situated for transportation of the products. Furthermore, since 1940's various minerals and heavy metals including arsenic compounds have been stored in the region. The company has paid compensation to Lefke residents and its workers in the past for environmental pollution damages and other health hazards.

The remains are stored in various forms and mainly they are in large piles behind trenches made by piling up earth. These would keep the hazardaous remains from mixing into the streams, underground water and reaching to sea. The idea was that these trenches would be under constant monitoring and restoration to keep the effects of erosion under control. However, after 1974 there has neither been any restoration nor any monitoring. As can be seen in these recent photographs from the region, the trenches are in very poor shape and the waste is mixing into the sea-water through flood-streams. The toxicity of the waste is clearly visible in the destruction it is causing to the vegetation cover and even discolouring/breaking rocks on its way. Various laboratory tests also confirmed the danger. There are also radioactive remains that have not been effectively cleaned up, eventhough a small group from Turkey did some cleaning activity in the region in 80s. Approximately 2000 barrels of potassium amil santat (sp?) are still waiting for removal and the barrels are in poor shape. A small fire destroyed the protective precautions around some mineral piles with unknown contents. Tree cover in the region is very badly effected by the dust carried by winds. In violation of laws banning the use of underground water from the region for watering crops many farmers have been supplying the market with fruits , vegetables and other products containing traces of extremely poisonous substances such as arsenic.

There are other issues threatening the environment. For example, the vegetation removed from the step digging regions should have been replanted once the minning activity ceases. The miles and miles long tunnels that are under the hills surrounding the town including the town itself are not being maintained either. This is a serious problem in a high earthquake activity region as Cyprus. There are not warning signs and no other precautions against people entering possibly dangerous areas where deserted tunnels and other digs exist.

CMC and its new owner AMAX are refusing to take responsibility under the pretext that the region is under Turkish rule and they are not allowed to freely access their properties. This excuse is not justifiable and CMC and AMAX are still responsible for the pollution and destruction they are causing in the region. Their responsibility mainly exists because they have not provided instructions, funds neither did they even try to access the region and maintain or clean their waste.

However, CMC and AMAX's responsibilities do not take away the guilt from Turkish Cypriot authorites and in particular Lefke municipality which are ultimately responsible for the protection of the environment and the interests of their people. If a company does not take the necessary precautions, then it is their duty to follow on that issue and take the necessary steps.

Recently an NGO named 'Lefke Çevre ve Tanıtma Derneği' (Lefke Environmental and Promotional Association) took interest in this issue. They contacted CMC/AMAX, wrote letters to the United Nations, USA and EU. EU organised a conference in south Cyprus to discuss environmental policies and their effects on Cyprus. Turkish Cypriots representatives discussed this issue during the conference. This NGO also took CMC/AMAX to court in Lefke courts. They are also considering to take the Lefke Municipality to court.

This is a very serious environmental problem and under European Union human rights norms it is a serious human rights violation of not only Cypriots but also other people living in the region. Whole Eastern Mediterranean region is being threatened by this environmental catastrophy.

An extensive report is available from X-Press newsagency:

An extensive collection of photos: CMC Photos .

There are several newspaper reports on this issue from Yenicag newspaper (in Turkish):