Investigation against 81 people for protesting a landscaping project

* Photo: Yusuf Akın/ Evrensel

Click to read the article in Turkish /Kurdish

The Chief Public Prosecutor's Office of Ovacık has launched an investigation into the human chain that was formed in protest against the landscaping project that will destroy the Munzur Springs in Dersim.

While the human chain was formed upon the call of the Munzur Preservation Board, the Prosecutor's Office has opened the investigation by referring to a decision of the Governor's Office dated August 14, 2020.

Among the ones investigated by the Prosecutor's Office are Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) Dersim Provincial Co-Chair İbrahim Kasum, the discharged co-mayor of trustee-appointed Akpazar Municipality Orhan Çelebi, Dersim Mayor Fatih Mehmet Maçoğlu, Bar Association Chair lawyer Kenan Çetin, Dersim Associations Federation Chair Ali Haydar Ben and several representatives from political parties and NGOs.

As reported by the Mezopotamya Agency (MA), 81 people have been summoned to give statements as part of the investigation.

About Munzur Springs

Located in the district of Ovacık in Dersim, Munzur Springs (Munzur Gözeleri) are considered sacred by the Alevi citizens.

With the decree of the Erzurum Preservation Board dated July 17, 2008, Munzur Springs was declared a 1st Degree Natural Protected Site.

What does the project foresee?

The Munzur Landscaping Project was drafted in 2018. The Ministry of Environment and Urbanization and the Euphrates Development Agency (FKA) allocated a budget of 8 million TRY in total to the project.

It was said that the area "would be opened to tourism" and the project aimed to "eliminate the visual pollution." Coordinated by the Governor's Office, prepared by the FKA and approved by the Erzurum Regional Board for Preservation of Cultural Assets in June 2019, the project's tender was won by Rengi Construction Inc. on June 2, 2020.

The project started on August 11. However, it was prepared without asking the opinions of local people, municipalities or non-governmental organizations in the province. Even though the project mostly foresaw wooden constructions, steel bridges will be built.

Similarly, one of the two car parks foreseen by the project will be located right next to the springs. The other one will be constructed near the Gözeler (Springs) Village. Camping stand units and sites for killing animals for sacrifice and picnic will also be located in the vicinity of the village.

It is indicated that people will enter the area for a fee if the project that will damage Munzur Springs is completed. (TP/SD)