The destruction of nature in Şirnex (Şırnak) is being carried out under military supervision by the village guards. With the warming weather and newly opened roads, mining and oil exploration activities are being conducted under the guise of nature destruction in Şirnex’s Gabar and Cudi mountains, as well as the Besta region.

 

In Gabar Mountain, thousands of trees are being cut down for the construction of new military towers and roads leading to these areas. The area is being blasted with dynamite under the pretext of road construction for the establishment of oil wells. These explosions, which disrupt the mountain's structure, also threaten local wildlife. The dust generated from these explosions is polluting the region’s spring waters. In the drilling activities carried out for the establishment of oil wells, spring waters that have been used for thousands of years have been drained.

 

In an area that has been off-limits to humans for 35 years, “security,” oil exploration, the construction of military towers, and roads leading to these areas, along with timber cutting in regions outside these areas, are being justified under the pretext of “trade.” Trees cut by the village guards and soldiers are being sent to different cities for sale. According to the information we received, officers in the area are also receiving a share of the profits from this timber trade conducted by the village guards.

 

LOGS PILED UP ALONG ROADSIDES

 

In newly acquired footage, logs were seen piled up along the roadsides in Gabar Mountain. This situation continued along the road. It was observed that the deforestation was particularly concentrated in the area known as the TRT region, where radio towers are located. After the oak trees in this area are felled, they are collected and loaded onto trucks to be transported out of the region.

 

For the past 4 years, trees have been cut by village guards under military supervision in Şirnex’s Gabar and Cudi mountains, as well as in the Besta, Cilênimêja, Feraşîn, and Qaşuran regions.

 

With the warming weather, tree cutting has resumed, first in Besta and now in Gabar’s TRT region.

 

MA / Zeynep Durgut