In the Alevi-Kurdish province of Dersim (tr. Tunceli), numerous people protested on Sunday against environmental destruction, mining projects, and the exploitation of their livelihoods. The protest was organized by the Platform for Nature, Life, and the Environment. The central rally on Seyit Rıza Square began with a protest march.
Under the slogan “We will not allow exploitation and greed – we will win, life will prevail,” representatives from politics and civil society spoke about the destruction of nature, culture, and identity in the region. The co-chair of the DEM Party, Tülay Hatimoğulları, also took part in the demonstration.
Attack on faith, memory, and identity
In a statement read out in Turkish and the Kurdish dialect Kirmanckî, the platform warned of the systematic destruction of the ecological balance in Dersim. “What is happening here is not progress, it is ecocide and a project of cultural eradication,” it said.
The platform criticized that, under the guise of development, ecotourism, and job creation, valuable habitats, waterways, and forests were being destroyed and sacrificed to economic interests. “Hunting tourism, the commercialization of sacred sites, and the construction of megaprojects were not only an attack on the environment but also on the cultural identity of the region. The attacks are directed not only against nature, but also against the memory, identity, future, and faith of the population,” it underlined.
Environmental law as a new target
Criticism was particularly harsh regarding the new environmental law, which, in the alliance’s view, represents “a legally legitimized transfer of nature, water, labor, and the future to private corporations.” The law allows for encroachment on nature and water conservation areas and, with the promise of investment, further legalizes destruction.
The platform called on environmental protection initiatives, human rights organizations, and the political opposition to join forces in opposing the law: “Those who defend life must resist now—nature will not be subjugated. The Munzur will flow freely, the people will win.”
Hatimoğulları: Not progress, but organized destruction
DEM Party co-chair Tülay Hatimoğulları described the situation as the result of “legally sanctioned plundering.” She accused the government and the economic elite of using state institutions to deliberately promote mining and infrastructure projects—to the detriment of the population and the environment. In the last 18 months alone, 698 new mining licenses have been issued in Turkey – covering an area as large as the entire province of Trabzon. “In Dersim alone, 145 mining projects are planned. This is not development policy, it is an attack on water, soil, and people’s livelihoods,” said Hatimoğulları.
She also criticized the appointment of a trustee to Dersim Municipality, who is not taking action against the corporations but against the protests of the population: “The democratically elected representatives of this region are being stripped of their power to enable the sell-off of nature.”
Connection to the question of peace
Hatimoğulları also placed the attacks on nature in a broader context. She spoke of the necessary transition to a democratic model of society in which peace, ecology, and equality belong together. In this context, she referred to Abdullah Öcalan’s Call for Peace and Democratic Society on February 27 for a new peace process.
“Peace does not only mean the end of violence. It means living in harmony with nature, with language, with culture, and with everyone’s beliefs. Those who want peace must also defend nature,” she said. At the same time, Hatimoğulları called for an end to state repression against the opposition, including the CHP. Democratic space must be opened up, not further restricted, she demanded.
Resistance from the villages
In addition to politicians, villagers from Dersim also had their say. They explained that Dersim is more than just a geographical location—it is “sacred,” a place where nature, spirituality, and memory intertwine. An elderly resident said: “We did not surrender in 1938, nor in Maraş – and we will not do so today. We do not want mines. Our children should live here, not between concrete and dust.”
Musical finale
The protest ended with concerts by artists Şevin and Taylan Yıldız. Accompanied by music and traditional Govend dances, the participants reaffirmed their determination to resist. The final message was: “Dersim’s voice will not be silenced, the Munzur will flow freely.”