* People’s Democratic Congress’ Ecology Committee Member Yusuf Gürsucu writes to Özgür Gündem about the water procurement project in Northern Cyprus.

This is a brief summary of his piece.

Dubbed by the Turkish PM Erdoğan as “a dream coming true”, the Northern Cyprus Water Procurement project will carry 75 million meter cubes of water from Turkey to Northern Cyprus. The project, the first of its kind in the world, involves placing custom-made pipes over racks placed 250 meters underneath the water surface. At a cost of 1,5 billion Turkish liras and entirely sponsored by the Turkish government, the project will carry water to 97% of Northern Cyprus; the water will be used for drinking and agricultural purposes.

Ali Çetin Amcaoğlu, the Minister for Agriculture and Natural Resources of Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, stated that the project has attracted international attention. The protocol with Turkey allows both countries to send the water to other countries when it is found appropriate by both parties. He added that the project will not increase the costs, and expected to reduce the cost of water and electricity. The water will be used for agricultural purposes, especially in the district of Güzelyurt. In cooperation with Turkey, the Ministry has commenced a “plant production mission” that would investigate the economic dimensions, inform and direct the producers, bring up new crop types for production, and arrange incentives accordingly. Amcaoğlu concluded that their aim is to focus on products that could be easily exportable, and that they were in the last stages of drafting a “Water Law” that would facilitate the regulation of the incoming water.

Seized Soil and Water
In the beginning of this year Turkey rented 1,2 million acres of land from Sudan – Africa’s poorest country. The General Directorate of Agricultural Enterprises of Turkey (TİGEM) stated that Sudan makes similar deals with a lot of countries, and that Turkey is also looking into countries such as Ethiopia, Madagascar, Mali, Mozambique and Tanzania to rent soil from. One of the reasons why the land was rented from Sudan was the low cost in labour and water irrigation there. Crops that could not be produced due to quota restrictions will be produced in Sudan and brought home with a cheaper price. The Deputy Chairman of the Privatization Administration Ahmet Aksu, in a speech made last year, said, “We will continue privatizing the State Economic Enterprises.”

The method of administration in Sudan and Cyprus is basically the same. Both serve to increase the savings of firms appointed directly by the government. They are using the same method that parceled out Sudan in Turkey. It is not convincing that they will be growing fruits in the lands rented either. They will only produce crops that will be used in the energy industry. The water law being drafted in Cyprus is similar to that of Turkey. The aim is to turn water into a commodity, and increase capital reserves.

The Love of Ferhad and Sirin

It is of no coincidence that the PM likened the water project to Cyprus as the myth of Ferhad and Sirin. There Sirin is never asked what she wants, and under what conditions she wants them. It would be best to expose the plans behind this step that will never bring the people of Cyprus any happiness. We need to see that what we foresee for Sudan, that agriculture will be practiced for producing crops for the energy industry, is also valid for Cyprus. We should remember what Amcaoğlu said, that with the arrival of water to Cyprus, a joint “plant production mission” and “easily exportable products” will be their focus.