Praileaitz cave paintings threatened by mining

An article (see translation below) in GARA about the Praileatiz I site (more info here) which is threatened by mining activities. (It seems like it’s either the miners, the loggers, or the pharmaceutical companies that can’t do anything right these days.)

 

ARCHAEOLOGY

Lawmakers request Lakua to stop all activities surrounding the Praileaitz I cave

The parliament of Gasteiz has made a unanimous request to the government of Lakua to stop all activities being carried out in the area around the Praileatiz I cave.

12/14/2007 11:58:00

GASTEIZ-. A non-binding resolution to protect Praileaitz has been accepted with the support of the Ezker Abertzale, PSE, EA, and EB parties. The EAJ and PP abstained.

The parties proposing the resolution (PSE, Ezker Abertzale, and Aralar) noted that the work being done in Praileaitz I represents the exploration of one of the most important Upper Paleolithic sites discovered in recent decades in Europe, and that the site is being irremediably devoured as a consequence of the activity in the adjacent quarry, Sasiola.

The parties stated that an “additional safety zone” to protect the vicinity around the cave must be established, thereby also protecting the slope where the cave is located.

The parties request in the resolution that the Lakua government either modify or expand the decree which is already in force, in order to protect the entire slope where the Praileaitz I cave is located, and to conserve in ther entirety the natural surroundings of the cave.

While doing this, they also request an immediate stop to all activities in the area, and at the same time to develop a “more explicit” law as quickly as possible, “as quickly as possible the protection of all such sites which could be achieved through this.” [See Note 1 below.]

In the debate, the EAJ has defended itself by stating that the the cave is “well-protected in a satisfactory manner” by the decree issued in July and by the measures taken by the Gipuzkoa Assembly.

361 experts

Last Wednesday, a document signed by 361 experts from around the globe in support of Praileatiz I and the surrounding slope was made public, on the eve of today’s debate.

Note 1: Doesn’t make much sense? Well, it didn’t to me either. Here’s the original sentence:

Hori egin bitartean, ingurune horretan jarduera guztiak bertan behera utz daitezela galdegiten diote, eta horrekin batera lege “esplizituagoak” garatu daitezela “lehenbailehen, haien bitartez lortu ahal izan dadin horrelako guneak benetan babestea ahalik eta lasterren”.