ŞIRNEX - Stating that 8 percent of the trees have been cut down in Botan in the last 3 years, DEM Party Şirnex(Şırnak) MP Zeki İrmez said: "The social reactions against nature destruction should be organized."

 

The cutting of trees, initiated by soldiers and rangers in the Cudi, Gabar and Çelênimêja mountains in the Besta region of Şirnex, has been continuing uninterruptedly for 3 years. Many areas were gradually destroyed due to oil exploration on Gabar Mountain and mineral exploration and fields on Cûdi Mountain.

 

People's Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) Environment Commission member and Şirnex MP Mehmet Zeki İrmez made evaluations about the ongoing tree cutting and nature plunder in the region.

 

'THE PLUNDER OF NATURE HAS NEVER STOPPED'

 

Stating that the state declared war against the nature of Kurdistan, İrmez said: "The destruction of nature was political. This plunder started when the villages were evacuated in the 90s. The murder and plunder of nature has never actually stopped. Since 2018, not only forests have been burned, but also trees have been cut down in violation of the law and legislation. Trees are still being cut down with thousands of rangers in Besta, Gabar and Cudi."

 

'8 PERCENT OF TREES WERE CUT DOWN'

 

Stating that the current government has commercialized the nature of Kurdistan, İrmez said: "8 percent of the trees in the Botan region have been cut down in three years. While trees are cut down especially in the summer, they do not stop in the winter. This tree cutting is carried out by the system's own forces and some forces close to the system. The cutting is against the law. It continues in some way. They cut down trees wherever they can reach. In addition, they also search for oil in Gabar, Cûdi and Kato Mountains. There is plundering of nature in the name of oil exploration. These companies that come here to search for oil use all their resources. They open the roads. And a great plunder of nature beginswith the opening of these roads. Since the law applied in our geography is a 'colonial law', no one listens to the demands of the people of the region; that is why, as a party, we will stand against this robbery and stand by our people until the end. We will continue our actions against ecological destruction." 

 

MINERAL AND OIL EXPLORATION IN BESTA

 

Stating that many areas in the Besta region are reserved for mining and oil, İrmez said: "Many areas have been reserved for mineral exploration. Many companies have taken over many parts of Besta and are carrying out mineral exploration. There is a risk of a much greater ecological robbery in the future; therefore, the reserving of the Besta region is a great risk. There are many villages in this region and if these forests are not destroyed, millions of sheep and cattle can be raised easily. Opening the Besta region to mining will pose a great threat to the nature of the region." 

 

COMMON VOICE AGAINST THE PLUNDER

 

Noting that social reactions against the destruction of nature in the region need to be organized, İrmez continued his words as follows: "They destroyed all our mountains and valleys, not only by searching for oil, but also by mining. Our people's villages are being expropriated under the name of nature plunder. If we do not raise a strong voice against this natural plunder. They will completely destroy nature here. We call on the public to stand up against this plunder. The reaction developed by nature lovers in the West should also be developed in Botan. We need to raise a common voice against the plunder of nature in Botan."

 

 MA / Zeynep Durgut