Tree Woman: If am a Provocateur, Then I am a Provocateur of Nature

Click to read the article in Turkish

While the Canada-based Alamos Gold company keeps on destructing the nature in Ida Mountains in Çanakkale, the ones standing "Water and Conscience Watch" in the mountains continue protesting by walking to the mining site twice a day, namely at dawn and at dusk.

Today is August 13, 2019. As of today, the local people and environmental rights defenders have been standing watch in Ida Mountains for 19 days. On its 18th day yesterday (August 12), forums were held again and new decisions were taken as to the communal life here.

Labor Party of Turkey (TİP) Chair and Aydın MP Erkan Baş and Patika Ecology Collective visited the watch and walked to the mining site.

We talked to the "Tree Woman", who was accused of being a provocateur and targeted by the pro-government ATV channel.

"I have been here since the seventh day. I don't know how many days have passed since then, I don't have the notion of time here. I am very hopeful for the watch, I think we will make it", Tree Woman told us and added:

"We don't have any other solution than embracing the nature, because we have killed the earth. The earth doesn't need us, but we need it.

"Nature always keeps on living, but the way things stand, we can neither breathe nor drink water in the future. We don't know what we eat anyway.

"That is why we need to stand together... So that we can live, so that we can breathe and find a tree to rest under its shadow."

'It is not a crime to try to protect nature'

To our question "They call you Tree Woman, what do you think about that?", she gave the following answer:

"Whoever comes here, I greeted them at the door saying 'Welcome', I waved them goodbye when they left, I thanked them. I think it has only something to do with me carrying parts of nature on me."

Regarding the ATV channel, which targeted her and accused her of 'being a provocateur', Tree Woman said,

"I didn't want to do something like that, but I will take a legal action.

"I was targeted, the exact opposite of what I do is brought against me as a crime.

"It is not a crime to love nature, to protect nature. I am not the provocateur of anyone. Well, if I am a provocateur, then I am a provocateur of nature and that is why I have come here."

Guitarist Kardelen: I spent my childhood here

World-renowned for his fingerstyle guitar playing, Ali Deniz Kardelen gave a concert yesterday to stand up against the destruction of nature in Ida Mountains and to support the ones keeping watch here.

Ending his concert with "Gypsy Song", Kardelen thanked everyone standing watch for Ida Mountains.

We talked to Kardelen after his concert. He explained why he came to the watch in following words:

"First of all, I am from Çanakkale, this region is where I spent my childhood.

"I have a sharp line when it comes to nature and I have come here to support them, carrying the responsibility of an artist.

"I also think that environmentally sensitive activities are generally effective.

"These activities bring some circles into line, I think that they also make a difference by urging the discussion of solutions in the media."

Emphasizing that there is a risk posed by several other mines in the region, Kardelen added, "We need to prevent it." (PT/SD)