FightING ILISU DAM  - SAVE HASANKEYF AND TIGRIS VALLEY

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Zaman: Hasankeyf to be rebuilt in new location (29.03.2007)

Hasankeyf to be rebuilt in new location

A bill that would make it possible to rebuild the center of Batman's historic Hasankeyf district in another location was passed in Parliament's Internal Affairs Committee on Wednesday.

The committee, chaired by ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) deputy Ziyaeddin Akbulut, took up the bill in question at yesterday's session to change the legal borders of the central part of Hasankeyf, which is expected to be flooded when construction of Ilısu Dam is completed.

During the committee's deliberations, AK Party deputy Nur Doğan Topaloğlu said only 20 percent, and not 80 percent, as had been suggested before, of the district would be submerged when the dam is complete. Topaloğlu asserted that the historic sites of Hasankeyf would be available for sightseeing and tourism but that the area had long since lost its character as a place fit for human habitation, regardless of whether the dam is built or not.

In response, Republican People's Party (CHP) deputy Hakkı Ülkü also noted that the area of land that would be submerged was only 20 percent of the area, according to State Waterworks Authority (DSİ) data, whereas an archeological survey had suggested that 90 percent of the district would be completely covered by water once Ilısu Dam is built. Ülkü asserted that preventing illicit consumption of electric power instead of building a new dam to produce electricity would be more lucrative. The planned production capacity of Ilısu will be 3.8 billion kilowatt-hours per year, while Turkey loses 12 billion kWh a year to electric power smuggling, said Ülkü. The bill adopted during Wednesday's session defines new borders for Hasankeyf. The district will continue to enjoy its legal existence in its current location until the physical transfer of buildings and infrastructure is complete.

29.03.2007

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