Hasankeyf Initiative Says 'It's Not Late,' Calls for Cancelation of Dam Project

Photo: Dûrzan Cirano

Click to read the article in Turkish / Kurdish

The Initiative to Keep Hasankeyf Alive has released a statement after the filling of the Ilısu Dam reservoir was delayed due to protests by environmental defenders.

The government previously announced that the filling will start on June 10 which will lead to the submerge of the ancient city of Hasankeyf.

The Initiative launched a campaign on change.org last month.

The statement briefly said the following:

"Hasankeyf has been a place for uninterrupted human settlement for thousands of years, was a home for more than 20 civilizations on the coast of Tigris river, has constituted a deep memory for humanity and is a joint cultural and natural legacy of humanity.

"Hasankeyf is a Neolithic and ancient city that lies in a large area and looks like an open-air museum the cultural and monumental structures of which were preserved until today. It is the only city in Turkey that is able to preserve its integrity that belongs to the Middle Age.

"Although Hasankeyf was declared an archeological site in 1978, none of the necessary efforts were made to preserve and hand it down to future generations.

"Excavation experts state that only 5 or 10 percent of the excavation can be done and 50 to 70 years of time will be just enough to archeological remains underground to be brought to light.

"Although all of these are known, Hasankeyf is wanted to be sacrificed to the Ilısu dam and hydroelectric power plant project, the profitable lifetime of which would be 50 years at most.

"UNESCO remained uninterested to Hasankeyf despite the fact that it meets nine of the 10 world cultural heritage criteria. Besides, the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) has become an accomplice in the cultural genocide by ruling that the subject is not within the scope of the European Convention for Human Rights.

"Although seven monumental structures have been moved away from their natural places, a giant floodgate has been built around the castle, and Hasankeyf has been damaged with other physical efforts, the remaining gigantic archeological areas and the Tigris Walley must absolutely be saved.

"Although the officials stated that the dam will begin to be filled with water on June 10, it has not begun. The public pressure as a result of the events and protests in 35 different places in the world on the June 7-8 Global Hasankeyf Action Day was influential on the dam not filling with water.

"Considering the problems in the new Hasankeyf housings and the uncompleted construction works such as the big bridge near Hasankeyf and village roads, it is not realistic that the dam will begin to be filled with water on June 25 or in July, as announced to the public in a statement on June 16.

"Even if the filling begins, it will be just for show for a long time. The aim here is to curb the struggle through a perception management operation. We once again declare through this statement that we will never lose our hope!

"As a result, in our call to the democratic and sensitive public, we expect the human reason and conscience to take action to save Hasankeyf and the Tigris Valley before it is too late." (PT/VK)