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ILISU BARAJINI DURDURALIM - HASANKEYF VE DICLE VADiSINI KURTARALIM |
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Hasankeyfi Yaşatma Girişiminin Internet sitesine hoşgeldiniz... |
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Almanya, Avusturya ve Isvicre hükümetlerine eleştiri mektubu (11.06.2007) |
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Initiative to Keep Hasankeyf Alive Contact address: Yerel Gündem 21, Ziya Gökalp Mah. Suriçi/Diyarbakir/Turkey Tel: +90 (412) 228 96 30 - Fax: +90 (412) 228 45 09 http://www.hasankeyfgirisimi.org Contact: hasankeyfgirisimi@gmail.com
To: Mr. Gusenbauer Chancellor of the Austrian Republic
Mr. Molterer Minister for Finance of the Austrian Republic
Copy to: Mr. Matznetter State Secreteray of Ministry for Finance of the Austrian Republic
Mr. Scholten ÖKB - Österreichische Kontrollbank
(same letter was sent to the governments and ECAs of Germany and Switzerland)
11.06.2007
Ilisu project: Fullfilment of Conditions by Turkey?
Dear Chancellor Mr. Gusenbauer and Finance Minister Mr. Molterer,
After your final decision to approve the Ilisu Dam and Hydroelectric Powerplant Project in the end of March 2007 we stopped writing to you for a while, as we felt the need to ask ourselves whether or not you really heard or understood what we were trying to explain in so many arguments and details. We had wanted to clarify that, with so many and broad problematic impacts and technical deficiencies, the planned Ilisu Dam and Hydroelectric Powerplant Project could not be improved solely by the conditions that you proposed. Unfortunately, problems with Ilisu Project are still growing everyday, and we feel that you should be informed about these and overview your decision on Ilisu project.
First of all, let us clarify our stance: After your wrong decision we did not feel disappointment, but rather anger and annoyance. We are still convinced that this unacceptable decision can be and has to be changed. Even if you sign the final agreements and even if the construction starts, we will continue our struggle to hinder or stop the construction. Even if the dam walls are built, we will continue our struggle not to let water in the reservoir (just like the current situation of Yortanli Dam/Allianoi in Turkey).
After your decision on the approval of the Ilisu Project, the Ilisu consortium has published the agreement between the three export credit agencies of Austria, Germany and Switzerland on the one side and the Turkish State Water Works (DSI) on the other side. Because the Turkish version has been published only very recently, it was difficult for us to analyse the whole agreement intensively. But our first look at this agreement shows that the most weight is on the resettlement issue. It is important to thoroughly discuss the resettlement issue in all its details, but the cultural and environmental aspects are also equally important. We conclude from your approach that you accept that there is really nothing to do to rescue the invaluable culture and environment in the Tigris valley. In that framework you do not foresee a new EIA, although in prior discussions you gave had given signals that this was important for you. In the agreement it is written that many assessments will be done, but with which purpose, to what end?
Another very important development is that today still the final signatures between the ECAs and DSI are not complete. We heard from different sources and also from German (Sueddeutsche Zeitung, 26.05.2007) and Austrian (Kronenzeitung, 18.05.2007) newspapers that the final agreement is not yet signed because the Turkish side does not agree with the specific condition that the loan has to be repaid immediately if not all the conditions are fulfilled as they are stated in the final agreement. This aspect shows how little the Turkish Government is interested in fulfilling the agreement and 150 conditions involved therein indeed. Here we would like to learn: If Turkey already creates such big problems at this rather early stage, what will happen if the Ilisu consortium gets the loan and the construction works start? You claimed before that Turkey proceeded a lot in the negotiations concerning Ilisu project. We replied that the current attitude of Turkish authorities towards the project affected people can not be regarded in the framework of improved or better conditions. The DSI did not get initiate a dialogue with us and our interests are not taken into consideration, even after your decision of March 2007. There is still silence on the side of the government officials. You should always consider that the Resettlement Action Plan (RAP) is not prepared with the participation of affected people or affected local authorities; to do a sole inadequate survey (spring 2005) is not participation! The planned new studies will not ensure that the affected people will have livelihoods at the same current level.
Furthermore we would like to inform you that expropriation work and negotiations have already started at certain sites in and around the Ilisu village, although there is yet no final signature, no final settlement of the issues related to resettlement. Does not the current behaviour of DSI and Turkish Government show that our concerns and worries are justified and right?
Could you kindly explain these issues? These issues are central to our everyday lives and future, and what you are negotiating right now with Turkey is exactly this: our lives.
One of our concerns was also that in the Ilisu region human rights violations are still existing, as can also be seen through reports of different human rights organizations like IHD (Human Rights Association) and Mazlum-Der. The most recent development in this framework is that the Turkish Military declared on June 6th, 2007 three provinces close to Iraqi border, including projects affected areas in Sirnak and Siirt provinces, as security zones (initially for 3 months). According to this decision in these provinces the human rights of the population is officially limited because of security reasons. This means also that people in rural areas are subject to more restriction in their daily lifes. Such conditions are not encouraging people to ask for their reights when the expropriation starts.
As a side note, we would like to inform you that as a result of the application filed in January 2007 by the Initiative to Keep Hasankeyf Alive (under the leadership of Prof. Dr. Zeynep Ahunbay and with official support letters from ICOMOS Turkey and Hasankeyf Municipality), Hasankeyf has been selected to the "World Monuments Fund 2008 Watch List of 100 Most Endangered Sites".
Once again, we urge you on behalf of 72 member organizations, local authorities, social-environmental-cultural-women organizations, professional organizations and labour unions, to cancel the export credit guarantee for the Ilisu project before it is not too late. This would be very useful for the democratic development of our society and would open new discussions about alternatives on energy and regional development and the value of cultural values.
Kind regards,
Necdet Inal and Ercan Ayboga on behalf of the Initiative to Keep Hasankeyf Alive |