ECOLOGY

Latest News

• Decades-long fight against quarry in Van 

  The people of Özyurt in Van province continue to fight back against the company operating a marble quarry in their village. "It's not about money for us, but about the environment and our health," says farmer Mehmet Yücel.
• Village guards cut down trees on Mount Cudi 

  The invading Turkish state's village guards are cutting trees in the Besta Tikera area on Mount Cudi.
• HPG: Devastation of nature in Kurdistan will not be left unpunished 

  The HPG stated that the occupant Turkish state devastates the nature in Kurdistan and said, “This crime will never be left unpunished. Nobody must become accomplice to the Turkish state’s crime of devastating the nature in Kurdistan.”
• 'Nature protection zone' in Van becomes gas bomb training area of Turkish police 

  The gas bombs used in the training area damage both the historic fabric and natural environment.
• Drinking water project launched in Kobane 

  Kobane Canton Municipalities Committee and Water Directorate will launch a project for supplying drinking water to the city.
• Soldiers open fire on villagers protesting a planned marble quarry in Van 

  In Van, the people of Yurtbaşı village are resisting a marble quarry in their village. The private company DIMER has now arrived at the scene accompanied by 200 soldiers and construction machinery. Firearms have been used and stables demolished.
• Land grabbing and privatization in Kurdistan 

  The Ministry of Environment and Urban Planning has put well over a hundred fields in the Van, Şirnak and Hakkari up for sale. The population should either buy their own land or lose it.
• Forest in Dersim still on fire 

  The forest fire caused by the operation of the Turkish soldiers in Dersim has not yet been brought under control as authorities did not intervene.
• Urban renewal erodes farming in the Hevsel Gardens 

  Hacı Sular, who is engaged in farming in Hevsel Gardens, said that he was able to sell his products directly in Sur without a middleman in the past, but now there is no place to sell his products.
• Forest fire on Mount Cudi 

  A forest fire has broken out at the foothills of Mount Cudi in Şırnak. The cause is unclear; it is suspected that the Turkish military is once again lighting the fire.
• Ecologists protest attempts to cut down trees in Mersin 

  Ecologists stopped the environmental destruction in Mersin, saying, "People protect the forests from the state."
• Police in Istanbul take thirteen people into custody over Ikizdere protest 

  Thirteen people were taken into custody in Istanbul when police attacked the Youth Movement Coordination protest in front of Cengiz Holding to protest the nature pillage in Ikizdere.
• Investigation finds plastic from the UK and Germany illegally dumped in Turkey 

  Around 241 truckloads of plastic waste come to Turkey every day from across Europe as Turkey continues to be Europe’s largest plastic waste dump.
• Rize Governorate bans actions against quarry project in Ikizdere  

  Rize Governorate banned the actions carried out by villagers against the quarry project in Ikizdere for 15 days.
• Soldiers dismantle tents of Ikizidere villagers protesting quarry 

  The villagers of Ikizdere, who have been carrying out a vigil in defense of their land for 25 days, were attacked by soldiers and their tents dismantled.
• Forest fire provoked by the Turkish soldiers in Hozat continues 

  After the military operation launched in the countryside of Hozat, the fire of the forest provoked by the Turkish soldiers has not been extinguished for 5 days, while the Tunceli Governorship denied the nature massacre instead of putting out the fire.
• Evîn Cûma: Turkey will cause an ecological disaster by cutting off water 

  Evîn Cûma, one of the executives of the Jazira Region Human Rights Organization, warned that the Turkish state cutting off the water of the Euphrates River would cause an ecological disaster.
• Water pollution in the Euphrates River threatens environment and human health 

  The water pollution problem that emerged following Turkey’s reduction of water flow in the Euphrates River jeopardizes the lives of the people of the region and species.
• The village of Riz faces disappearance should dam project get go ahead 

  The village of Riz in the province of Bingöl has a long history. The village was burned down three times and repopulated. Now it is supposed to disappear under water if a dam project is finally given the go ahead.
• Ikizdere residents: "They will turn the valley into a major construction site" 

  Residents of Ikizdere, in Rize are resisting the construction of a quarry. HDP deputy Murat Çepni visited the protesters.
• People begin to plant vegetables in Shaddadi 

  After inadequate rains throughout North and East Syria, people in Shaddadi have begun to plant vegetables in order to meet daily vegetable need.
• Water level in Euphrates down by five meters as Turkey continues holding back water to Rojava 

  SOHR warned against an environmental catastrophe threatening food security in the Jazeera region and a humanitarian crises which poses a threat to nearly two million and half people in different areas in Raqqa, Heseke, Deir ez-Zor and Kobane.
• People in Ordu protest against opening of a quarry in Kabataş 

  The people of Ordu are protesting against the opening of a quarry in the province of Kabataş.
• "Not a single tree is left standing in Lice" 

  In Kurdistan, forests are systematically destroyed during military operations. Environmental activist Vahap Işıklı draws attention to the situation in Lice where trees have been uprooted for days.
• Soldiers detain five villagers protesting the quarry in Ikizdere 

  Five villagers protesting against the quarry in Ikizdere, in Rize were detained.