First visuals reveal extent of deforestation in Akbelen forest due to coal mining

The struggle of the local people and environmental activists against coal mining activities continues in Akbelen Forest, located in İkizköy, Muğla in western Turkey.

For five years, the expansion of coal mining areas in the region had been prevented through ongoing resistance. However, despite extensive protests, tree felling for the expansion of the mining area began in July. New photos from the area reveal the extent of forest areas lost to mining.

The coal extracted here is used in the region's large thermal power plants. Local residents oppose the expansion of the mine due to concerns that it will damage olive cultivation and agriculture activities, and because their villages would end up within the mining areas, forcing them to relocate. Dozens of villages in the region have been evacuated since the 1990s due to mining activities.

Five days ago, a presidential decision published in the Official Gazette stated that many lands and houses in the region would be expropriated, but two days later, this decision was retracted. It is believed that the reason for the retraction was to prevent a backlash before the local elections on March 31.

The İkizköy Environmental Committee organized a demonstration in Akbelen on March 17. Political party representatives, NGOs, Climate Justice Coalition members, and citizens from various places, especially from Muğla's districts, İzmir, Istanbul, participated in the meeting.

Also environmentalists finally managed to get visuals from the mining area for the first time, documenting the extent of deforestation. 

"A death warrant"

At the "Great Gathering in Akbelen" initiated in the new vigil area, Esra Işık read the press release on behalf of the İkizköy Environmental Committee.

"Immediately stop this mine that is expanding towards our villages," urged Işık.

"For five years, we have been on the road to save our lands, olive trees, forests, and villages from the mine. The oppression we have suffered as villagers for years has happened right in front of all of you, and it continues to increase.

"We have been subjected to various pressures from the company and the heavy violence of the gendarmerie just because we defended our land, our trees, our lives. Finally, when the 'urgent expropriation' decision was signed, our world collapsed. This decision was the death warrant first for İkizköy, Karacahisar, Çamköy, and then for nearly 40 remaining villages.

"Then, two days later, we learned that the decision, which should never have been made in the first place, was hastily retracted.

"We know that the retracted 'urgent expropriation' decision is the result of Akbelen's unbroken will, its unyielding determination, and its endless resistance. This time, besides shedding tears of happiness, unfortunately, none of us have been able to take a deep breath yet. Because what we have experienced, what we have seen, makes our doubt heavier than our joy.

"The ongoing unjust and unlawful decisions, the penalties imposed, and the institutions that fail to fulfill their duties still keep our village under the intense threat of the mine. While living in our homes with cracked walls and split columns, while the mine continues to threaten our olives, our lands, and our livelihoods, how can we trust that the canceled decision will not happen again? How can we believe that our lives will not be usurped with a single signature again?

After the statement, the meeting continued with speeches about the Akbelen resistance by the villagers, the lawyers of the case, and representatives of political parties.

Candan Süsoy, the co-mayoral candidate of the Peoples’ Democracy and Equality (DEM) Party for Muğla, and Ahmet Aras, the Mayor of Bodrum and the main opposition Republican People’s Party’s (CHP) candidate for Muğla, made supporting speeches.

Following the speeches, the participants closed the Milas-Ören road to traffic and marched towards the former vigil area at the entrance of the mining area with slogans.

The gendarmerie, turning the former vigil area into a security checkpoint, blocked the march of the crowd towards the mine. After a period of waiting, the gendarmerie opened the barricade, and the crowd, accompanied by slogans, proceeded to march towards the mining area above. This way, the mining area and the felled trees, which had not been fully documented for months, could finally be documented. (DS/AÖ/VK)