Ecologist Murat Bilgiç said that ecocide in Kurdistan was given priority in order to eliminate the Kurds since the Turkish state was founded.
He pointed out that the 'Sri Lanka model' promoted by the Turkish government has already been applied to Kurds.
ANF
AMED
Friday, 5 Aug 2022
The nature of Kurdistan is being plundered by the Turkish state and its criminal networks. All plants in forests, plateaus and rural areas are destroyed without considering the seasonal conditions. The destruction of the nature of Kurdistan -a special war policy- is carried out as a part of the all-out attacks against the Kurdish people.
Ecologist Murat Bilgiç spoke to ANF about the reasons and purposes of the ecocide in Kurdistan by the Turkish state.
Bilgiç pointed out that the destruction of nature in Kurdistan is generally considered as a recent phenomenon. However, he stated that attacks on rural areas in the Kurdish lands have a long history, dating back to the establishment of the republic in Turkey.
KURDISTAN NATURE IS TARGETED TO ELIMINATE KURDS
Bilgiç remarked that after the establishment of a republican regime in Turkey, a policy of annihilation was introduced against all ethnic groups other than the Turks. “They started to regard everyone other than Turks either as slaves or as communities that deserved death. The early republic suppressed the Şêx Said, Seyîd Rıza, Agirî and Koçgirî revolts, yet they knew that they still did not achieve a 'permanent success'. Afterwards, they came to realize that nature was in favour of the Kurds and prepared reports about it. The most striking conclusion in these reports was that 'Their nature protects them'. The nature of Kurdistan has such unique features that those living there can meet their needs for years without support from the outside world. For this reason, reports recommended that the destruction of the nature of the Kurds should be given priority.”
Bilgiç continued, “Their attacks against nature peaked in some periods. Kurdish villages were burned down and evacuated. Burning villages is also an ecological destruction. Entrances to those zones were blocked for decades. Moreover, the plundering of trees and other plants became systematic as burning down and evacuating the villages was no solution for them. Also, people came back to their villages when suitable conditions were provided as nature preserved its existence. Therefore, they wanted to eliminate nature completely and resolve the problem in their own way.”
'SRI LANKA MODEL HAS ALREADY BEEN APPLIED TO THE KURDS FOR CENTURIES'
Bilgiç pointed out that forest fires and felling of trees became widespread in Kurdistan after 2009. “In 2009, Turkish officials disseminated the propaganda that a 'permanent victory' had been achieved in Sri Lanka against the Tamil Tigers. It was called the 'Sri Lanka model'. This model was also presented to the Turkish president of the time in 2012. The Turkish state was convinced of this model with a metaphor: ‘the lake should be dried up so the fish will naturally die’. I am pretty sure that Turkish officials were not impressed by this presentation. Because this model has already been used against the Kurds for centuries. However, the Sri Lankan model somehow gained international legitimacy. Therefore, this model has been employed more against communities fighting for their rights and freedom. Thus, construction of dams and military posts, forest fires, tree cutting and other practices that plunder nature have become widespread.
A GLOBAL DANGER, NOT REGIONAL
Bilgiç emphasized that intervening in nature generally paves the way for a danger not only at the regional but also at the global level: “Forests are a part of ecology. The water and air crises are linked to forests. Forests are the habitat of many living things other than humans. These creatures need to live in their own habitat. When their habitat is destroyed, they become extinct. However, they do not see what kind of ecological danger this will cause. Racism has blinded them in such a way that even if the whole world is affected by this ecological destruction, they do not care about it because they do not want the Kurds to gain anything. The ecological destruction that the world may experience does not concern them. Therefore, it is necessary to take a serious stand against this natural destruction. Recent reactions are, of course, valuable, but they are not enough. To preserve life, reactions should continue. Action should be introduced to stop all these atrocities through further organization.”
ECOLOGICAL ASSOCIATIONS REMAIN SILENT WHEN IT COMES TO KURDISTAN
Bilgiç criticized ecological institutions and organizations in regions outside Kurdistan which remain silent on the acts of the Turkish state when it comes to the Kurds. “Unfortunately, when Turkish officials cite 'security concerns' for the plunder of nature in Kurdistan, ecological associations in Turkey believe it. However, they need to question why the way the Kurds maintain their lives disturbs the Turkish state and their nature is destroyed because of so-called security concerns. For example, Greenpeace remained silent towards the ecological massacre in Kurdistan, saying that it was not their area of expertise. There is no need for expertise in a place where trees are cut down. This is not a convincing approach at all. Greenpeace even took part in activities to combat forest fires in Turkey. But when it comes to Kurdistan, we see that they do not think differently from the dominant system.”
ANF
AMED
Friday, 5 Aug 2022
The nature of Kurdistan is being plundered by the Turkish state and its criminal networks. All plants in forests, plateaus and rural areas are destroyed without considering the seasonal conditions. The destruction of the nature of Kurdistan -a special war policy- is carried out as a part of the all-out attacks against the Kurdish people.
Ecologist Murat Bilgiç spoke to ANF about the reasons and purposes of the ecocide in Kurdistan by the Turkish state.
Bilgiç pointed out that the destruction of nature in Kurdistan is generally considered as a recent phenomenon. However, he stated that attacks on rural areas in the Kurdish lands have a long history, dating back to the establishment of the republic in Turkey.
KURDISTAN NATURE IS TARGETED TO ELIMINATE KURDS
Bilgiç remarked that after the establishment of a republican regime in Turkey, a policy of annihilation was introduced against all ethnic groups other than the Turks. “They started to regard everyone other than Turks either as slaves or as communities that deserved death. The early republic suppressed the Şêx Said, Seyîd Rıza, Agirî and Koçgirî revolts, yet they knew that they still did not achieve a 'permanent success'. Afterwards, they came to realize that nature was in favour of the Kurds and prepared reports about it. The most striking conclusion in these reports was that 'Their nature protects them'. The nature of Kurdistan has such unique features that those living there can meet their needs for years without support from the outside world. For this reason, reports recommended that the destruction of the nature of the Kurds should be given priority.”
Bilgiç continued, “Their attacks against nature peaked in some periods. Kurdish villages were burned down and evacuated. Burning villages is also an ecological destruction. Entrances to those zones were blocked for decades. Moreover, the plundering of trees and other plants became systematic as burning down and evacuating the villages was no solution for them. Also, people came back to their villages when suitable conditions were provided as nature preserved its existence. Therefore, they wanted to eliminate nature completely and resolve the problem in their own way.”
'SRI LANKA MODEL HAS ALREADY BEEN APPLIED TO THE KURDS FOR CENTURIES'
Bilgiç pointed out that forest fires and felling of trees became widespread in Kurdistan after 2009. “In 2009, Turkish officials disseminated the propaganda that a 'permanent victory' had been achieved in Sri Lanka against the Tamil Tigers. It was called the 'Sri Lanka model'. This model was also presented to the Turkish president of the time in 2012. The Turkish state was convinced of this model with a metaphor: ‘the lake should be dried up so the fish will naturally die’. I am pretty sure that Turkish officials were not impressed by this presentation. Because this model has already been used against the Kurds for centuries. However, the Sri Lankan model somehow gained international legitimacy. Therefore, this model has been employed more against communities fighting for their rights and freedom. Thus, construction of dams and military posts, forest fires, tree cutting and other practices that plunder nature have become widespread.
A GLOBAL DANGER, NOT REGIONAL
Bilgiç emphasized that intervening in nature generally paves the way for a danger not only at the regional but also at the global level: “Forests are a part of ecology. The water and air crises are linked to forests. Forests are the habitat of many living things other than humans. These creatures need to live in their own habitat. When their habitat is destroyed, they become extinct. However, they do not see what kind of ecological danger this will cause. Racism has blinded them in such a way that even if the whole world is affected by this ecological destruction, they do not care about it because they do not want the Kurds to gain anything. The ecological destruction that the world may experience does not concern them. Therefore, it is necessary to take a serious stand against this natural destruction. Recent reactions are, of course, valuable, but they are not enough. To preserve life, reactions should continue. Action should be introduced to stop all these atrocities through further organization.”
ECOLOGICAL ASSOCIATIONS REMAIN SILENT WHEN IT COMES TO KURDISTAN
Bilgiç criticized ecological institutions and organizations in regions outside Kurdistan which remain silent on the acts of the Turkish state when it comes to the Kurds. “Unfortunately, when Turkish officials cite 'security concerns' for the plunder of nature in Kurdistan, ecological associations in Turkey believe it. However, they need to question why the way the Kurds maintain their lives disturbs the Turkish state and their nature is destroyed because of so-called security concerns. For example, Greenpeace remained silent towards the ecological massacre in Kurdistan, saying that it was not their area of expertise. There is no need for expertise in a place where trees are cut down. This is not a convincing approach at all. Greenpeace even took part in activities to combat forest fires in Turkey. But when it comes to Kurdistan, we see that they do not think differently from the dominant system.”
HDP protests against tree cutting in Şırnak
Şırnak Provincial Organization of the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) protested the tree cutting carried out by the AKP-MHP government: “We are raising our voice against the tree cutting and want to reach out to the peoples of Turkey."
ANF
ŞIRNAK
Monday, 8 Aug 2022
The cutting of trees carried out under the supervision of the Turkish state officials and village guards continues in the Besta Region of Şırnak province. HDP’s Şırnak Provincial Organization made a press statement in front of the party's headquarters on Monday to protest against the ongoing tree cutting in the region. HDP Şırnak Deputy Hasan Özgüneş, HDP provincial administrators, DBP (Democratic Regions Party) Şırnak Provincial Organization, Peace Mothers and Free Women's Movement (TJA) activists and numerous other people attended the press briefing.
‘CUTTING DOWN TREES, THEY CAUSE DAMAGE TO HISTORY AND FUTURE'
“Places designated as 'safe zones' in Kurdistan have become areas where laws are disregarded, and authorized persons are allowed to do whatever they want. The government-appointed governors, district governors, policemen and soldiers have unlimited state authority in these areas. These authorized persons and institutions feel free to implement any kind of looting and rent-seeking policies in these areas without any care for nature and habitats. They think that they can hide the looting of nature by banning press members and local people from going there using their unlimited authority. They not only cut down trees, but also do harm to the history, future and all forms of life in the region,” HDP Şırnak Centre Co-Chair Kamuran Demir said.
APPEAL TO PEOPLES
Demir called for everyone to raise their voice against the tree cutting; “There is an attack on the lands of Kurdistan. These attacks are part of the hostility towards the Kurds. Destruction of nature has become systematic in the region. The area has been opened to looting in a conscious and planned way. We are raising our voice against this ecocide, and we want to reach out to the peoples of Turkey,” Demir said.
“They have no conscience. They are after allocating resources to their supporters. They destroy forests citing security concerns without considering outcomes,” HDP Deputy Hasan Özgüneş said.
Protest against ecocide in Şırnak
In a joint statement, the Mesopotamian Ecology Movement and civil society organizations protested the massive cutting of trees in Şırnak province.
ANF
ŞIRNAK
Monday, 1 Aug 2022
Under the leadership of the Mesopotamian Ecology Movement, a press statement was made near the Confederation of Public Workers' Unions (KESK) headquarters to protest the massive tree cutting carried out by the village guards in the Besta region of Şırnak.
The 78'ers Association, the Union of Chambers of Turkish Engineers and Architects (TMMOB), the Diyarbakır Provincial Coordination Board, the Education and Science Workers' Union (Egit Sen) Diyarbakır Branch, the Ecology Association, the Munzur Environment Association, the Mardin Ecology Association, TMMOB Mardin Provincial Coordination Board, HDP’s Mardin and Şırnak Provincial Organizations, the Şırnak Ecology Platform, the Şırnak Bar Association including non-governmental organizations in the city joined the event.
'NOT JUST A TREE'
Murat Bilgiç from the Mesopotamia Ecology Movement delivered a speech and said, “Forests are not just trees, they are part of a broader ecological system. The destruction of forests is tantamount to the destruction of the ecological system. Article 169 of the Constitution states that “The state uses laws and takes measures for the protection of forests and the development of forest areas. It does not allow any action that would harm forests. Crimes such as burning or destroying forests do not fall under the scope of public or private amnesty.”
“The right to protect life is a fundamental principle of all national and international laws. If this ecocide is not stopped as soon as possible, we will do whatever it takes to protect nature. Forests were here before you were here, and they will be here after you go,” Bilgiç added.
'INTERCONENCTED TO WAR POLICIES'
“A policy of depopulation is being pursued in the region of Mount Cudi. We know that all these policies are interconnected to war policies. If the war policies in the region continue, nature will be damaged even more. We condemn once again the mentality that bans us from the streets and the nature of this city. We will continue our struggle until we liberate our nature,” Murat Özbey from the Şırnak Ecology Platform said.
'AGAINST THE DESTRUCTION OF NATURE'
HDP Şırnak Deputy Hasan Özgüneş also made a speech and said, “We have been saying it for years, our lands are called paradise in the Torah. It is called so thanks to its people, nature, forest and animals. It is a land where humanity first flourished. We have raised our voice against the building of thermal power plants and reckless use of coal mines. We have raised our voice against the burning of forests, and we are raising our voices against tree cuttings. The rich cronies are doing this to make more profit, building more hotels and robbing this country. We are against the destruction of nature in the Black Sea, as well as in Mersin, Şırnak, Hakkari and Siirt.”
Protest in Şırnak against destruction of nature as war policy
In Kurdistan, unique mountain landscapes are being turned into deserts by the systematic destruction of forests. The destruction of nature is part of the state's war policy, Kurdish women politicians declared at a protest in Şırnak.
ANF
ŞIRNAK
Sunday, 31 Jul 2022
Politicians from the HDP and DBP and activists from the women's movement TJA protested in the province of Şırnak against state-ordered over-exploitation in Kurdistan. The environment is being massively damaged by mining, dams, hydroelectric power plants, sand pits and arson by the Turkish military. In addition to forest fires, massive destruction operations are taking place in the mountainous regions of Cudi, Gabar and Besta for "security reasons". The mountain landscapes with their unique nature are thus being transformed into a desert.
To protest against this, the Kurdish politicians and activists made a statement at the foothills of Nimêjê (tr. Namaz). This is the place where the felled trees are collected and taken away. "Xweza jiyan e, jiyanê qetil nekin!" ("Nature is life, do not kill life!") was written in Kurdish on a banner that was rolled out.
"Enmity against nature and culture in Kurdistan"
HDP MP Nuran Imir said that the forests in the region have been systematically destroyed for two years. A special war has been taking place in Kurdistan for forty years, she said, and the destruction is part of the war concept. For a long time, the culture, language and identity of the Kurdish people have been under attack, she said, adding: "This hostility against our people is now also being practised against nature, as the mountains and forests are being destroyed. The fact that there is silence about this is because we are in Kurdistan."
While environmental destruction is widely heard in western Turkey, the destruction of nature in northern Kurdistan reigns supreme. The Şırnak Bar Association recently made a desperate appeal to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), the Foundation for the Protection and Promotion of Environmental and Cultural Values (ÇEKÜL) and Greenpeace to motivate them to take action against this environmental destruction. Greenpeace rejected the request, stating that the issue did not fall within the organisation's area of expertise.
The HDP parliamentary group has raised the issue several times in the Turkish parliament, and a total of 25 questions have been asked about it. But the government does not consider itself responsible either. According to Imir, none of the questions has been answered. "We will continue to demand accountability and will not remain silent. A massacre of nature is taking place here," said the HDP MP.
Speaking after, DBP co-chair Saliha Aydeniz said: "What has not been achieved through years of displacement and burning in Kurdistan is now to be enforced through destruction. This region is wanted depopulated, and the people deprived of their identity. The government boasts about the construction of multi-lane roads, but these roads are used for the looting of Kurdistan. Nature is being hawked to government supporters. The cleared areas are declared mining areas and sacrificed for profit. The Kurdish people are standing up for their culture, language and roots, they are resisting the looting and massacres."
Aydeniz appealed to the ecology movement: "The exploitation of Kurdistan is part of the war policy, which is directed against the people's demand for self-determination. No one must remain silent about this plunder. Those who remain silent agree to this policy. Therefore, ecological circles must also turn to Kurdistan. The policy conducted here is causing a crisis for the peoples of Turkey. As long as the war policy continues, the economic, political and social crisis will continue to worsen."
Greenpeace: Environmental destruction in the Kurdish region exceeds our expertise
In response to a request for help from the Şırnak Bar Association over state-imposed forest destructions in the Kurdish region, Greenpeace said, "Unfortunately, the issue is beyond our expertise."
ANF
NEWS DESK
Saturday, 16 Jul 2022
The environment in the Kurdish province of Şırnak is being massively damaged by mining, dams, hydropower plants, sand pits and arson by the Turkish military. In addition to forest fires, massive destruction operations are taking place in the mountainous regions of Cudi, Gabar and Besta by so-called village guards for "security reasons". The mountain landscapes with their unique nature are thus turned into a desert.
But while environmental destruction is widely heard in western Turkey, the destruction of nature in northern Kurdistan is deafeningly silent. The Şırnak Bar Association had now made a desperate appeal to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), the Foundation for the Protection and Promotion of Environmental and Cultural Values (ÇEKÜL) and Greenpeace to motivate them to take action against this environmental destruction.
"Not our field of expertise"
Greenpeace responded in writing to the bar association's appeal a week ago, saying that they "thanked" the association. It went on to say: "Today, environmental crimes are continuously committed in every place in Turkey. Due to limited resources, it is not possible for us to reach everyone and work on all kinds of environmental problems. For this reason, Greenpeace focuses on certain issues in order to use the support the organisation receives from individuals as effectively as possible. Greenpeace continues its activities by campaigning on these issues. In your email, you have expressed your justified concern about the deforestation in your region. As an institution, we are against all kinds of environmental degradation, but since the issue does not fall within the scope of our expertise, we can unfortunately only refer you to experienced non-governmental organisations that specialise in these issues and have done a lot of work so far."
Dams, mining, clearing ...
Lawyer Sabri Çatıkkaş, a member of the Şırnak Bar Association's Environment and Urban Development Committee, pointed out in an interview with Mezopotamya Agency (MA) that the overexploitation of nature in and around Şırnak has been going on for a long time: "The overexploitation of nature continues with dams, mines, sand pits on the Tigris and the cutting down of trees. Many places in Şırnak are under water due to large and small dams. The construction of dams has changed the riverbeds and changed the way of life in the region. Many coal mines have been opened in Şırnak. In the process of extracting coal, nature is devastated. All the pollution from the coal mines is discharged into the rivers. Life in the streams is affected as a result. At the same time, these streams pollute the Tigris. The sand pits on the river are also a big problem. Large pits are created by sand mining. Many people drown there every year. Since 2010, dozens of people have lost their lives due to sand mining."
"The Forestry Directorate is destroying the forest"
Çatıkkaş highlighted that continuous destruction operations have been carried out in Şırnak province for about two years, on behalf of official institutions. "The responsible body is the local forestry directorate [under the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry], which is also responsible for corresponding tenders. These tenders are carried out in violation of the tender laws. At the same time, they are awarded to people known to be close to the AKP. The forests of Şırnak are being cut down by these people." The lawyer alludes, among other things, to paramilitary village guard clans who profit massively from the clearing work.
Regarding the appeal to the environmental organisations, Çatıkkaş said: "We emailed them the reports we made and the photos we received about the devastation of the mountains in Şırnak. We asked for help. Even if they do nothing, we asked them to at least demand a stop to this overexploitation of nature. So far, only Greenpeace has responded. In their response, the organisation writes that they know that many crimes against nature are being committed in Turkey, but as Greenpeace they have a small budget and are carrying out some work that they have agreed to do. Greenpeace states that there is nothing they can do about the overexploitation of nature here." Given Greenpeace's corporate structure with its own energy companies and huge income from donations, it is doubtful that lack of money is the real problem.
"Discrimination against nature"
Accordingly, Çatıkkaş also accuses Greenpeace of "double standards". He continued: "Other organisations that advocate environmental protection take the same approach. When it comes to Kurdistan's nature, they all show the same attitude. Until today, no international or national organisation has raised its voice against the burning of forests or the cutting down of trees in this country. They have not taken a stand against the plundering of the region by mining and sand pits. There are reasons for this, of course. These organisations are supported by some states. This aid is existential for the organisations. In order not to jeopardise this aid, they turn a blind eye and deaf ear when it comes to the nature of our region. They do not want to confront the states that finance them. This is a great hypocrisy. It is unacceptable that an organisation founded in the name of nature conservation discriminates against nature. Nature in the Mediterranean is nature, but is nature in Kurdistan not? Is life being destroyed there and not here? If the nature of Kurdistan is plundered and destroyed, will it not affect the nature of the Mediterranean? This is hypocrisy."
Çatıkkaş called for an end to this "hypocrisy" and said: "All organisations in Kurdistan must unite and work together against this hypocrisy. We must act together to stop this overexploitation of nature in Kurdistan. We must speak with one voice. If we do that, we can stop this looting."
Şırnak Provincial Organization of the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) protested the tree cutting carried out by the AKP-MHP government: “We are raising our voice against the tree cutting and want to reach out to the peoples of Turkey."
ANF
ŞIRNAK
Monday, 8 Aug 2022
The cutting of trees carried out under the supervision of the Turkish state officials and village guards continues in the Besta Region of Şırnak province. HDP’s Şırnak Provincial Organization made a press statement in front of the party's headquarters on Monday to protest against the ongoing tree cutting in the region. HDP Şırnak Deputy Hasan Özgüneş, HDP provincial administrators, DBP (Democratic Regions Party) Şırnak Provincial Organization, Peace Mothers and Free Women's Movement (TJA) activists and numerous other people attended the press briefing.
‘CUTTING DOWN TREES, THEY CAUSE DAMAGE TO HISTORY AND FUTURE'
“Places designated as 'safe zones' in Kurdistan have become areas where laws are disregarded, and authorized persons are allowed to do whatever they want. The government-appointed governors, district governors, policemen and soldiers have unlimited state authority in these areas. These authorized persons and institutions feel free to implement any kind of looting and rent-seeking policies in these areas without any care for nature and habitats. They think that they can hide the looting of nature by banning press members and local people from going there using their unlimited authority. They not only cut down trees, but also do harm to the history, future and all forms of life in the region,” HDP Şırnak Centre Co-Chair Kamuran Demir said.
APPEAL TO PEOPLES
Demir called for everyone to raise their voice against the tree cutting; “There is an attack on the lands of Kurdistan. These attacks are part of the hostility towards the Kurds. Destruction of nature has become systematic in the region. The area has been opened to looting in a conscious and planned way. We are raising our voice against this ecocide, and we want to reach out to the peoples of Turkey,” Demir said.
“They have no conscience. They are after allocating resources to their supporters. They destroy forests citing security concerns without considering outcomes,” HDP Deputy Hasan Özgüneş said.
Protest against ecocide in Şırnak
In a joint statement, the Mesopotamian Ecology Movement and civil society organizations protested the massive cutting of trees in Şırnak province.
ANF
ŞIRNAK
Monday, 1 Aug 2022
Under the leadership of the Mesopotamian Ecology Movement, a press statement was made near the Confederation of Public Workers' Unions (KESK) headquarters to protest the massive tree cutting carried out by the village guards in the Besta region of Şırnak.
The 78'ers Association, the Union of Chambers of Turkish Engineers and Architects (TMMOB), the Diyarbakır Provincial Coordination Board, the Education and Science Workers' Union (Egit Sen) Diyarbakır Branch, the Ecology Association, the Munzur Environment Association, the Mardin Ecology Association, TMMOB Mardin Provincial Coordination Board, HDP’s Mardin and Şırnak Provincial Organizations, the Şırnak Ecology Platform, the Şırnak Bar Association including non-governmental organizations in the city joined the event.
'NOT JUST A TREE'
Murat Bilgiç from the Mesopotamia Ecology Movement delivered a speech and said, “Forests are not just trees, they are part of a broader ecological system. The destruction of forests is tantamount to the destruction of the ecological system. Article 169 of the Constitution states that “The state uses laws and takes measures for the protection of forests and the development of forest areas. It does not allow any action that would harm forests. Crimes such as burning or destroying forests do not fall under the scope of public or private amnesty.”
“The right to protect life is a fundamental principle of all national and international laws. If this ecocide is not stopped as soon as possible, we will do whatever it takes to protect nature. Forests were here before you were here, and they will be here after you go,” Bilgiç added.
'INTERCONENCTED TO WAR POLICIES'
“A policy of depopulation is being pursued in the region of Mount Cudi. We know that all these policies are interconnected to war policies. If the war policies in the region continue, nature will be damaged even more. We condemn once again the mentality that bans us from the streets and the nature of this city. We will continue our struggle until we liberate our nature,” Murat Özbey from the Şırnak Ecology Platform said.
'AGAINST THE DESTRUCTION OF NATURE'
HDP Şırnak Deputy Hasan Özgüneş also made a speech and said, “We have been saying it for years, our lands are called paradise in the Torah. It is called so thanks to its people, nature, forest and animals. It is a land where humanity first flourished. We have raised our voice against the building of thermal power plants and reckless use of coal mines. We have raised our voice against the burning of forests, and we are raising our voices against tree cuttings. The rich cronies are doing this to make more profit, building more hotels and robbing this country. We are against the destruction of nature in the Black Sea, as well as in Mersin, Şırnak, Hakkari and Siirt.”
Protest in Şırnak against destruction of nature as war policy
In Kurdistan, unique mountain landscapes are being turned into deserts by the systematic destruction of forests. The destruction of nature is part of the state's war policy, Kurdish women politicians declared at a protest in Şırnak.
ANF
ŞIRNAK
Sunday, 31 Jul 2022
Politicians from the HDP and DBP and activists from the women's movement TJA protested in the province of Şırnak against state-ordered over-exploitation in Kurdistan. The environment is being massively damaged by mining, dams, hydroelectric power plants, sand pits and arson by the Turkish military. In addition to forest fires, massive destruction operations are taking place in the mountainous regions of Cudi, Gabar and Besta for "security reasons". The mountain landscapes with their unique nature are thus being transformed into a desert.
To protest against this, the Kurdish politicians and activists made a statement at the foothills of Nimêjê (tr. Namaz). This is the place where the felled trees are collected and taken away. "Xweza jiyan e, jiyanê qetil nekin!" ("Nature is life, do not kill life!") was written in Kurdish on a banner that was rolled out.
"Enmity against nature and culture in Kurdistan"
HDP MP Nuran Imir said that the forests in the region have been systematically destroyed for two years. A special war has been taking place in Kurdistan for forty years, she said, and the destruction is part of the war concept. For a long time, the culture, language and identity of the Kurdish people have been under attack, she said, adding: "This hostility against our people is now also being practised against nature, as the mountains and forests are being destroyed. The fact that there is silence about this is because we are in Kurdistan."
While environmental destruction is widely heard in western Turkey, the destruction of nature in northern Kurdistan reigns supreme. The Şırnak Bar Association recently made a desperate appeal to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), the Foundation for the Protection and Promotion of Environmental and Cultural Values (ÇEKÜL) and Greenpeace to motivate them to take action against this environmental destruction. Greenpeace rejected the request, stating that the issue did not fall within the organisation's area of expertise.
The HDP parliamentary group has raised the issue several times in the Turkish parliament, and a total of 25 questions have been asked about it. But the government does not consider itself responsible either. According to Imir, none of the questions has been answered. "We will continue to demand accountability and will not remain silent. A massacre of nature is taking place here," said the HDP MP.
Speaking after, DBP co-chair Saliha Aydeniz said: "What has not been achieved through years of displacement and burning in Kurdistan is now to be enforced through destruction. This region is wanted depopulated, and the people deprived of their identity. The government boasts about the construction of multi-lane roads, but these roads are used for the looting of Kurdistan. Nature is being hawked to government supporters. The cleared areas are declared mining areas and sacrificed for profit. The Kurdish people are standing up for their culture, language and roots, they are resisting the looting and massacres."
Aydeniz appealed to the ecology movement: "The exploitation of Kurdistan is part of the war policy, which is directed against the people's demand for self-determination. No one must remain silent about this plunder. Those who remain silent agree to this policy. Therefore, ecological circles must also turn to Kurdistan. The policy conducted here is causing a crisis for the peoples of Turkey. As long as the war policy continues, the economic, political and social crisis will continue to worsen."
Greenpeace: Environmental destruction in the Kurdish region exceeds our expertise
In response to a request for help from the Şırnak Bar Association over state-imposed forest destructions in the Kurdish region, Greenpeace said, "Unfortunately, the issue is beyond our expertise."
ANF
NEWS DESK
Saturday, 16 Jul 2022
The environment in the Kurdish province of Şırnak is being massively damaged by mining, dams, hydropower plants, sand pits and arson by the Turkish military. In addition to forest fires, massive destruction operations are taking place in the mountainous regions of Cudi, Gabar and Besta by so-called village guards for "security reasons". The mountain landscapes with their unique nature are thus turned into a desert.
But while environmental destruction is widely heard in western Turkey, the destruction of nature in northern Kurdistan is deafeningly silent. The Şırnak Bar Association had now made a desperate appeal to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), the Foundation for the Protection and Promotion of Environmental and Cultural Values (ÇEKÜL) and Greenpeace to motivate them to take action against this environmental destruction.
"Not our field of expertise"
Greenpeace responded in writing to the bar association's appeal a week ago, saying that they "thanked" the association. It went on to say: "Today, environmental crimes are continuously committed in every place in Turkey. Due to limited resources, it is not possible for us to reach everyone and work on all kinds of environmental problems. For this reason, Greenpeace focuses on certain issues in order to use the support the organisation receives from individuals as effectively as possible. Greenpeace continues its activities by campaigning on these issues. In your email, you have expressed your justified concern about the deforestation in your region. As an institution, we are against all kinds of environmental degradation, but since the issue does not fall within the scope of our expertise, we can unfortunately only refer you to experienced non-governmental organisations that specialise in these issues and have done a lot of work so far."
Dams, mining, clearing ...
Lawyer Sabri Çatıkkaş, a member of the Şırnak Bar Association's Environment and Urban Development Committee, pointed out in an interview with Mezopotamya Agency (MA) that the overexploitation of nature in and around Şırnak has been going on for a long time: "The overexploitation of nature continues with dams, mines, sand pits on the Tigris and the cutting down of trees. Many places in Şırnak are under water due to large and small dams. The construction of dams has changed the riverbeds and changed the way of life in the region. Many coal mines have been opened in Şırnak. In the process of extracting coal, nature is devastated. All the pollution from the coal mines is discharged into the rivers. Life in the streams is affected as a result. At the same time, these streams pollute the Tigris. The sand pits on the river are also a big problem. Large pits are created by sand mining. Many people drown there every year. Since 2010, dozens of people have lost their lives due to sand mining."
"The Forestry Directorate is destroying the forest"
Çatıkkaş highlighted that continuous destruction operations have been carried out in Şırnak province for about two years, on behalf of official institutions. "The responsible body is the local forestry directorate [under the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry], which is also responsible for corresponding tenders. These tenders are carried out in violation of the tender laws. At the same time, they are awarded to people known to be close to the AKP. The forests of Şırnak are being cut down by these people." The lawyer alludes, among other things, to paramilitary village guard clans who profit massively from the clearing work.
Regarding the appeal to the environmental organisations, Çatıkkaş said: "We emailed them the reports we made and the photos we received about the devastation of the mountains in Şırnak. We asked for help. Even if they do nothing, we asked them to at least demand a stop to this overexploitation of nature. So far, only Greenpeace has responded. In their response, the organisation writes that they know that many crimes against nature are being committed in Turkey, but as Greenpeace they have a small budget and are carrying out some work that they have agreed to do. Greenpeace states that there is nothing they can do about the overexploitation of nature here." Given Greenpeace's corporate structure with its own energy companies and huge income from donations, it is doubtful that lack of money is the real problem.
"Discrimination against nature"
Accordingly, Çatıkkaş also accuses Greenpeace of "double standards". He continued: "Other organisations that advocate environmental protection take the same approach. When it comes to Kurdistan's nature, they all show the same attitude. Until today, no international or national organisation has raised its voice against the burning of forests or the cutting down of trees in this country. They have not taken a stand against the plundering of the region by mining and sand pits. There are reasons for this, of course. These organisations are supported by some states. This aid is existential for the organisations. In order not to jeopardise this aid, they turn a blind eye and deaf ear when it comes to the nature of our region. They do not want to confront the states that finance them. This is a great hypocrisy. It is unacceptable that an organisation founded in the name of nature conservation discriminates against nature. Nature in the Mediterranean is nature, but is nature in Kurdistan not? Is life being destroyed there and not here? If the nature of Kurdistan is plundered and destroyed, will it not affect the nature of the Mediterranean? This is hypocrisy."
Çatıkkaş called for an end to this "hypocrisy" and said: "All organisations in Kurdistan must unite and work together against this hypocrisy. We must act together to stop this overexploitation of nature in Kurdistan. We must speak with one voice. If we do that, we can stop this looting."
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