ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — Residents of villages in Turkey’s Dersim province (Tunceli) warn that a new mining project in the area will have a devastating environmental impact.
“These materials mix with the water resources, and this causes dangerous water poisoning,” said Hayder Bal, a local from the town of Polur. “Later this water mixes with Munzoor Baba water and poisons our water. The results don’t end there, it also mixes with Murat Su and flow into the Euphrates.”
Locals are attempting to resist the project, saying in addition to the environmental damage, it is an effort to push them off their lands.
“They want to evict us. This is the government’s policy imposed on us, which it sees as lawful,” said local Ali Dameer Kol, who notes that damage to the water prevents farmers from being able to farm.
Some law experts deem the projects as unlawful and say it must not be allowed.
“These projects are against the law. Our province has a plan for environmental regulation,” says lawyer Barsh Yalderem. “These areas are of great importance in terms of the environment and these areas have to be preserved.”
Translation by Saeed Mohammed Omar
