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Wed, 19. Jul 2006
European Court of Human Rights agrees to hear application made to stop
Southeast Ilusu Dam which will flood historical town of Hasankeyf and
hundreds of archeological sites while displacing tens of thousands of people
at heart of ancient Mesopotamia.
The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has accepted to hear the
application made by the Volunteers of Hasankeyf group consisting of
journalists, scientists and jurists to stop the construction of a major dam
in southeast Turkey that will immerse the historical town of Hasankeyf at
heart of ancient Mesopotamia under water.
The controversial and much discredited Ilisu Dam project entails the
construction of a dam on River Tigris that that will not only displace some
78,000 people in the region but also flood the whole of Batmans Hasaykeyf
district, drowning and environment including hundreds of important
archaeological sites.
To prevent the construction of the dam and the relocation of Hasankeyf town
and its occupants, Atlas magazine publisher Ozcan Yuksek, Professor Olus
Arik conducting archaeological digs in the are, Profesor Zeynep Ahunbay who
is an architect researching Hasankeyf, archaeologist Metin Ahunbay and
Cultural Heritage Law expert lawyer Murat Cano had filed the appeal with the
ECHR to hear their case.
According to the group the court has now accepted the application which,
coinciding with a court case filed to stop the dam in Turkey, is expected to
boost efforts at home.
Hasankeyf should be preserved
The groups ECHR application stressed that Hasankeyf' was "unique" and that
it needed to be "preserved in its natural form" adding that it is located at
the heart of ancient Mesopotamia which itself is the cradle of the human
history.
Recalling that the location of the town was a settlement point of many
civilisations ranging from the Hellenic period to the Greak Seljuk Empire,
the application pointed out that it was also a melting pot of these
civilisations, their arts and architectures.
To be able to make these relationships and understand them carries a great
historic importance the application said. Due to its special position and
nature, these make [Hasankeyf] unique which requires for it to be preserved
in its natural state?
Urgent nationalization approved
Meanwhile, "the decision of the Ministry of Public Works and Settlement for
the urgent nationalization of the areas determined as the new settlement
area for the Batman, Hasankeyf town centre that will be immersed underwater
was published in the Official Gazette on July 12 and went into force.
The decree identifies an area where the Hasankeyf town will be relocated to
and decides on its urgent nationalization.