Governor of Rize extends demonstration ban amid quarry protests

Villagers in the Black Sea province have been protesting a stone quarry project undertaken by a company close to the government.

İstanbul

Governor of Rize extends demonstration ban amid quarry protests

Photos: MP Mehmet Bekraoğlu/Twitter

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The Governor's Office of Rize has extended a ban on demonstrations, marches and similar activities in İkizdere district, where locals have been protesting the construction of a stone quarry since mid-April.

As a previous 15-day ban expired today (June 1), the governor imposed another ban until June 15.

"Protests can be turned into illegal demonstrations by terror organizations and marginal groups," says a written statement by the Governor's Office.

The stone to be obtained from the quarry is planned to be used in the construction of the İyidere Logistics Center and Port on the coast of Rize in a project undertaken by Cengiz Holding, which has close ties to the government.

It is one of the five companies that have undertaken many large-scale infrastructure projects during the rule of the Justice and Development Party (AKP).

CLICK - Despite facing resistance from villagers, Cengiz Holding wants to expand İkizdere stone quarry

Saying that members of various NGOs and political parties and people from various segments of the society were attending the protests, the Governor's Office asserted that "terrorists" might infiltrate the protesters.

"It is predicted that groups/masses supporting terrorist groups will work to distort events such as press statements from and to turn them into propaganda tools for various terror organizations and marginal groups," said the Governor's Office.

It also noted that it examined social media posts about mass counter-demonstrations by those who support the projects in question, which, according to the statement, might cause "chaos," disrupt pandemic management and Turkey's international reputation.

What's happening in İkizdere?

A presidential decree for urgent expropriation was issued in late March in İşkencedere Valley for the quarry needed to be used in the logistics port construction to be built in İkizdere, Rize.

Thereupon, the villagers took action and set up a tent at the entrance of the valley, started to keep watch and took the decision to the court. However, Cengiz Holding employees, who would carry out the construction, entered the valley on April 21 and started to work for the stone quarry.

Company employees, who came with the gendarmerie, asked the citizens who set up tents at the entrance of the valley and were on guard to remove their tents. Despite the reactions of the citizens on watch, the tents were lifted and the gendarmerie barricaded the entrance of the valley.

In a short time, the construction machines started to work, and the people of the region flocked to the valley. Citizens said that the authorities of the company working in the valley did not have any permissions and that the work was illegal. The resisting villagers ensured that the construction machinery left the area with their protests.

Law enforcement fined the villagers for failing to comply with the curfew declared as part of the COVID-19 pandemic measures. The villagers continued to resist despite the fines. On Sunday, April 25, the villagers whose roads were blocked came with trucks from the forest and demanded the cessation of the activity and the withdrawal of the gendarmerie.

The gendarmerie did not withdraw and, as the resistance continued, they intervened with tear gas against the villagers. Several women were injured during the intervention, and the villagers were detained. The villagers, including İkizdere Associations Federation Chair Ziya Yıldırım, were later released. They were also fined due to the 3-day coronavirus lockdown.

Despite the resistance, it was revealed that Cengiz İnşaat applied for a capacity increase on 3 March while the construction was continuing and the 11th Regional Directorate of the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure gave the company permission to open a new quarry. Having faced protests over the stone quarry project for weeks, Cengiz Holding stated that the site for the quarry was chosen by the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure.

A natural archeological site

The quarry that Cengiz Holding wants to open is located in the natural protected area, İkizdere-İşkence Valley. The Valley has been designated as the "New Thermal and Winter Tourism Destination" by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. In the region, on the other hand, the "exemplary plateau" model will be applied by the Ministry.

Therefore, the region is considered as an exemplary plateau, a natural protected area, and a tourism area. The Anzer Plateau where the famous Anzer honey is produced, Çamlık Promenade, Çağrankaya Plateaus, and Ovit are also located in İkizdere.

The economy of the district is generally based on agriculture. The main agricultural products are tea and potatoes, but small amounts of kiwis, corn, pears, and nuts are also grown. While cattle and sheep are fed with the transhumance method, beekeeping is another source of livelihood.

Note: Six Hydroelectric Power Plants are operating in İkizdere Valley, one of the 200 protected valleys in the world and will be used by Cengiz İnşaat for the quarry, while two quarries are actively operating.

(TP/VK)