The US Ambassador to Georgia Kelly Degnan said the “Embassy is trying to facilitate a meeting for Shukruti residents with the public defender’s office, with appropriate NGOs who can help them and work through their issues.”

The Human Rights Officer at Embassy has already met with the protesters and get acquainted with their concerns, Kelly Degnan noted.

“The United States does not have a direct role in this but our human rights officer met with the group yesterday and was able to hear their concerns. We are trying to facilitate a meeting for them with the public defender’s office, with appropriate NGOs who can help them and work through their issues. Really, our role can be connecting. We want to make sure that they are okay and their concerns are heard,” Degnan said.

Residents of Shukruti village near Chiatura city in western Georgia gathered again on May 31 outside the U.S. Embassy Tbilisi in a bid to attract attention from authorities.

Protesters demand Georgian Manganese compensate them for the damages to their homes that they allege have been caused by mining activities performed by Shukruti+ company, a contractor of the Georgian Manganese.

Some of the Shukruti protesters have sewn their lips shut as a radical form of protest.

Shukruti protesters demand fair compensation based on property value estimates carried out by the Levan Samkharauli National Forensics Bureau.

On May 29, Georgian Manganese declared it was ready to allow damage estimate by Samkharauli Bureau. The company vows that the talks with protesters are underway.