The ecological destruction started in the Cûdî and Gabar mountains and Besta regions of Şirnex (Şırnak) for 4 years continues. While fortresses and roads are being built instead of the trees cut down in these regions, forested areas are being completely barren. With the ecological destruction, the lives of all living things in the region are under threat. While trees are being cut down in Gabar in the name of oil, forest areas are being destroyed one by one in Cûdî due to coal mines.

 

While the ecological destruction in the region continues at full speed, ecology organisations took action following the "Call for Peace and Democratic Society" made by Kurdish People's Leader Abdullah Öcalan on 27 February. Ecology organisations launched a campaign in Kurdistan against tree felling with the slogan "Tu jî darekî biçîne jiyanê şîn bike (Plant a tree, revitalise life)". Within the scope of the campaign, many ecology organisations came together from different cities and planted saplings on 26 April in Besta District of Şirnex, as in many parts of Kurdistan.

 

Ecology organisations made evaluations on the "Tu jî darekî biçîne jiyanê şîn bike" campaign they started following Abdullah Öcalan's call on 27 February.

 

'ECO-PLANTATION IN BOTAN'

 

Stating that the ecological destruction in Botan has reached serious dimensions, Derya Akyol, Co-spokesperson of the Mesopotamia Ecology Movement, said: "As a movement, we started a tree planting campaign. This is a work carried out by the Ecology Movement under the name of 'green the nature'. We are actually doing this to show a reaction against the destruction of nature and to show awareness. Şirnex is a specially selected region that has been subjected to a lot of nature plunder. We are going through a process in which both tree massacres and rent and war policies are intertwined. A policy of denial and annihilation has been pursued against the Kurdish people for many years. In fact, beyond the hot war, there is a dimension of war that will destroy the existence of Kurds."

 

Referring to Abdullah Öcalan's call, Derya Akyol stated that ecological peace must also be ensured in order for the process to proceed in a healthy way and said, "In this process, capital must take its hands off nature. There is an order based on destroying and dehumanising the geography. Almost all of Şırnak has been declared a mining area and trees are constantly being cut down. This situation also shows that the war is not independent from other massacres. There is a call for peace that has been on our agenda in the last period. This call for peace is not only a call for social peace. For us, it also refers to a process that will include a peace with nature. Ecological life cannot be separated from peace and democracy. When we say peace, we also demand that capital should stay away from nature and nature should be at peace." 

 

‘THIS PROCESS IS PEACE WITH NATURE’

 

Erdoğan Ödük, Co-Spokesperson of Wan (Van) Ecology Association, stated that the ecocide in Kurdistan is a result of special war policies and said: "As a result of this war, the Kurdistan geography is officially going through an ecocide process. This is not only a Turkish-Kurdish peace, but also peace with nature. Therefore, in this period when we need peace the most, we are faced with a grave situation, especially in Kurdistan, which is being exploited, eco-destroyed and declared a commercial area. We hope that every individual will approach our sapling planting campaign responsibly and support it. This is not only the work of nature associations, it is the responsibility of all of us. From Cûdî to Gabar, from Hizan mountains to Çatak mountains, we see forested areas burnt down.  Even other living creatures, let alone humans, have fled from this war and moved to other areas. Our struggle will continue until this eco-murder initiated in Kurdistan is brought to an end."

 

'HANDS OFF NATURE’

 

Ahmet Başak, a member of the Şirnex Ecology Platform, stated that they would believe in the sincerity of the process if the state stops the ecological slaughter in Kurdistan and added, "The state forced people out of their villages in the 90s. Today, this massacre on ecology cannot be evaluated independently from the special war policy. They want people to migrate again by interfering with nature in these areas. There is a fortress and a tower on every hill in Botan. Thousands of trees were cut down for the construction of these fortresses. This massacre is being carried out under the name of ‘security’. There is a process that has begun, but still no concrete step has been taken by the state. The first step to be taken by the state is to withdraw its hand on our nature. Our struggle against this will continue." 

 

‘WE MUST DO OUR PART’

 

Mêrdîn (Mardin) Ecology Association Spokesperson Felemez Öner said, "There has been a massacre of nature in Şirnex for more than 4 years. Our nature is being massacred, dams are being built, mines are being built. We are here to stop this plunder. We will continue our struggle against the ecological destruction all over Kurdistan. There are many areas where ecocide is being carried out and these areas are being seized by the capital. We must do our part to save nature and make our geography more livable." 

 

MA / Zeynep Durgut