A broad campaign in Turkey and Europe aims Stop to protect the region and provide alternative solutions to development and energy needs. Sign the petition to have Hasankeyf and ILISU DAM the Tigris valley declared a UNESCO world heritage site at www.stopilisu.com Austria
Christine Eberlein John Wreford ECA Watch Austria Ulrich Eichelmann
DEMANDS: The Ilisu Dam Project is one of the most 1. The Turkish Government must contested infrastructure projects in immediately stop the Ilisu project the world. Presumbably designed to bring and develop a sustainable water and energy policy. development to the Southeast of Turkey, it entails the impoverishment of thousands 2. Hasankeyf must be declared of affected people, massive environmental a UNESCO world heritage site and destruction, the loss of invaluable cultural an alternative model of development heritage, and an exacerbation of regional needs to be established with the conflict. true participation of the affected population. For further information: www.stopilisu.com Switzerland: www.evb.ch/ilisu Austria: www. 3. The companies and banks involved eca-watch.at Germany: www.gegenstroemung.org must withdraw from the project and also develop higher criteria for Ilisu Campaign Europe c/o Berne Declaration, their engagement in dam projects. Dienerstrasse 12, P.O. Box, 8026 Zurich, Switzerland
Get Acti ve! and Sept. 2010 vernment zvg Turkish go ddress the thei r A and demand Save Hasankeyf‘s Cultural Heritage & ks involved . ban lisu project fr om the I the livelihoods of those who live IN the Tigris Valley withd rawal inside
TÜRKEI
The Ilisu Dam on the river Tigris is currently the lar- People Up to 78 000 people will be affected in the ILISU-DAMM gest hydroelectric power plant planned by the Turkish project area. Neither land for resettlement nor other Bismil government. The 1200 MW, 2 billion Euro project has income restoration measures have been set in place Batman become one of the most controversial projects in the yet. These people face a future in extreme poverty, the international finance community. In July 2009 the Ex- loss of their livelihoods and history, and the disrup- port Credit Agencies of Germany, Austria and Swit- tion of their village and family structures. Participa- Hasankeyf zerland, made an unprecedented step by withdrawing tion by affected communities in the project planning, TURKEY their guarantees for the project due to the Turkish as stipulated by international standards, did not take ILISU-DAMM Ilisu failure to comply with required environmental, social place. Surveys show that 80 per cent of the affected and cultural heritage conditions. population oppose the project. Current Status The Ilisu Dam Project has been initi- Culture The Ilisu project is situated in Mesopotamia, Transboundary impacts The change in water flows ated by the Turkish government through the Turkish the “cradle of civilisation”, hosting traces of dozens of and the deterioration of water quality will be felt far Water Authority (DSI). After the withdrawal of the cultures. The 10 000 year old town of Hasankeyf with downstream. The dam will give Turkey an additional Export Credit Agencies (ECAs) from Germany, Aus- its unique mergence of historic cultural heritage in instrument of power and may lead to unprecedented tria and Switzerland as well as European banks, the line with nature as well as hundreds of yet unexplored droughts in Iraq. In violation of international law, the Turkish banks Akbank, Garantibank and Halkbank are archaeological sites would be flooded by its reservoir. riparian countries were not consulted during the plan- providing additional loans, with the Austrian compa- However, Hasankeyf deserves UNESCO world heritage ning stage of the project. Although talks were initiated, ny Andritz remaining part of the consortium. In March status. no agreement has been reached. 2010 construction restarted and villagers were expro- priated and offered resettlement houses at a higher pri- 2 Nature The dam will destroy approx. 400 km of Christine Eberlein ce than the compensation they received. At the same precious riverine habitat for many – partially endan time, legal proceedings against the project are under- gered – species like the Euphrates soft shell turtle. The way.Bismil Dam opponents throughout the country are joi- Batman water quality of the reservoir is expected to be extre- ning to demand changes in the Turkish dam policy. mely low, leading to massive fish extermination, and threatening people’s health. Further downstream the Hasankeyf decreased water flow will affect the Mesopotamian Marshes in Iraq – one of the most important ecosys- tems worldwide. Companies: Andritz (AT), Nurol, Cengiz, Celikler, IlisuTemelsu (TR) Banks: Akbank, Garantibank, Halkbank (TR)
Ulrich Eichelmann Ulrich Eichelmann ???
Despite years of intense negotiations, the fundamental problems of the project have not been solved and inter- national standards are not met.