Besta residents, who participated in the vigil against the ongoing ecocide in the Besta region, demanded the lifting of the 36-year ban and stated that they want to rebuild their villages.
Speaking at the end of the vigil in Besta, Şirnex (Şırnak) Ecology Platform Term Spokesperson Adnan Şenbayram stated that they will continue their struggle and stated, "We will continue to resist until nature is free."
Hundreds of people gathered in the Besta region of Şirnex (Şırnak) and held a vigil against the plunder of nature with songs they sang throughout the night.
Tree felling in Gabar Mountain continues in new areas. It is learned that the trees cut down due to the public reaction against ecocide were transported to different cities via Sêrt (Siirt).
The forest fire that started yesterday morning in Derya village of Şemzînan (Şemdinli) district of Colemêrg (Hakkari) continues.
Karadağ City Forest in the centre of Semsûr is being destroyed due to the works carried out by the Housing Development Administration (TOKİ) and Emlak Konut.
The destruction of nature in the region will be further deepened with the new bore to be drilled by the chemical company "Derkim Polyurethane" in Basa district. On the other hand, it is learnt that 2 "domestic drilling" rigs have been installed in the region.
Mehmet Kaş, a member of the Munzur Environment Association, warned that Dêrsim is being emptied of its people through mining, hydroelectric (HES), and solar power (GES) projects. “We must unite in struggle against this massacre,” he said.
Peoples’ Equality and Democracy (DEM) Party MP Newroz Uysal Aslan conducted an inspection in the Besta region where tree destruction continues, stating, “We observed first hand the ecocide that reflects colonial policies. We demand an end to this situation.”
The tree slaughter, which the Şırnak Governorate said "we have stopped" in the Besta region, continues.
In the Bertûl Valley, which is located on the foothills of Gabar Mountain and attracts attention with its unique nature, the plunder of nature has started with construction equipment.
Since Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahçeli's symbolic handshake with DEM Party MPs on October 1, 2024, a surge in environmental exploitation has been recorded: 2 thousand 207 Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) applications have been filed across 24 Kurdish provinces and 192 districts, with 625 projects exempted from full review.
The tree cutting that started in Komate are of Elke district of Şirnex (Şırnak) and extended to Kespiyanîş village was stopped when there were no trees left to cut. Barren land was left behind.
Residents of Kırşehir are strongly opposing plans to open gold mines by Koç Holding and Fernas Construction, fearing the project will dry up natural resources, devastate agriculture and livestock, and cause ecological disasters.
Ecologists supporting the “Peace and Democratic Society Process” have emphasized that the ongoing efforts toward peace also offer a critical opportunity to halt environmental destruction, particularly in war-affected regions like Kurdistan.