HDP’s Youth Assembly members and Batman provincial administrators who were protesting the dam project, which will deluge 14-thousand -year-old historical heritage Hasankeyf, were detained by police using plastic bullets. The understanding which thinks this dam project is more important than preserving the historical heritage continues to insist on destruction and to attack those who stand against it.
We strongly condemn the detention of our youth assembly members and provincial administrators. Spraying pepper gas into the bus during detention and beating people is a product of the mentality of torturers. We once again strongly protest the AKP-MHP alliance and its Interior Minister's approach that deems proper torturing and ill-treatment of its peoples. It is the responsibility of everyone to stand against this dam project which will destroy not only the historical heritage, but also local flora and animal diversity. Aiming to destroy Hasankeyf, this dam project violates in every aspect of the Convention on the Protection of World Cultural and Natural Heritage, to which Turkey is a signatory since 1983.
The voices of those who say that it is not too late to save Hasankeyf must be heard. This meaningless and destructive dam project should be abandoned immediately to protect this world heritage. A heritage of 14 thousand years cannot be wasted for a few years of profit making. The government should stop insisting on this devastating project just to make rich a bunch of commercial companies.
Hasankeyf is a treasure waiting to be discovered in all its aspects. We urge all peoples, institutions and organizations who respect history of humanity and culture to take steps to save Hasankeyf.
We demand the immediate release of those who have been detained while exercising their constitutional right to protest peacefully.
Ayşe Acar Başaran
The Spox for Human Rights and Legal Procedures Commission
Member of the Central Executive Board & MP for Batman
12 June 2019