Parliament does not hold a general debate on the Akbelen forest

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An extraordinary session of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey (TBMM) convened upon the call of the Republican People's Party (CHP) for the Akbelen issue yesterday (August 8), but the motion for a general debate was rejected with the votes of the MPs of the Justice and Development Party (AKP) and the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP).

The proposal for a general debate on the environmental damage caused by the company operating the Yeniköy-Kemerköy thermal power plant as it expanded its coal mining area into the Akbelen Forest, was rejected, with 281 votes against while 244 opposition MPs voted in favor of the motion. 

As a result, the TBMM went on recess until October 1.

During the allocation of 20-minute speaking slots on behalf of each group, representatives from the Felicity Party (SP), Good Party (İYİ Parti), Green Left Party, and CHP spoke in favor of opening a general debate, while AKP and MHP representatives spoke against the proposal.

Resistance continues in Ankara

Residents of İkizköy and environmental activists who are resisting the tree-cutting activities for the coal mine operations in the Akbelen Forest in Milas, Muğla were in Ankara ahead of the extraordinary session. The group participated in the CHP group meeting. 

Nejla İzci, one of the villagers from Akbelen, said, during her attendance at the CHP Group meeting, "We are happy to be here today. The Parliament has convened today for Akbelen. For four years, we have been struggling, shouting, for the living beings, for the air, for the water. Because we defended our land, we became labeled as marginal, traitors. We stand for our land because we are producers. We are not just mothers of our children, but also mothers of the land. We are the mothers of each and every plant."

"The Ministry's permit should be canceled"

The information note shared by the villagers of İkizköy for the extraordinary session of is as follows:

"The Akbelen Forest, located within the boundaries of İkizköy village in the Milas district of Muğla province, as well as the living areas, agricultural lands, and olive groves of the surrounding villages, are being destroyed for a coal reserve that will be used in just 4 years. Since 2019, the villagers of İkizköy have been fighting administratively and legally, and for the past two years, they have been protecting the Akbelen Forest, agricultural lands, air, water, and soil from the expanding coal mine and coal-fired power plants in the region through their tent protests. While pursuing their rights through six lawsuits, the villagers of İkizköy also kept a tent protest watch for a total of 738 days to prevent illegal logging in the forest.

"Despite all these efforts, on July 24, 2023, at 05:45 in the morning, loggers accompanied by law enforcement forces entered the area under the order of the General Directorate of Forestry and destroyed thousands of trees in only 10 days. The İkizköy villagers continue their struggle to protect the soil, plant cover, trees, and animals of the Akbelen Forest and to prevent its allocation for mining. Their primary and urgent demand is the cancellation of the permit granted by the by the Minister of Agriculture and Forestry to YK Energy Inc., which allocates Akbelen Forest for mining operations. (AÖ/AEK/PE)