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Wed, 05. Jul 2006
Bianet-Spreading forest fire on Sirnak's Cudi mountain for past 20 days
blamed on military troops. Bingol's trees being cut for "security" reasons.
Sirnak Bar Association lawyers file criminal complaint to protect
environment.
A forest fire on Sirnak's Cudi mountain in Southeast Turkey that started on
June 13 continues to devastate the environment while local journalist Kerem
Celik blames the local Ikizce Commando Battalion for setting fire to the
trees on grounds of "security".
News of the ongoing fire coincides with Human Rights Association (IHD)
Bingol branch executive board member Ridvan Kizgin's claim that the Bingol
Regiment Command has launched its own campaign to eliminate trees
surrounding roads within provincial borders for a similar "security" reason.
16 lawyers from the Sirnak Bar Association have filed a criminal complaint
against the provincial governor, the Forestry Directorate and security
forces in relation to the Cudi fire alleging that officials were insensitive
to what was going on.
Bar Association lawyer Nusirevan Elci said that on June 30 they had also
carried out a symbolic tree planting campaign to protest the fire. He argued
that officials were not paying the same attention to the fire that they
would have done if it was an issue in western parts of the country.
Meanwhile, both the Foundation Against Erosion in Turkey (TEMA) and the
Association to Protect Natural Life (DHKD) informed bianet when asked on the
issue that they had no initiative with regard to the fire in Sirnak.
Celik: Cudi burned down for "security"
Journalist Celik told bianet in relation to the Cudi fire that "the first
fire was set off with a small area in the military field, around the [Ikizce
Commando Battalion] station being set on fire for reasons of security. But
the fire could not be controlled and it spread".
Celik added that as the fire was in a military zone, outside interference
was not possible and said "according to our observation, the soldiers took
no observable measures to prevent the fire from spreading".
According to the journalist, local villagers set up a special delegation to
deal with the fire but withdrew it in fear as the fire was in a military
zone. He said the fire now continued in a small area behind Mt. Gabar.
"Operations, mined areas and the war that is continuing in the area prevents
both sides from preventing the fire" Celik explained.
Cudi and Mt. Gabar are renown strongholds of armed rural units of the
outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) that has in the past claimed
occasional fires in the area were started to smoke out militants from forest
zones.
Kizgin: Trees cut in Bingol for "security"
IHD Bingol branch executive board member Kizgin said, meanwhile, that the
Bingol Gendarme Regiment Command had issued orders for trees to be cut
around the motorway in the province clearing an area of about 50 metres on
either side of a 120 kilometre and 97 kilometre road.
Kizgin said the tree cutting had started about 10 days ago and gave a list
of the villages and hamlets that were effected by the campaign.