Ecological destruction in Nordiz: Living beings in danger

The Nordiz Region, located in the Gürpınar district of Van, stands out with its rich and multi-layered variety of grasses and its wide and fertile pastures, making it highly suitable for animal husbandry.

Considered an important production area in the region, Nordiz, with its unique ecosystem, is of critical importance for mountain goats, Nordiz sheep, and the Lake Van basin, while also providing a vital habitat for the pearl mullet. However, mining exploration activities carried out in the region over the past four years have caused irreversible damage.

As a result of mining operations conducted by Vefa Group in the Derbedanis hamlet of Şamanis village, the main water sources of the village have been polluted. The presence of polymers and magnetic substances in the contaminated water has further deepened the risk for both human health and animal husbandry. As the water has become unusable, villagers—who rely almost entirely on livestock for their livelihood—are forced to take their animals to the Nebirnav Plateau, approximately 15 kilometers away, in order to provide them with water.

Endangered animals

Each year, hundreds of animals die due to the effects of polluted water, while the drying of pasture grasses and the disruption of the production cycle have brought animal husbandry in the region to the brink of extinction. This situation represents not only an economic collapse but also the disappearance of a way of life that has continued for generations. Meanwhile, the natural balance in the region is facing severe destruction, and the existence of endangered mountain goats and Nordiz sheep is under serious threat. The breeding areas of the pearl mullet, which is of great importance to the Lake Van basin, are also directly affected by this process and are being pushed toward the risk of extinction.

The region is dragged into destruction

Villagers opposing the mining activities have initiated legal proceedings against the systematic destruction of both their living spaces and livelihoods, demanding through filed lawsuits that mining operations be halted. The ongoing devastation in Nordiz threatens the future of the region, and the Nordiz area—an important zone with its livestock potential, biodiversity, and natural balance—is being driven toward ever greater destruction with each passing day.