ELÎH
The ‘Keep Heskif Alive’ Initiative and the Ecology Movement of Mesopotamia made a statement at Heskif. The statement warned that the Ilisu Dam Project, which will expose the 12 thousand-year-old ancient city, Heskîf, 199 villages, and the Dicle Valley with its superior biodiversity.
“two days later, he announced that the water will be held in the Ilisu Dam. Local people and a large number of groups in different parts of the world have opposed this project for 20 years and have demonstrated their reactions in a democratic way. Even if the project could be stopped three times with these campaigns, the government officials changed the laws for the persistence and found new resources and continued the project. ”
In the statement the Ilisu Project is described as a devastation attempt, it continued as follows: ’The responsible socio-economic benefit to the local community claimed by the state authorities is a complete deception. Not only Hasankeyf but also the Upper Mesopotamian region will not only flood an important cultural heritage site, but it will also bring about 80,000 people into poverty and bring about the destruction of the Tigris Valley, which still has significant biodiversity. The Ilisu project will have very negative impacts on the downstream region; in this context, there will be serious problems especially in the supply of drinking water in many Iraqi cities, and Iraqi agriculture will be at great risk. A serious reduction in water reaching the Mesopotamian Reeds, the UNESCO World Heritage Site and the largest wetland in the Middle East, is at the top of these risks. Hasankeyf, a cultural and natural heritage site integrated with the Tigris River, has been subjected to irreversible multi-dimensional destruction as a result of unsafe and unsound economic interests ”, said the Ilisu Dam Project.
UNESCO AND ECHR
The statement also stated: In addition to Heskîf, hundreds of mounds and ancient sites in Upper Mesopotamia, which are not even subject to research, are also targeted for cultural destruction. UNESCO remains silent in the destruction of Hasankeyf, which has 9 out of 10 criteria.
Similarly, the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) ruled that the protection of cultural heritage does not fall within the scope of the European Convention on Human Rights and became an accomplice of destruction. ”
WARNING TO AKP, CALL FOR PUBLIC OPINION
Initiative to Keep Heskîf Alive and the Mesopotamian Ecology Movement warned the AKP to stop the destruction and addressed the public as follows:
“It’s not too late for Heskîf! There are dams, nuclear power plants and other projects in this world whose construction is finished and not operational. There he struggled until the last moment and made gains. We invite everyone and every institution to stand by us so that we can make this struggle a success. In this sense, our call to the democratic public; There is a need for a participatory social struggle that will prevent Hasankeyf and the Tigris Valley from being submerged. ”
