1 00:00:15,000 --> 00:00:21,000 Greedy Profit 2 00:01:23,209 --> 00:01:26,250 You see, Yiannis, things have greatly changed 3 00:01:26,709 --> 00:01:29,876 Villages, like Ierissos, with 4.000 people 4 00:01:30,626 --> 00:01:35,167 where only about 10 people would come when we came to speak 5 00:01:36,209 --> 00:01:38,209 to listen 6 00:01:39,626 --> 00:01:42,709 Today, they organize protests with 3000 or 3500 people 7 00:01:42,751 --> 00:01:45,626 Of course you remember what happened - I can say about the village that 8 00:01:45,626 --> 00:01:49,834 it has "arms at the ready", as we would say in an older era, 9 00:01:49,876 --> 00:01:52,709 it's under constant alert - Exactly! 10 00:02:58,292 --> 00:03:02,250 Even more impressive is the example of Megali Panagia 11 00:03:02,417 --> 00:03:07,125 Megali Panagia, with a population of 3500, is the home of the miners 12 00:03:07,125 --> 00:03:12,542 All those who worked in mines here in this area, but also 13 00:03:12,542 --> 00:03:18,501 in mines of other regions in Greece, they were all born and raised in Megali Panagia 14 00:03:18,584 --> 00:03:21,501 People of this village - mind you, I used to bypass the 15 00:03:21,501 --> 00:03:24,417 village by 2km at least so that they wouldn't beat me - 16 00:03:24,417 --> 00:03:29,709 today are the most prominent force against gold. 17 00:03:29,751 --> 00:03:34,626 All those who work in the mine, they support mining activity 18 00:03:34,751 --> 00:03:36,167 as long as they work there 19 00:03:36,292 --> 00:03:40,083 When they retire, they become the strongest opponents of the mine 20 00:03:40,334 --> 00:03:45,375 This is fundamental, and it shows something: These people 21 00:03:45,709 --> 00:03:50,000 forced to work in there, because it's the only activity in the erea, 22 00:03:50,042 --> 00:03:54,417 since many years, as is the case with all mining regions 23 00:03:55,000 --> 00:03:59,501 as long as they worked in the mines, to have something to eat, they had to 24 00:03:59,501 --> 00:04:04,459 say 'yes' to mining. But when they got their pension 25 00:04:04,792 --> 00:04:09,751 and they were no longer dependent, these same people raised their voice against the mine 26 00:04:09,834 --> 00:04:12,876 because they knew exactly what it was like in the mine 27 00:04:13,083 --> 00:04:15,709 These are the people who gave to us 28 00:04:15,876 --> 00:04:17,334 who fought later 29 00:04:17,375 --> 00:04:21,334 the real picture of what mining activities mean 30 00:04:21,417 --> 00:04:24,542 Everything I have learned about this issue 31 00:04:24,584 --> 00:04:27,292 everything I saw regarding this issue 32 00:04:27,375 --> 00:04:31,626 I owe it to the people who have been working in the mines. 33 00:04:35,626 --> 00:04:38,584 ... it's not like here are no people against... 34 00:04:38,626 --> 00:04:41,459 there are some, but they can't do anything... 35 00:04:41,501 --> 00:04:43,417 if they talk, they will... 36 00:04:47,959 --> 00:04:51,334 - Kostas! - Welcome! - How are you? 37 00:04:58,125 --> 00:05:02,375 Until this day, in the 15 years of this struggle 38 00:05:02,959 --> 00:05:08,125 the questions to me, the criticism I have been under, directly or indirectly is: 39 00:05:08,375 --> 00:05:10,709 "Are you making money off this?" 40 00:05:12,125 --> 00:05:17,501 "You are in this 24 hours a day and you go everywhere" 41 00:05:18,167 --> 00:05:20,292 "Who pays you?" 42 00:05:21,125 --> 00:05:22,709 "Where are your bank accounts?" 43 00:05:22,918 --> 00:05:24,501 "Which company is behind you?" 44 00:05:24,709 --> 00:05:26,542 "What interests support you?" 45 00:05:26,584 --> 00:05:29,834 That means, in our time it's very difficult 46 00:05:30,083 --> 00:05:32,709 for someone to understand or imagine 47 00:05:32,792 --> 00:05:36,250 that there are people who enter a struggle, get in trouble 48 00:05:36,626 --> 00:05:38,125 spending their soul 49 00:05:38,209 --> 00:05:40,292 spending personal time 50 00:05:40,334 --> 00:05:43,167 even their health and safety 51 00:05:43,501 --> 00:05:45,417 only for an ideal 52 00:05:45,667 --> 00:05:49,000 because they want, they believe that their environment and their land 53 00:05:49,083 --> 00:05:54,000 are worthy of protection, even with the sacrifice of any personal gain 54 00:05:55,417 --> 00:05:59,292 with any personal, professional or physical sacrifice. 55 00:05:59,375 --> 00:06:04,417 This is one of the biggest disadvantages of our time 56 00:06:05,667 --> 00:06:08,751 because, it's been not that many years, Yiannis, since 57 00:06:08,834 --> 00:06:09,959 people we all know 58 00:06:10,834 --> 00:06:14,667 didn't change their beliefs and convictions 59 00:06:15,292 --> 00:06:19,083 by simply signing, putting their signature to a statement 60 00:06:19,167 --> 00:06:25,167 in order to avoid exile, torture, death, family tragedies 61 00:06:25,250 --> 00:06:26,167 - Even the execution squad 62 00:06:26,250 --> 00:06:30,209 - ... and they wouldn't sign a statement 63 00:06:30,209 --> 00:06:32,083 This sounds unthinkable today 64 00:07:06,125 --> 00:07:09,542 Without too many words, we can say that, 65 00:07:10,042 --> 00:07:12,584 if we understand our struggle as a spiritual one 66 00:07:12,626 --> 00:07:14,209 and we connect to each other 67 00:07:14,459 --> 00:07:19,083 it's not a struggle of the mind, but one of the soul 68 00:07:19,250 --> 00:07:22,584 then we can understand how important is this struggle 69 00:07:22,792 --> 00:07:24,501 and our gathering today 70 00:07:24,959 --> 00:07:31,042 For which I hope that it will have positive results 71 00:07:31,125 --> 00:07:37,083 regarding the complete expulsion of this cancer 72 00:07:37,125 --> 00:07:41,542 that some want to install in Kilkis 73 00:07:47,167 --> 00:07:50,834 And we say, why just for Kilkis? Anywhere. 74 00:07:51,542 --> 00:07:55,459 Anywhere is Greece. Anywhere there is Greek soil. 75 00:07:55,459 --> 00:07:56,501 Anywhere there are humans 76 00:07:56,542 --> 00:07:59,375 This situation is intolerable. 77 00:09:10,876 --> 00:09:16,751 - Anestis, it's a fact that you were the first one to react against gold mining in Thrace. 78 00:09:17,125 --> 00:09:18,375 How did gold enter your life here? 79 00:09:18,542 --> 00:09:21,417 - Things got in motion very late 80 00:09:21,459 --> 00:09:24,751 Essentially, the first briefing took place in 1994 81 00:09:24,959 --> 00:09:29,000 like you said, after 1997 the regional councils started 82 00:09:30,918 --> 00:09:36,542 At first there was an effort by environmental organizations 83 00:09:36,792 --> 00:09:38,918 to inform people about the issue 84 00:09:38,959 --> 00:09:41,000 Meetings with company officials 85 00:09:41,334 --> 00:09:44,042 We found out what's at stake 86 00:09:44,125 --> 00:09:49,167 After a while we found support from Halkidiki 87 00:09:49,501 --> 00:09:53,292 and because they had this problem since way earlier 88 00:09:53,375 --> 00:09:57,959 and they had confronted the companies very dynamically 89 00:09:58,584 --> 00:10:00,375 they were of great help to us 90 00:10:00,459 --> 00:10:03,250 regarding information 91 00:10:03,334 --> 00:10:06,083 and also matters of organising the struggle 92 00:10:07,667 --> 00:10:15,209 I can say that the years until 1999 or 2000 93 00:10:15,375 --> 00:10:17,542 and maybe some years more 94 00:10:17,626 --> 00:10:21,584 was a very intense period 95 00:10:21,667 --> 00:10:28,626 with constant confrontation - I'd say man-to-man - with the companies 96 00:10:28,751 --> 00:10:32,042 in the cafés, where briefings took place 97 00:10:32,167 --> 00:10:33,751 in the municipal councils 98 00:10:33,834 --> 00:10:36,292 in the regional councils, everywhere 99 00:10:36,751 --> 00:10:41,417 Large protests happened during that period 100 00:10:41,542 --> 00:10:43,751 in Komotini and Alexandroupoli 101 00:10:43,876 --> 00:10:50,375 two times we blocked the highway intersection in Perama 102 00:10:55,459 --> 00:10:59,584 "We, the people of Evros and Rodopi will not allow" 103 00:10:59,959 --> 00:11:03,334 "for any reason, the total destruction" 104 00:11:03,417 --> 00:11:09,626 "of our land's economy, tourism, agriculture and enviroment" 105 00:11:09,709 --> 00:11:13,542 "or our health to be exposed in serious danger" 106 00:11:13,918 --> 00:11:18,334 - What I see today, we had to wait years before it happened in our land 107 00:11:18,792 --> 00:11:24,334 we fought for years. We fought against riot police, against tear gas, 108 00:11:24,417 --> 00:11:26,417 against the martial law 109 00:11:26,542 --> 00:11:28,375 You will not experience that 110 00:12:02,334 --> 00:12:08,792 What happened is that, all this people, 111 00:12:08,792 --> 00:12:13,125 who are really a poor, agricultural population 112 00:12:13,125 --> 00:12:15,626 mostly growing tobacco 113 00:12:15,667 --> 00:12:19,000 or cattle, or their fields, cotton, etc 114 00:12:19,918 --> 00:12:22,417 they showed really great sensitivity 115 00:12:22,876 --> 00:12:26,834 Even tough, especially in Perama, Komaros and the neighboring villages, 116 00:12:26,876 --> 00:12:28,709 the companies approached them many times 117 00:12:29,375 --> 00:12:32,209 and tried to bribe them 118 00:12:32,209 --> 00:12:36,250 to buy them out, with cheap, of course, things 119 00:12:36,459 --> 00:12:40,375 like they would give shiny beads to aborigines 120 00:12:40,459 --> 00:12:44,959 These people treated us with love from the beginning 121 00:12:45,083 --> 00:12:47,083 they heard our views 122 00:12:47,167 --> 00:12:52,167 they saw that we were telling them the truth 123 00:12:52,292 --> 00:12:55,834 and that they really had big problems to face 124 00:12:55,918 --> 00:12:58,125 that is, the problems they do have now 125 00:12:58,209 --> 00:13:01,584 with the underdeveloped economy of the area 126 00:13:01,584 --> 00:13:03,542 and their poor incomes 127 00:13:03,667 --> 00:13:08,083 all these problems would not be solved, instead 128 00:13:08,167 --> 00:13:11,709 they would get worse if the investment was realised 129 00:13:11,792 --> 00:13:17,375 and it's true that they embraced our efforts. 130 00:13:17,375 --> 00:13:21,083 Apart from that, the people were already suspicious 131 00:13:21,250 --> 00:13:26,542 because of the big struggles of our Turkish fellows in Turkey 132 00:13:26,584 --> 00:13:28,167 in the region of Pergamos 133 00:13:28,542 --> 00:13:34,292 There, they opposed for many years the gold mines in Pergamos 134 00:13:34,417 --> 00:13:38,334 finally, the gold mines opened there 135 00:13:38,334 --> 00:13:42,792 and the destruction we were talking about really happened 136 00:13:42,959 --> 00:13:44,626 137 00:13:47,542 --> 00:13:52,417 We will succeed 138 00:14:02,209 --> 00:14:07,125 Don't be silent, if you stay silent 139 00:14:07,751 --> 00:14:10,375 You will be next 140 00:14:47,542 --> 00:15:04,751 We want the forests, the land and the water, not a golden grave 141 00:15:04,834 --> 00:15:25,959 Take your cyanide and get outta here! 142 00:15:26,083 --> 00:15:29,667 "We bring you greetings from the struggling area of Halkidiki 143 00:15:29,792 --> 00:15:35,667 from Halkidiki, where people felt the worst of state violence but remains unyielding 144 00:15:35,751 --> 00:15:39,292 from Halkidiki, where we say 'no' to gold mines 145 00:15:39,375 --> 00:15:43,501 No, that's our land and we will not allow anyone to set foot there 146 00:15:43,626 --> 00:15:46,626 to destroy our life, the future of our children 147 00:15:47,209 --> 00:15:53,501 in order to obtain millions for local or international gold-diggers 148 00:15:53,501 --> 00:15:57,292 and leave to us a desolated land, without life 149 00:15:58,334 --> 00:16:03,292 We are a united front now, Halkidiki, Kilkis, Thrace 150 00:16:03,375 --> 00:16:07,250 all of us, together, will deter them 151 00:16:07,375 --> 00:16:09,417 They should know by now: 152 00:16:09,501 --> 00:16:25,959 No mining will take place, if you want gold, open your deposits. 153 00:16:26,083 --> 00:16:42,542 They speak about profit and loss, we talk about human lives." 154 00:16:42,626 --> 00:16:44,584 I won't say much 155 00:16:44,584 --> 00:16:46,626 I just want to say 156 00:16:46,626 --> 00:16:50,709 some simple words an old man said before we started to gather 157 00:16:50,792 --> 00:16:52,667 he said to me: 158 00:16:52,751 --> 00:17:00,959 He has a field close nearby, which is to be bought for € 1700 per 1000 sq. m. 159 00:17:01,083 --> 00:17:06,417 And [the old man] said that since the time of his ancestors 160 00:17:06,667 --> 00:17:09,459 many generations have passed 161 00:17:09,584 --> 00:17:15,083 they all ate, drank, got married, and studied until this day 162 00:17:15,209 --> 00:17:19,417 so, he says, this land is invaluable 163 00:17:19,501 --> 00:17:26,417 I don't want to turn my land over for a few dimes or euros 164 00:17:26,501 --> 00:17:33,375 just like our ancestors began and, with their blood, 165 00:17:33,501 --> 00:17:38,250 flourished in this land, we will continue in te same way. 166 00:17:38,334 --> 00:17:40,209 We don't want to turn this land to a grave. 167 00:17:40,334 --> 00:17:43,209 - From now on, Yiannis, the struggle is changing tactics 168 00:17:44,501 --> 00:17:55,584 - Hello! Hi, Cowboy! Hi everyone! Hi, dear Stavroula! 169 00:17:58,375 --> 00:18:02,250 - Today the form of the struggle changed and became more ad hoc 170 00:18:02,334 --> 00:18:06,667 That means, the people understood that, OK, we made a walk through the mountain 171 00:18:06,792 --> 00:18:08,792 we shouted, we talked about what we do, but 172 00:18:08,876 --> 00:18:09,959 we must begin tearing them down . 173 00:18:10,042 --> 00:18:12,876 To make them understand that their installations, 174 00:18:12,876 --> 00:18:15,375 buildings, drillings will not be tolerated. 175 00:18:15,834 --> 00:18:21,250 Everything will go. They will be torn down. They should understand this and go home already 176 00:18:21,334 --> 00:18:24,876 in order to avoid further turmoil of the people. 177 00:18:24,959 --> 00:18:27,167 We don't need hassles. 178 00:18:27,292 --> 00:18:30,834 But, if needed, it's a fact that all this people 179 00:18:30,918 --> 00:18:33,459 coming up here, is decided. 180 00:18:33,584 --> 00:18:35,334 - The people of the village, were they encouraged? 181 00:18:35,417 --> 00:18:36,334 - Of course! 182 00:18:38,334 --> 00:18:44,042 People in this village - here, look at them - this village is now the center of the area 183 00:18:44,167 --> 00:18:46,876 it was a village forgotten by most of the people 184 00:18:46,959 --> 00:18:52,292 Now they know that people from all over Thrace are with them 185 00:19:20,584 --> 00:19:22,000 - Is the outpost functioning? 186 00:19:22,125 --> 00:19:26,167 - Sure. Tonight, people will be here 187 00:19:26,250 --> 00:19:33,626 They come on Weekends and whenever we gather to discuss 188 00:19:33,751 --> 00:19:39,792 or whenever the company tries to do something here 189 00:19:39,918 --> 00:19:42,209 This is the starting point for everything. 190 00:19:42,334 --> 00:19:45,501 That way, in about 200m distance 191 00:19:45,626 --> 00:19:50,417 the gold processing plant will be installed 192 00:19:50,542 --> 00:19:51,751 centrifugal-gravimetric 193 00:19:51,751 --> 00:19:54,959 and, in about 1km from here 194 00:19:54,959 --> 00:20:00,709 rests the main deposit, the core of the deposit in Skouries 195 00:20:00,792 --> 00:20:05,000 Everything planned about the mine, will have its centre here. 196 00:20:05,083 --> 00:20:09,667 Therefore, this is the point of the first dynamic resistance actions 197 00:20:09,792 --> 00:20:14,042 by the inhabitants, when the company tried to do something in Skouries 198 00:20:14,125 --> 00:20:17,417 Now we enter the area of the mine itself 199 00:20:17,501 --> 00:20:21,083 At this place and a little further 200 00:20:21,167 --> 00:20:22,083 the pit will be opened 201 00:20:22,167 --> 00:20:28,209 Gold mining in Olympiada, which was the first attempt 202 00:20:28,334 --> 00:20:33,751 It was designed for a content of 8-8.5g 203 00:20:33,751 --> 00:20:37,209 per ton of deposit - Relatively high! 204 00:20:38,876 --> 00:20:45,542 - If you consider that today, in Skouries, we call useful 205 00:20:45,626 --> 00:20:50,417 a content of 0.45g per ton 206 00:20:50,542 --> 00:20:53,709 and we include - to reach that 0.45 - 207 00:20:53,792 --> 00:21:01,167 parts of the deposit containing 0.18g per ton 208 00:21:01,250 --> 00:21:06,167 and the price of the gold was starting at $425 per ounce 209 00:21:06,250 --> 00:21:08,959 today, we must reach the conclusion that 210 00:21:09,042 --> 00:21:12,125 with a price of $1500 per ounce 211 00:21:12,209 --> 00:21:16,584 deposits with 0.05g per ton 212 00:21:16,667 --> 00:21:18,584 on the surface, will give us a useful result 213 00:21:19,417 --> 00:21:21,667 This thing we are now looking at 214 00:21:22,250 --> 00:21:25,542 think of it with a depth of 400-500m 215 00:21:25,834 --> 00:21:29,125 and its opening, from the center where we stand now 216 00:21:29,125 --> 00:21:31,167 extending to a diameter of almost 1000m 217 00:21:31,209 --> 00:21:33,584 just to picture the size 218 00:21:33,667 --> 00:21:34,834 Everything extracted from here 219 00:21:35,209 --> 00:21:39,125 is calculated at about 300 million tons 220 00:21:39,209 --> 00:21:41,876 - 400 million tons including the waste - 221 00:21:41,959 --> 00:21:44,959 will have to be thrown back to this area 222 00:21:45,667 --> 00:21:49,334 Conclusion: this forest and all of this area 223 00:21:49,334 --> 00:21:53,417 will have to be erased from memory; but there's something also important: 224 00:21:53,459 --> 00:21:55,417 When the explosions begin here 225 00:21:55,959 --> 00:21:59,459 every day there will be 30,000 tons of ore 226 00:22:00,209 --> 00:22:02,959 plus 60,000 tons of earth. 227 00:22:03,542 --> 00:22:07,959 That is achieved with a series of large explosions 228 00:22:08,250 --> 00:22:12,167 in this case, you understand, when we have an explosion here 229 00:22:12,209 --> 00:22:17,209 and the wind is, like now, S-SW 230 00:22:17,834 --> 00:22:22,042 (it's the one named Garbis) as we now stand here 231 00:22:22,125 --> 00:22:25,250 all the villages on the other side 232 00:22:26,042 --> 00:22:30,250 when the explosions are made, will be full of dust. 233 00:22:30,334 --> 00:22:33,709 Depending on the wind blowing each day here 234 00:22:33,751 --> 00:22:35,751 all the villages around 235 00:22:35,792 --> 00:22:38,375 will have this dust 236 00:22:38,501 --> 00:22:43,834 Consider that, when wind is blowing in Sahara, we get sand here. 237 00:22:53,292 --> 00:22:56,083 All these we see now, as we descend 238 00:22:56,167 --> 00:22:58,626 all these ravines, will be filled with waste 239 00:22:58,626 --> 00:23:03,083 from the activity that will start in this area 240 00:23:05,626 --> 00:23:07,876 I understand those who want to do this: 241 00:23:07,959 --> 00:23:11,083 I understand Bobolas, I understand Koutras [millionaires doing business with Eldorado] 242 00:23:11,167 --> 00:23:13,834 I understand European Goldfields 243 00:23:14,417 --> 00:23:18,334 They want to make money, lots and lots of money. 244 00:23:18,375 --> 00:23:22,667 Those people in the ministries 245 00:23:23,292 --> 00:23:27,042 those who govern us and those in the local authorities 246 00:23:27,083 --> 00:23:31,125 prefects, mayors... no one has seen 247 00:23:31,876 --> 00:23:34,209 what all this means? 248 00:23:34,542 --> 00:23:38,751 Of course, the thing that will not allow them 249 00:23:39,292 --> 00:23:42,918 is what did not allow them to proceed in Olympiada: The people. 250 00:23:43,918 --> 00:23:46,501 People here will hunt them all down. 251 00:23:46,542 --> 00:23:49,542 They don't have a chance to stay here. 252 00:24:09,626 --> 00:24:11,292 - Look, chestnuts there, huh? 253 00:24:40,751 --> 00:24:42,459 - Wanna talk to you! - Oh! Oh! 254 00:24:46,250 --> 00:24:47,167 The 'media' have come! 255 00:24:47,959 --> 00:24:51,667 "Vehicles should enter the road 256 00:24:51,709 --> 00:24:55,000 and get prepared" 257 00:24:55,542 --> 00:25:01,542 "We now continue with the delegate of the interregional committee 258 00:25:01,542 --> 00:25:03,959 of Evros, Anestis Stratiadis 259 00:25:08,959 --> 00:25:11,542 It's a long struggle, for many years 260 00:25:11,542 --> 00:25:13,417 we knew that someday we'll come to this 261 00:25:14,584 --> 00:25:16,834 and at some point you decide 262 00:25:18,125 --> 00:25:20,209 who are you with, and who you aren't with 263 00:25:20,876 --> 00:25:23,834 This day, I think that things are like that here 264 00:25:24,459 --> 00:25:25,959 and it figures. 265 00:25:25,959 --> 00:25:28,959 It's different for workers to go down in galleries 266 00:25:29,584 --> 00:25:31,167 and make their living 267 00:25:32,000 --> 00:25:34,584 and a totally different thing to turn them to a mercenary army 268 00:25:35,167 --> 00:25:37,959 against those with different opinion 269 00:25:37,959 --> 00:25:41,083 who want to defend their homeland 270 00:25:41,751 --> 00:25:43,083 in their own land 271 00:25:43,083 --> 00:25:46,584 - Dear Yiannis, we now go to the center of the struggle, 272 00:25:46,584 --> 00:25:48,792 to the village that's, in this moment 273 00:25:50,959 --> 00:25:53,751 the village threatened by the very first activity 274 00:25:53,751 --> 00:25:55,459 in Skouries, which is the largest. 275 00:25:56,751 --> 00:26:00,125 And because it's an old village of miners 276 00:26:01,042 --> 00:26:03,167 and the company has set out 277 00:26:03,375 --> 00:26:05,292 to break the local community there 278 00:26:05,876 --> 00:26:07,292 most intensively 279 00:26:07,834 --> 00:26:10,042 we now go there to show the people our support 280 00:26:12,792 --> 00:26:15,709 No bus driver agreed to transfer people because 281 00:26:17,709 --> 00:26:19,792 you understand, they have been threatened... 282 00:27:09,292 --> 00:27:25,834 "We want forests, land and water, not a golden grave" 283 00:27:25,834 --> 00:27:30,459 Today, we taught them a lesson 284 00:27:30,459 --> 00:27:34,876 We showed that we are the many 285 00:27:34,876 --> 00:27:36,959 and at any time 286 00:27:36,959 --> 00:27:42,167 we can interfere anywhere and get what we want 287 00:27:43,501 --> 00:27:46,876 We also call the simple worker 288 00:27:47,834 --> 00:27:50,667 who has been sent to the mountain to guard day and night 289 00:27:51,417 --> 00:27:53,125 we call them to show dignity 290 00:27:53,125 --> 00:27:57,751 to refuse to confront their own friends 291 00:27:57,751 --> 00:28:00,209 their brothers and sisters, their relatives 292 00:28:00,876 --> 00:28:02,417 Dignity, brothers and sisters! 293 00:28:03,751 --> 00:28:05,834 This mountain belongs to everyone! 294 00:28:05,834 --> 00:28:19,626 "We eant forests, land and water, not a golden grave" 295 00:28:19,626 --> 00:28:21,751 This story with the investments 296 00:28:22,918 --> 00:28:25,751 on mineral resources, has gone to far 297 00:28:27,667 --> 00:28:29,375 in the meaning of "investment" 298 00:28:30,751 --> 00:28:34,042 we include money that the investor will give 299 00:28:34,834 --> 00:28:37,250 to buy from abroad 300 00:28:37,876 --> 00:28:42,459 giant vehicles, giant bulldozers and giant factories 301 00:28:42,459 --> 00:28:46,209 everything paid for in abroad, and brought to this place 302 00:28:47,501 --> 00:28:50,709 useless scrap, after the exploitation 303 00:28:51,918 --> 00:28:56,167 that will be sold by the investor for their worth as scrap metal 304 00:28:56,792 --> 00:28:58,125 All of this is called "investment" 305 00:28:58,918 --> 00:29:02,542 The raw material of this investment, the ore, 306 00:29:02,542 --> 00:29:04,042 the mineral resources 307 00:29:04,626 --> 00:29:07,000 belongs to Greece until the investor comes 308 00:29:08,125 --> 00:29:10,918 After the investment 309 00:29:10,918 --> 00:29:15,417 all this mineral resources, the raw material of the investment, 310 00:29:15,959 --> 00:29:17,751 belongs to him. 311 00:29:17,751 --> 00:29:20,292 As for royalties 312 00:29:20,876 --> 00:29:22,542 Greek state gets none of them 313 00:29:23,167 --> 00:29:25,042 Up to this point, 314 00:29:25,667 --> 00:29:28,959 the investment for the state includes 315 00:29:29,751 --> 00:29:31,667 the loss of the mineral resources 316 00:29:44,626 --> 00:29:47,792 - You think you can hold this works just by using these employees? 317 00:29:51,417 --> 00:29:52,334 - We want a prosecutor here 318 00:29:52,417 --> 00:29:54,501 - Father, I wonder about this: 319 00:29:54,501 --> 00:29:56,083 The Church, up to this day, 320 00:29:56,584 --> 00:29:59,459 was blessing the factory in Stratoni and today comes here? 321 00:30:00,042 --> 00:30:01,959 I don't get this - 'Congratulations' to the Church... 322 00:30:02,083 --> 00:30:03,918 - The local bishop performed a blessing in Stratoni 323 00:30:04,751 --> 00:30:06,459 blessing the Company 324 00:30:06,459 --> 00:30:07,834 and now you come here? 325 00:30:08,250 --> 00:30:08,959 To avoid what? 326 00:30:10,918 --> 00:30:12,417 To avoid what? 327 00:30:12,417 --> 00:30:17,292 To strengthen the Canadian owners on our village? 328 00:30:17,918 --> 00:30:21,083 - We are inhabitants of this area and we have every right to enter our forests 329 00:30:21,834 --> 00:30:23,250 I don't know if you are a local 330 00:30:23,250 --> 00:30:26,375 - When we called the police commander 331 00:30:26,375 --> 00:30:27,918 all of us who were present 332 00:30:29,042 --> 00:30:31,834 to join us for a walk on the mountain 333 00:30:31,834 --> 00:30:33,542 which we consider ours and theirs 334 00:30:33,542 --> 00:30:36,083 he answered very simply: 335 00:30:36,834 --> 00:30:40,292 "The mountain belongs to Hellas Gold"! 336 00:30:41,459 --> 00:30:44,709 That is the answer of a police commander 337 00:30:45,584 --> 00:30:48,834 The answer of the state, a state's representative 338 00:30:49,501 --> 00:30:52,918 saying that, anywhere there is a mining operation 339 00:30:53,417 --> 00:30:58,626 the locals' property, whether it is forest, farms or homes 340 00:30:58,626 --> 00:31:00,918 it's gone. It belongs to the company. 341 00:31:49,375 --> 00:31:57,792 "In Thrace, Kilkis and Hakidiki, there's no mining without destruction" 342 00:31:57,918 --> 00:32:02,501 - Brother Tolis, it's been 8 years since we first met 343 00:32:02,501 --> 00:32:06,834 and first talked about the gold, because of another movie 344 00:32:06,834 --> 00:32:10,125 it's been many more years since you started the protests 345 00:32:11,250 --> 00:32:13,751 and the resistance movement against the mining. 346 00:32:14,292 --> 00:32:19,000 - It's been, since 1997, 347 00:32:20,792 --> 00:32:23,083 14 years in Halkidikh 348 00:32:24,167 --> 00:32:26,292 and since 1999 349 00:32:27,292 --> 00:32:28,542 12 years in Thrace 350 00:32:30,375 --> 00:32:34,459 During this time, we achieved 351 00:32:34,751 --> 00:32:37,083 what they considered impossible: 352 00:32:38,626 --> 00:32:41,209 The gold diggers didn't manage to open a single hole 353 00:32:42,542 --> 00:32:43,792 in Halkidiki and Thrace 354 00:32:44,417 --> 00:32:46,501 When they were talking about the great investments 355 00:32:46,501 --> 00:32:49,417 and about the 'golden star' of Thrace 356 00:32:50,167 --> 00:32:53,918 and about the 'greatest investment of the last 50 years in Greece' 357 00:32:54,542 --> 00:32:57,417 nobody would believe that a few people 358 00:32:58,209 --> 00:33:00,959 could stop this process 359 00:33:02,167 --> 00:33:04,209 The joke in all this 360 00:33:06,918 --> 00:33:09,334 in every announcement and speech 361 00:33:09,334 --> 00:33:11,501 regarding the mineral resources investments 362 00:33:12,417 --> 00:33:16,250 is that these investments are called 'sustainable' 363 00:33:17,209 --> 00:33:19,709 Mineral resources, the ore, the mining 364 00:33:20,083 --> 00:33:22,209 is a story beginning at acertain point 365 00:33:22,876 --> 00:33:25,751 and ends at another 366 00:33:26,167 --> 00:33:28,501 After the end, there's nothing else to do 367 00:33:28,834 --> 00:33:33,751 It's gone, spent, the deposit is finished, the investment is finished 368 00:34:01,250 --> 00:34:04,417 - Yiannis, are you from Thrace? 369 00:34:04,417 --> 00:34:08,125 - I've been born and raised in a village 370 00:34:09,167 --> 00:34:11,167 between Alexandroupoli and Komotini 371 00:34:11,167 --> 00:34:12,542 called Sapes 372 00:34:12,542 --> 00:34:16,959 One of the mines in Thrace is planned on the spot 373 00:34:17,417 --> 00:34:21,918 we considered as paradise when we were kids 374 00:34:21,918 --> 00:34:25,542 1km outside the village 375 00:34:25,542 --> 00:34:27,125 in the forests we were playing 376 00:34:27,542 --> 00:34:30,959 - And does that place have also 377 00:34:30,959 --> 00:34:34,083 a mining tradition? 378 00:34:34,083 --> 00:34:35,167 - The good thing in Trace is that 379 00:34:35,375 --> 00:34:37,959 there was only one, ancient mine in the mountain of Kirkas 380 00:34:37,959 --> 00:34:40,918 under Essimi, which closed after WW II 381 00:34:41,459 --> 00:34:43,209 maybe in the '70s, it was completely shut down 382 00:34:43,209 --> 00:34:45,000 and left behind lots of cyanide in the environment 383 00:34:45,542 --> 00:34:48,918 pollution, and a lesson for the locals: 384 00:34:48,918 --> 00:34:51,542 that, when the companies go, they leave everything as it is 385 00:34:52,167 --> 00:34:54,250 - Of course, the mine of which Yiannis is talking about 386 00:34:54,626 --> 00:34:55,667 in Kirkas, or "Kirki" 387 00:34:56,751 --> 00:34:58,542 is a mine that during its operation 388 00:34:59,125 --> 00:35:01,584 produced 250,000 tons of ore, total 389 00:35:01,959 --> 00:35:04,959 when 250,00 here, in our region, 390 00:35:04,959 --> 00:35:08,167 is the annual produce of a small mine 391 00:35:09,000 --> 00:35:13,417 But it's striking that this small mine 392 00:35:13,792 --> 00:35:17,375 if you go and see the disaster it's caused 393 00:35:18,167 --> 00:35:21,167 you will understand what we are talking about 394 00:35:21,918 --> 00:35:23,792 - These barrels were in the factory 395 00:35:23,792 --> 00:35:28,751 this barrel was open, its lid here, spilled out here 396 00:35:28,751 --> 00:35:32,501 it's rotten - This is cyanide, right? The label is clear. 397 00:35:33,125 --> 00:35:34,667 - And the cyanide that was on the ground? 398 00:35:35,167 --> 00:35:37,292 With the first rain it was gone! 399 00:35:37,792 --> 00:35:40,125 And then more cyanide came to replace it 400 00:35:40,626 --> 00:35:43,042 Because cyanide is water soluble 401 00:35:44,250 --> 00:35:45,334 so it goes right into the ground 402 00:35:53,709 --> 00:35:57,918 - Local press at the time was saying that we were going to eat with golden spoons 403 00:35:57,918 --> 00:36:01,959 and that "the golden investment" in the area is ante portas 404 00:36:03,834 --> 00:36:09,584 when Kyriakos Domatzoglou 405 00:36:10,042 --> 00:36:13,501 and Tolis Papageorgiou spoke to the regional council 406 00:36:13,834 --> 00:36:16,334 everything changed 407 00:36:16,334 --> 00:36:18,876 And everyone understood, the regional councillors 408 00:36:19,125 --> 00:36:20,250 the local press and the inhabitants 409 00:36:20,792 --> 00:36:23,375 that we are not talking about an investment with a future 410 00:36:23,375 --> 00:36:25,667 but an investment on the destruction of the area 411 00:36:26,083 --> 00:36:27,626 So, one day, 412 00:36:27,959 --> 00:36:29,292 I remeber well 413 00:36:30,083 --> 00:36:32,375 we had a gathering in Sapes 414 00:36:33,584 --> 00:36:36,876 where Tolis Papageorgiou was speaking 415 00:36:37,876 --> 00:36:39,209 and there were many attending 416 00:36:39,209 --> 00:36:42,876 it was in the amphitheater of the municipality 417 00:36:44,709 --> 00:36:46,083 where, all these people attending 418 00:36:46,417 --> 00:36:48,709 listened to what we had to say 419 00:36:49,459 --> 00:36:52,959 regarding what happened in Halkidiki and what was going to happen in our land 420 00:36:54,167 --> 00:36:56,959 A few months ago 421 00:36:56,959 --> 00:36:58,334 5 months ago 422 00:36:59,209 --> 00:37:01,584 they called us again here in Sapes 423 00:37:01,959 --> 00:37:03,334 other people 424 00:37:04,167 --> 00:37:05,959 to tell us that they want to 425 00:37:06,834 --> 00:37:12,501 form a new committee, with mass participation, in Sapes 426 00:37:12,626 --> 00:37:15,125 against the mining 427 00:37:15,626 --> 00:37:17,918 and these people are decided 428 00:37:19,083 --> 00:37:21,042 to continue the struggle we started 429 00:37:21,042 --> 00:37:22,918 and to answer to the new challenges 430 00:37:22,918 --> 00:37:25,959 that surface and grow at this time 431 00:37:34,918 --> 00:37:37,876 - This issue has a history of about 15 years 432 00:37:38,626 --> 00:37:40,792 it began with some research by the Geological Institute 433 00:37:41,334 --> 00:37:43,209 some deposits were found 434 00:37:43,751 --> 00:37:46,250 and some companies got into the process 435 00:37:47,083 --> 00:37:49,334 to realise these plans 436 00:37:49,751 --> 00:37:55,000 to determine the type of the ore and propose methods 437 00:37:55,000 --> 00:37:56,918 in order to produce gold 438 00:37:57,709 --> 00:38:01,626 All this resulted to two proposals 439 00:38:01,876 --> 00:38:05,417 one in Sapes and one in Perama, in Evros 440 00:38:05,751 --> 00:38:08,626 for extracting gold with cyanide 441 00:38:09,751 --> 00:38:13,459 Using cyanide is very environmentally hostile 442 00:38:14,167 --> 00:38:20,542 earth is processed with cyanide 443 00:38:20,542 --> 00:38:25,375 hunting down very low contents of gold 444 00:38:25,375 --> 00:38:29,292 1 to 5 grams per ton, in the ore 445 00:38:30,167 --> 00:38:33,083 after which, the gold is taken 446 00:38:33,083 --> 00:38:37,542 and all the rest of the ore is waste 447 00:38:37,584 --> 00:38:41,584 This is the central point of environmental objections 448 00:38:41,834 --> 00:38:44,918 We consider the earth as waste by definition 449 00:38:44,918 --> 00:38:47,584 when we say that there is a gold deposit 450 00:38:47,584 --> 00:38:49,250 that will be extracted by cyanide 451 00:38:49,542 --> 00:38:52,584 This proposal came under criticism 452 00:38:52,918 --> 00:38:57,751 it was proven that there's no way to detoxify cyanide 453 00:38:57,751 --> 00:39:00,501 - that's a trick of the companies - 454 00:39:00,751 --> 00:39:06,501 and that what they want is to mine hudreds of tons of gold from Thrace 455 00:39:06,501 --> 00:39:09,375 turning the land to toxic waste 456 00:39:09,375 --> 00:39:12,751 Imagine Thrace with hundreds of sq. km devastated 457 00:39:12,751 --> 00:39:14,751 with swamps 458 00:39:14,792 --> 00:39:16,626 filled with cyanide 459 00:39:16,626 --> 00:39:19,501 Another result of this policy 460 00:39:19,542 --> 00:39:23,167 will be poisoning the waters 461 00:39:23,167 --> 00:39:25,167 from the acidic leaks, because the ore 462 00:39:25,167 --> 00:39:27,417 in the area is all sulfide 463 00:39:27,584 --> 00:39:30,167 the sulfur is oxidised to sulfuric acid 464 00:39:30,542 --> 00:39:33,125 and it all ends up poisoning the subterran waters 465 00:39:33,125 --> 00:39:34,667 with the presence of heavy metals 466 00:39:34,667 --> 00:39:35,876 dissolved by it 467 00:39:36,083 --> 00:39:37,542 Acidic leaks, in conclusion 468 00:39:37,959 --> 00:39:39,459 and cyanide swamps 469 00:39:39,667 --> 00:39:42,834 will be the results, turning the region 470 00:39:42,834 --> 00:39:44,667 to a moonscape. 471 00:39:46,792 --> 00:39:48,876 - I come from Megali Panagia 472 00:39:49,375 --> 00:39:51,083 from Halkidiki 473 00:39:51,417 --> 00:39:55,125 where they want to begin 474 00:39:55,459 --> 00:39:59,167 the destruction of all Northern Greece 475 00:40:00,042 --> 00:40:02,876 We have said to them, many years now 476 00:40:03,542 --> 00:40:06,709 that we dare them to come! 477 00:40:06,959 --> 00:40:09,417 They will find us against them 478 00:40:12,501 --> 00:40:14,250 We must know that 479 00:40:14,709 --> 00:40:17,334 all this activity 480 00:40:17,792 --> 00:40:20,918 has nothing to give to us 481 00:40:20,918 --> 00:40:22,584 it's a sellout 482 00:40:23,501 --> 00:40:25,584 of Greece's mineral resources 483 00:40:25,792 --> 00:40:27,459 to foreign interests 484 00:40:27,709 --> 00:40:30,667 And we ask you to stand by us 485 00:40:30,667 --> 00:40:33,584 because if this small door is opened 486 00:40:33,584 --> 00:40:35,459 it will start in Megali Panagia 487 00:40:35,876 --> 00:40:39,876 If we let them to rip off our mountain there 488 00:40:39,876 --> 00:40:43,292 they will rip off the whole Northern Greece 489 00:40:43,959 --> 00:40:47,751 We must give the answer all together 490 00:40:48,042 --> 00:40:52,542 No to the golddiggers of death! Yes to life! 491 00:40:52,542 --> 00:40:53,959 Yes to the future 492 00:40:57,751 --> 00:41:03,209 "Hey! Ho! Take your cyanide and go home!" 493 00:41:03,876 --> 00:41:08,667 "The talk about profits and losses, we talk about human lives" 494 00:41:10,292 --> 00:41:14,459 - No to gold mining and chemical industries! 495 00:41:16,125 --> 00:41:18,083 Yes to life 496 00:41:18,209 --> 00:41:22,334 To culture, to alternative development 497 00:41:23,459 --> 00:41:26,375 It's time to join our voices 498 00:41:26,667 --> 00:41:30,167 with our fellows from all Northern Greece 499 00:41:30,334 --> 00:41:33,959 - Now our friends, the mayors from thw city of Krumovgrad 500 00:41:35,751 --> 00:41:38,751 who are with us in the struggle for more than 10 years 501 00:41:39,626 --> 00:41:41,876 they also want to greet this gathering 502 00:41:41,876 --> 00:41:43,918 The bad news is that the government 503 00:41:44,209 --> 00:41:46,334 gave for 30 years 504 00:41:46,501 --> 00:41:47,959 the license 505 00:41:48,167 --> 00:41:51,125 for the gold mines in Krumovgrad 506 00:41:57,417 --> 00:42:00,584 - Of course, Bulgaria is in the other side of Rodopi 507 00:42:01,501 --> 00:42:04,042 In direct line from Komotini and Alexandroupoli, 508 00:42:04,584 --> 00:42:07,667 Krumovgrad is about 1 hour away 509 00:42:08,125 --> 00:42:09,584 25 to 30 km distance. 510 00:42:10,459 --> 00:42:13,167 When they began a gold processing plant 511 00:42:13,667 --> 00:42:16,250 on the bank of Ardas river, in Krumovgrad 512 00:42:16,876 --> 00:42:20,501 concerned people from the area, asked us for help 513 00:42:20,792 --> 00:42:25,459 We are here to state our solidarity 514 00:42:26,000 --> 00:42:28,876 to the people of Krumovgrad 515 00:42:29,626 --> 00:42:31,792 with whom we are friends many years now 516 00:42:31,792 --> 00:42:33,209 our neighbors 517 00:42:33,584 --> 00:42:35,709 to tell them what happened to us 518 00:42:35,918 --> 00:42:38,667 and to tell them what we don't want to happen to them 519 00:42:39,334 --> 00:42:41,667 This struggle is common, we believe 520 00:42:41,667 --> 00:42:43,542 and that's the reason we are here today 521 00:42:44,083 --> 00:42:47,167 - We are here for one single purpose 522 00:42:47,167 --> 00:42:50,501 because cyanide is a total destruction 523 00:42:51,042 --> 00:42:56,000 for Bulgaria, Greece, Turkey 524 00:42:57,167 --> 00:43:00,501 when, at the same time, gold will go to Canada 525 00:43:00,792 --> 00:43:05,834 - We are here because we don't want this poison, gold. 526 00:43:06,125 --> 00:43:07,959 We have children and grandchildren 527 00:43:08,042 --> 00:43:10,334 we don't want to poison them 528 00:43:11,751 --> 00:43:14,501 We have similar problems on us, too 529 00:43:21,417 --> 00:43:24,542 - We started our struggle in an amateur way 530 00:43:24,542 --> 00:43:26,959 but since our friends from Greece and Turkey 531 00:43:27,167 --> 00:43:28,209 came here to Krumovgrad 532 00:43:28,209 --> 00:43:31,834 the direction of things has changed 533 00:43:34,542 --> 00:43:38,125 We are very happy that came all the way to here 534 00:43:40,584 --> 00:43:43,459 And I wish to see you many times again 535 00:43:50,709 --> 00:43:53,334 - So, at this time, there's a movement 536 00:43:53,334 --> 00:43:57,792 through Halkidiki, Rodopi, Evros, 537 00:43:58,834 --> 00:43:59,751 and Bulgaria 538 00:43:59,834 --> 00:44:02,709 And of course extending to Turkey 539 00:44:03,042 --> 00:44:06,250 We also have collaboration there 540 00:44:06,459 --> 00:44:09,501 in the strugle of the Turks against gold mining 541 00:44:09,501 --> 00:44:10,626 in the area 542 00:44:25,751 --> 00:44:29,042 - So, Yiannis, we end up 543 00:44:29,542 --> 00:44:31,375 in unique result: 544 00:44:31,876 --> 00:44:35,918 every politician there, all the sinstitutions, the people 545 00:44:36,292 --> 00:44:39,167 the Church, the bishops 546 00:44:39,667 --> 00:44:43,542 are against the gold diggers 547 00:44:44,042 --> 00:44:47,209 and that made Papandreou 548 00:44:47,459 --> 00:44:50,000 to state that if the local communities don't want it 549 00:44:50,334 --> 00:44:51,792 nothing can be done 550 00:44:54,250 --> 00:44:55,876 We'll go to the offices 551 00:44:55,876 --> 00:44:58,209 in the village, leave our cars there 552 00:44:58,209 --> 00:45:00,792 go up to the hill 553 00:45:03,918 --> 00:45:06,042 and there... we'll see... 554 00:45:11,501 --> 00:45:14,125 - We, the people of Evros and Rodopi 555 00:45:14,250 --> 00:45:15,959 will not allow 556 00:45:16,083 --> 00:45:19,584 for any reason, the total destruction 557 00:45:19,709 --> 00:45:24,918 of the economy, tourism, agriculture and environment 558 00:45:24,918 --> 00:45:28,209 of our land, or to expose our health 559 00:45:28,209 --> 00:45:30,792 to serious risks. 560 00:45:56,959 --> 00:45:59,375 - Bless, father! 561 00:46:02,083 --> 00:46:06,042 - As I said, we had decided that if they don't block us and let us pass 562 00:46:06,417 --> 00:46:09,626 we didn't want to confront them 563 00:46:09,626 --> 00:46:11,209 and stop here. 564 00:46:11,375 --> 00:46:12,959 That said, 565 00:46:12,959 --> 00:46:16,042 we can't and we won't 566 00:46:16,042 --> 00:46:19,125 to stop this assembly or everyone to present their views 567 00:46:19,125 --> 00:46:22,083 and the people to decide what they want 568 00:46:22,167 --> 00:46:27,918 I just told you the decisions we made yesterday evening 569 00:46:27,918 --> 00:46:29,876 And, as I said earlier, 570 00:46:30,918 --> 00:46:35,417 We need solitarity from everyone 571 00:46:35,584 --> 00:46:41,000 But we also want to have the first say, since we live here. 572 00:46:42,209 --> 00:46:45,083 - The company, as we speak now, 573 00:46:45,834 --> 00:46:49,959 has only a concession, under terms 574 00:46:50,834 --> 00:46:55,501 They have been granted about 3,5 sq. m on this mountain 575 00:46:55,751 --> 00:46:58,876 pending approval of its plans. 576 00:46:59,626 --> 00:47:03,125 A license has not been issued yet. 577 00:47:03,584 --> 00:47:05,125 - This way? - Yes! 578 00:47:18,959 --> 00:47:21,626 - In Oxares there's about 10 riot squads 579 00:47:21,876 --> 00:47:23,417 go on, the guys will tell you 580 00:47:35,667 --> 00:47:39,083 - What's going on? - In Oxares there's about 10 riot squads 581 00:47:39,083 --> 00:47:41,459 just be careful it's close to the pit 582 00:47:41,459 --> 00:47:43,626 still far away from here 583 00:47:57,125 --> 00:48:00,584 In Oxares there's about 10 riot squads 584 00:48:11,542 --> 00:48:15,584 - This is a very simple Greek story 585 00:48:18,083 --> 00:48:20,959 since the day all these impotent politicians 586 00:48:20,959 --> 00:48:23,709 got us into these bailout deals and all this 587 00:48:24,709 --> 00:48:28,250 Greece should be like this everywhere 588 00:48:28,250 --> 00:48:30,125 like what we do here 589 00:48:31,292 --> 00:48:33,834 We now step on the throat of Bobolas [millionaire, public contractor] 590 00:48:34,792 --> 00:48:37,959 he thought that here, like in Keratea, 591 00:48:38,834 --> 00:48:40,125 it's "no big deal" 592 00:48:42,626 --> 00:48:48,209 - You were saying that others go through other roads 593 00:48:48,209 --> 00:48:50,125 - Yes, of course 594 00:48:50,501 --> 00:48:54,959 - And part of the people go through Hondro Dendro 595 00:48:55,250 --> 00:48:57,209 - No, I don't think anyone goes through there 596 00:48:58,000 --> 00:49:00,000 There's no point 597 00:49:23,375 --> 00:49:26,375 20 minutes, it's the most far off distance 598 00:49:27,250 --> 00:49:30,209 I reset the counter to see how many km it's gonna be 599 00:49:30,459 --> 00:49:32,167 more than 30 km 600 00:49:39,334 --> 00:49:41,375 - Tell us the story, where are we going and what we do now 601 00:49:41,375 --> 00:49:43,167 There's a fine light now 602 00:49:44,209 --> 00:49:45,667 - Where we go? Heh! 603 00:49:45,876 --> 00:49:47,959 Good question! 604 00:49:49,292 --> 00:49:55,167 Not doing anything in particular! Just like people in a beautiful day goes to the mountain 605 00:49:56,459 --> 00:49:58,417 to hike and play with their children 606 00:49:59,250 --> 00:50:00,626 we also do the same 607 00:50:00,626 --> 00:50:03,209 We go to our own mountain 608 00:50:22,501 --> 00:50:27,125 - This side of the forest, which village it belongs to? 609 00:50:27,167 --> 00:50:30,167 - It's in the area of Megali Panagia 610 00:50:30,459 --> 00:50:32,584 and the other side of the forest 611 00:50:32,751 --> 00:50:34,876 belongs to Ierissos 612 00:50:35,709 --> 00:50:39,792 A large part of the mountain belongs to Hilandari monastery (of Mt. Athos) 613 00:50:48,751 --> 00:50:52,042 Peope has come to understand some 614 00:50:52,083 --> 00:50:55,751 facts previously ignored 615 00:50:56,209 --> 00:50:59,000 If this investment goes on 616 00:51:01,375 --> 00:51:05,459 all hope and the structure of today's 617 00:51:05,959 --> 00:51:12,751 economy will be torn down 618 00:51:14,417 --> 00:51:21,959 "I want to go out and shout, friend 619 00:51:22,292 --> 00:51:28,959 to resist before getting lost in the streets 620 00:51:29,876 --> 00:51:37,918 in this unfair game send your soul 621 00:51:38,209 --> 00:51:47,417 to change your destiny 622 00:51:48,334 --> 00:51:55,959 smoke and dust, my face burns, oh fatherland 623 00:51:56,167 --> 00:52:03,501 in my guts bitter poison 624 00:52:04,292 --> 00:52:12,125 like a shipwrecked, desperately looking for hope 625 00:52:12,292 --> 00:52:20,792 and is not afraid to beat the weather 626 00:52:22,083 --> 00:52:29,459 Mother Earth, cry of pain, 627 00:52:30,167 --> 00:52:37,083 I don't know how to face you 628 00:52:38,167 --> 00:52:45,542 A prayer and a wish 629 00:52:46,209 --> 00:52:56,542 to give you back life 630 00:52:58,292 --> 00:53:05,792 naked trees, muddy waters, suspiciously springing 631 00:53:06,042 --> 00:53:12,209 Greedy Profit of men, I wonder... 632 00:53:14,250 --> 00:53:22,042 I close my eyes and see a dream that everything is in blossom 633 00:53:22,334 --> 00:53:31,667 kiss of life I await from my brethren 634 00:53:32,250 --> 00:53:39,459 Mother Earth, cry of pain 635 00:53:40,167 --> 00:53:46,792 I don't know how to face you 636 00:53:48,125 --> 00:53:55,501 A prayer and a wish 637 00:53:56,375 --> 00:54:03,209 to give you back life 638 00:54:04,167 --> 00:54:11,209 Mother Earth, cry of pain 639 00:54:12,167 --> 00:54:19,209 I don't know how to face you 640 00:54:20,167 --> 00:54:27,834 A prayer and a wish 641 00:54:28,292 --> 00:54:39,125 to give you back life 642 00:54:39,542 --> 00:54:40,918 - Any news? 643 00:54:40,918 --> 00:54:42,417 - No, nothing 644 00:54:42,709 --> 00:54:44,083 - The roads behind are open, right? 645 00:54:44,417 --> 00:54:47,709 - They say they make movements 646 00:54:47,959 --> 00:54:51,167 - There are still people down, wait 647 00:55:06,459 --> 00:55:08,042 - You know, sometimes 648 00:55:07,459 --> 00:55:08,459 different people tell me: 649 00:55:09,417 --> 00:55:14,709 "Why you left your life, your yachts 650 00:55:15,125 --> 00:55:16,709 and got involved with this?" 651 00:55:16,709 --> 00:55:20,083 But the people I meet and gives me so much hope 652 00:55:20,083 --> 00:55:22,918 and i say to myself "see, there are still Greeks like that" 653 00:55:23,083 --> 00:55:26,417 it's all the satisfaction I need 654 00:55:27,292 --> 00:55:28,417 Nothing more 655 00:55:28,959 --> 00:55:31,918 See: What's all these people to do 656 00:55:33,000 --> 00:55:37,292 with those Greeks who have surrendered 657 00:55:42,042 --> 00:55:45,459 I want to catch a tune from Mt. Athos 658 00:55:45,459 --> 00:55:47,584 it'll come to me 659 00:56:01,459 --> 00:56:02,959 - The usual? 660 00:56:03,125 --> 00:56:04,751 In Plagal First? 661 00:56:05,209 --> 00:56:07,417 - Start something 662 00:56:07,417 --> 00:56:08,918 it'll come to me... 663 00:56:10,501 --> 00:57:04,501 "We who mystically represent the Cherubim..." 664 00:57:04,501 --> 00:57:08,709 - First of all I'm glad to see the bishop 665 00:57:08,709 --> 00:57:10,125 and all the people 666 00:57:10,375 --> 00:57:12,792 In my heart is the people 667 00:57:14,167 --> 00:57:17,542 In 1922 668 00:57:17,792 --> 00:57:21,459 The Turks were sending our fathers to exile 669 00:57:21,959 --> 00:57:25,542 Now the Greeks will do the same to us 670 00:57:25,667 --> 00:57:27,667 Our children will die 671 00:57:28,292 --> 00:57:32,334 They are not interested in our children's life 672 00:57:32,918 --> 00:57:34,751 Where will this lead? 673 00:57:34,751 --> 00:57:37,083 We will not give up 674 00:57:37,918 --> 00:57:41,375 We will go on and fight 675 00:57:41,375 --> 00:57:42,959 for our religion 676 00:57:42,959 --> 00:57:47,459 united as a people, with no parties 677 00:57:47,459 --> 00:57:48,959 no walls 678 00:57:58,000 --> 00:58:01,250 - I listened with great interest and 679 00:58:01,709 --> 00:58:03,959 I hold a sentence mr. Papageorgiou said 680 00:58:04,292 --> 00:58:06,918 who, talking about Perama 681 00:58:07,209 --> 00:58:10,626 spoke about the criticism he himself has received 682 00:58:10,626 --> 00:58:15,209 and other people of these committees against gold mining 683 00:58:15,209 --> 00:58:17,918 in each town 684 00:58:18,292 --> 00:58:21,834 he spoke about the expense of personal life 685 00:58:22,334 --> 00:58:26,042 and the disbelief around that 686 00:58:26,459 --> 00:58:30,292 questions like: "who are you? why do you inform people?" 687 00:58:30,292 --> 00:58:34,334 "who pays you? why do you come? why do you care about communities?" 688 00:58:34,626 --> 00:58:37,918 Mr. Karypidis, did you also feel like that, 689 00:58:37,918 --> 00:58:42,584 did you see similar things in all these years together, 690 00:58:42,584 --> 00:58:44,834 since you were talking about a friendship over time? 691 00:58:45,250 --> 00:58:48,292 - Tolis said in a movie that 692 00:58:48,292 --> 00:58:54,125 there is someone who changed his life in an older age, Nikos Mitsou 693 00:58:54,959 --> 00:58:56,834 That man was for 45 years 694 00:58:57,125 --> 00:58:59,417 supervisor in Bodosakis' mines 695 00:58:59,834 --> 00:59:01,959 he was in the first line 696 00:59:02,542 --> 00:59:05,792 He was in danger and saved many others many times 697 00:59:06,250 --> 00:59:10,667 When he retired he became president of his community 698 00:59:10,918 --> 00:59:13,751 When, at 1986-87 699 00:59:14,459 --> 00:59:16,584 they told him they would open gold mines 700 00:59:16,584 --> 00:59:18,042 he asked questions 701 00:59:18,459 --> 00:59:20,876 the answers he got were the same as the ones 702 00:59:20,918 --> 00:59:23,375 the people in Thrace got when they asked 703 00:59:23,751 --> 00:59:26,709 and also the people in Kilkis 704 00:59:26,834 --> 00:59:32,459 Indefinite, vague, not excluding in any way 705 00:59:32,459 --> 00:59:35,167 any of the fears and counter-arguments 706 00:59:35,167 --> 00:59:37,292 of this experienced miner 707 00:59:37,459 --> 00:59:39,584 This man, said no. 708 00:59:39,751 --> 00:59:44,751 He went on to blow drills, and Tolis is certain 709 00:59:44,918 --> 00:59:48,209 that he would blow himself in a gallery, 710 00:59:48,209 --> 00:59:51,876 if the court would not give them justice 711 00:59:51,876 --> 00:59:53,918 and would not stop forever 712 00:59:53,918 --> 00:59:55,918 gold mining in Olympiada 713 01:00:01,459 --> 01:00:07,459 - Now we enter the area of the "battle of Olympiada" 714 01:00:12,250 --> 01:00:13,751 - Memories? 715 01:00:15,167 --> 01:00:16,959 - All those years 716 01:00:17,667 --> 01:00:21,375 Jailtime, beatings, struggle 717 01:00:24,542 --> 01:00:27,042 endless trials 718 01:00:27,959 --> 01:00:30,292 - But the people were as one here, right? 719 01:00:30,626 --> 01:00:33,334 - The people, poor people 720 01:00:33,626 --> 01:00:35,250 with great financial problems 721 01:00:35,834 --> 01:00:40,125 the company would 'solve' them 722 01:00:40,626 --> 01:00:42,751 They said to the people "whatever you want" 723 01:00:42,751 --> 01:00:47,417 "I'll rent your rooms, I will pay you in advance" 724 01:00:48,751 --> 01:00:49,918 Everyone had debts 725 01:00:49,959 --> 01:00:52,751 But noone accepted anything. 726 01:00:53,125 --> 01:00:54,375 Nobody 727 01:00:55,417 --> 01:00:58,751 And they would run up here, women, children, older people 728 01:00:59,667 --> 01:01:01,584 and they would hunt down the riot police 729 01:01:01,667 --> 01:01:05,667 because the police were foreigners to this land 730 01:01:05,667 --> 01:01:07,626 while the inhabitants knew every path 731 01:01:07,626 --> 01:01:09,876 and they would come out unexpected 732 01:01:10,918 --> 01:01:13,083 - And that first victory in Olympiada, 733 01:01:13,125 --> 01:01:14,959 was the first against gold mining in whole Greece 734 01:01:15,751 --> 01:01:20,751 - For the first time, the environment was considered 735 01:01:20,751 --> 01:01:22,501 overweighting the profit 736 01:01:24,042 --> 01:01:26,542 and the highest court 737 01:01:26,542 --> 01:01:30,501 decided that this activity 738 01:01:30,501 --> 01:01:34,334 is hurting the environment, and it was stopped. 739 01:01:34,334 --> 01:01:36,125 I want you to see something here 740 01:01:36,918 --> 01:01:41,209 Here, anti-riot squads were stationed, and in every road 741 01:01:41,667 --> 01:01:44,083 there were epic battles here 742 01:01:44,083 --> 01:01:45,834 with the locals 743 01:01:46,709 --> 01:01:51,000 and the riot police 744 01:01:51,209 --> 01:01:54,626 of course, the locals were able to break in 745 01:01:54,626 --> 01:01:56,209 and destroy drills 746 01:01:56,709 --> 01:02:02,626 bulldozers, etc, and the area was saved 747 01:02:17,626 --> 01:02:21,209 All of this mountain is a deposit. All of it 748 01:02:23,042 --> 01:02:25,959 So, in order to 'save' Greece's economy 749 01:02:26,918 --> 01:02:31,417 the whole mountain will be torn down 750 01:02:32,417 --> 01:02:34,751 broken to pieces, crushed 751 01:02:35,334 --> 01:02:38,167 processed with acids 752 01:02:38,459 --> 01:02:41,000 to bring out gold and silver 753 01:02:41,292 --> 01:02:43,751 for the cunning to take out 754 01:02:44,459 --> 01:02:50,792 Emirs, Bobolas, Koutras, and the guys from Canada 755 01:02:54,083 --> 01:02:56,709 people will work here proudly 756 01:02:57,083 --> 01:03:01,083 in galleries and open pits 757 01:03:01,167 --> 01:03:03,876 proud of their service to the nation 758 01:03:04,167 --> 01:03:07,751 fed with ridiculous wages by the contractors 759 01:03:08,584 --> 01:03:10,667 and, in 20 years, when all of that will be gone 760 01:03:10,709 --> 01:03:12,834 and there will be nothing of what we see now 761 01:03:13,000 --> 01:03:17,959 we will all be proud of our great, national achievement 762 01:03:29,459 --> 01:03:34,459 Development-wise, things are simple: 763 01:03:34,626 --> 01:03:37,459 they are so simple that one wonders 764 01:03:37,459 --> 01:03:39,959 why, up to this day, nothing of this was done 765 01:03:40,125 --> 01:03:44,375 That is, why this region has only 3% of Halkidiki's tourism 766 01:03:44,918 --> 01:03:51,292 Why are we having only 5-7% of holiday residences in Halkidiki? 767 01:03:51,709 --> 01:03:58,792 Why do we have the smaller per capita income, 1/3 of the rest of Halkidiki areas? 768 01:03:58,959 --> 01:04:05,459 Why do we have the larger illiteracy percentage and the fewer graduates? 769 01:04:06,501 --> 01:04:08,125 For one reason: 770 01:04:09,834 --> 01:04:11,083 The mines. 771 01:04:11,334 --> 01:04:16,792 For the mines to exist, all other 772 01:04:16,792 --> 01:04:20,417 possible activites have to be devaluated 773 01:04:20,626 --> 01:04:23,709 This is an issue I try hard to make them understand 774 01:04:24,167 --> 01:04:27,292 and seems so hard to understand 775 01:04:27,417 --> 01:04:28,584 for the government 776 01:04:28,834 --> 01:04:30,334 or the local authorities 777 01:04:30,334 --> 01:04:34,667 OK, let's say yes to the mine, the investment, let is start 778 01:04:34,876 --> 01:04:38,542 let 3,000, 3,500, 4,000 people work there. And then? 779 01:04:38,667 --> 01:04:43,459 Fact is, in 20 years this story is finished. What then? 780 01:04:43,459 --> 01:04:44,834 That's our land's worth? 781 01:04:45,042 --> 01:04:47,125 Only to sustain a single generation in 20 years? 782 01:04:47,125 --> 01:04:48,834 And everything else, lost? 783 01:04:49,292 --> 01:04:52,667 We are going to tell them that we have the constitution 784 01:04:53,000 --> 01:04:57,209 and let the courts and the laws and ministry say different 785 01:04:57,375 --> 01:04:59,584 even the ministers, we don't care what they say 786 01:04:59,584 --> 01:05:02,667 Here, we won't let anyone come 787 01:05:02,667 --> 01:05:06,042 just like we did in Olympiada, in Kipouristra 788 01:05:06,042 --> 01:05:08,959 like we didn't let them in Thrace 789 01:05:10,000 --> 01:05:13,584 Greece must live as it is 790 01:05:33,250 --> 01:05:36,375 Yiannis, the greatest happiness in this story 791 01:05:36,542 --> 01:05:38,334 is the people i have met 792 01:05:38,334 --> 01:05:40,209 in all places 793 01:05:40,959 --> 01:05:43,334 in Komotini, in Sapes, in Rodopi 794 01:05:43,334 --> 01:05:45,083 in Evros, in the villages, 795 01:05:45,083 --> 01:05:48,792 in Evia, in Bulgaria, in Turkey 796 01:05:49,459 --> 01:05:50,751 Everywhere 797 01:05:51,167 --> 01:05:54,417 In every place we went, Maria and I, 798 01:05:54,626 --> 01:05:57,876 we met people who were the joy of life itself 799 01:05:57,876 --> 01:06:01,292 they made us feel that this land 800 01:06:01,667 --> 01:06:03,375 the people in general 801 01:06:03,375 --> 01:06:06,083 will not get lost 802 01:06:06,083 --> 01:06:10,876 that "the salt has not lost his savour"; the world will not come to an end.