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Amid ongoing forest fires across Turkey since July 28, the Munzur Preservation Committee (DEDEF), the Aegean Environment and Culture Platform (EGEÇEP) and the Ankara and İzmir Associations of People from Dersim have released a joint statement for the press.

"Forests are burning, our future is being devastated. We will not surrender these lands, which we have brought to existence with our elbow grease and will, to the plunderers," the joint statement has read.

The associations have noted that the fires that broke out in Antalya's Manavgat-Gündoğmuş, Muğla's Marmaris, Köyceğiz, Milas, Seydikemer, Adana, Denizli and Isparta since July 28 and the forest fires that broke out in an area between Dersim's Hozat-Ovacık-Çemişgezek following a military operation have brought nature face to face with a bitter devastation.

They have protested that not only is there a failure to consider the warnings about further rises in temperatures, but the Turkish Aeronautical Association (THK) has also been rendered nonfunctional.

'Destruction must be stopped urgently'

Their full statement is as follows:

"On the one hand, attacks are carried out against Kurds by using the ongoing fires as an excuse. Rejecting this racist attitude is the responsibility of everyone who believes in universal human rights and democracy.

"Regardless of their justification, the attacks against our nature and people are unacceptable. We call on the lawmakers and law enforcement to act responsibly. Coordination must be established quickly and the destruction must be urgently stopped by combining the local means; then, the scale of the destruction must be assessed and rehabilitation efforts must begin.

From Aladağlar to Munzur Mountains, from the Mount Cudi to Kaçkar Mountains, they are sarificing our nature, which has been a witness to our sorrow, joy, love and courage and colored our souls, just for the sake of unearned income by using force. Our universal human legacy is sacrificed to the greed of a handful of capital owners.

'The greed of capital owners'

"All projects that destroy nature and lead to disasters for the sake of capital owners' greed must be stopped immediately.

"Mining licenses and hydroelectric power plant projects must be cancelled. The slaughter of trees that has been going on in Cudi [in Şırnak] must be stopped. The opening of our highlands to the international capital and the change of our river beds must not be permitted.

"From the Black Sea to the Aegean, the people of Anatolia, with women at the very forefront, have been resisting. We will be the voice of incense trees, oak leaves, insects and all other quiet living creatures and shout. With its blue and green, with its all folk dances, this homeland is ours.

"We will not surrender these lands, which we have brought to existence with our elbow grease and will, to the plunderers." (SO/SD)