'Civil war' brewing over disputed Greek goldmine

Scrawled on the homes of the village of Megali Panagia in northern Greece are slogans emblematic of the deep rift caused in this society by a controversial Canadian gold mining project.

"Goldmines are a curse for every nation," reads one -- others are more profane.

For the past three years, the investment of Hellenic Gold -- a subsidiary of Canadian firm Eldorado Gold -- has deeply divided the local communities of the Halkidiki peninsula, even setting family members at each others' throats.

In Megali Panagia itself, tit-for-tat attacks on shops and cars belonging to rival factions have been going on for years.

Until now, most of the demonstrations were by residents fearing that the project will cause irreversible harm to the forested Halkidiki peninsula, one of Greece's most popular tourist areas.

But the arrival in January of a new leftist government that opposes the investment has sparked a mobilisation among Hellenic Gold employees afraid of losing their jobs.

"A civil war is unfolding and the government must clear this situation up immediately," says Yiorgos Kyritsis, a legal representative for the anti-mining faction.

"I know of one pending lawsuit concerning a beating between two brothers," he told AFP.

Earlier this month, riot police were sent in when the rival groups came close to clashing in an oak forest between the villages of Stratoni, where Hellenic Gold has its base, and Ierissos, which opposes the project.

Police minister Yiannis Panousis later said some of the protesters were firing bolts from slingshots.

Panousis warned "there will be casualties" unless the situation is resolved.

The new leftist government has clearly declared its opposition to the project, with Energy and...