The history of Hasankeyf, Batman province, dates back 12,000 years.
“When I see my town slowly sinking under water, my heart aches,” said Hasankeyf resident Hacer Erdem.
Local residents, activists, politicians, and artists who opposed the dam’s construction tried to save the town, but the Turkish government pressed forward with its plans.
Hasankeyf has been emptied of its residents, some of whom have been relocated to a new version of the town, where 900 new homes and 23 shops have been built.
The Turkish government approved the building of Ilisu Dam in the town in 1997, as part of the huge Southeastern Anatolian Project (GAP). The project’s stated aim is to generate electricity for the region, create jobs, and boost the economy in the poverty-stricken area.
Water will continue to fill the Ilisu dam for three months.
Related: Locals bid painful farewell to sinking ancient town in southeast Turkey
Reporting by Mehdi Mutlu
