Several companies, with the support of the Turkish government, have caused extensive enviromental destruction in Turkey. Thousands of trees have been cut down, leading to significant environmental damage. This situation is further exacerbated by widespread forest fires in the Kurdish-majority regions of the country, which are allegedly being started intentionally.
Limak-İÇTAŞ, Cengiz Holding, Kolin, Kalyon, MNG, Mapa and Ağaoğlu, all companies favoured by the Turkish goverment, are identified as the main culprits behind the destruction, especially in western Turkey. Engaged in mining, energy, and construction projects, these companies have destroyed forests, valleys and rivers.
Specific cases of destruction include Cengiz Holding’s cutting of 13 million trees to make way for Istanbul Airport and the destruction of İşkencedere Valley. Limak has been involved in the destruction of Akbelen Forest in Milas district, Muğla, to make way for gold and silver mining, as well as various hydroelectric projects across western Turkey and the Kurdish-majority southeast. Kalyon-Kolin has engaged in energy and construction projects, including the construction of Istanbul Airport, and the destruction of millions of trees for the North Marmara Highway.
Despite the resistance of the local population, these companies have continued their activities, backed by the government and law enforcement. The government has provided support through tax breaks and lucrative contracts, while law enforcement has been used to suppress protests. The ongoing struggle paints a grim picture of the extensive environmental damage caused by various companies in Turkey, with the support of the government.
In the Cudi (Cûdî) and Gabar regions in Kurdish-majority Şırnak (Şirnex), the environmental devastation has been particularly severe. Since 2020, thousands of trees have been cut down, and numerous fires have resulted in the destruction of thousands more trees. Some claim that these fires are motivated by anti-Kurdish sentiments or for militaristic purposes, such as clearing land for additional military posts.
An estimated 500,000 trees have been cut in the Cudi and Gabar in the last two years, destroying 7-10 percent of the forest areas in the region.
Concerns over forest fires have also been raised by pro-Kurdish Green Left Party MP for Adana, Tülay Hatimoğulları, who accuses the government of intentionally not extinguishing the fire in Cûdi, to clear the area for more gendarme stations. She calls for collective action to protect threatened regions like Akbelen, Kazdağları, Dikmece and Cûdi from exploitation.
Meanwhile, the Turkish Grand National Assembly convened for an extraordinary meeting on Tuesday when the Republican People’s Party (CHP) submitted a proposal to discuss the tree cutting in Akbelen Forest and the events in the Akbelen mining area. The session ended with the rejection of the proposal by the votes of the ruling coalition of the Justice and Development Party (AKP) and the National Movement Party (MHP), so the matter could not even be discussed. The Assembly decided to suspend activities until 1 October, reflecting broader tensions over environmental protection and governance in Turkey.
In a visit to the Green Left Party on Tuesday, local people taking part in the environmental resistance movements in Akbelen and Dikmece sought support for their cause to protect their lands. The resistance in Dikmece is specifically focused on protecting olive groves in Hatay’s Antakya district, where they produce some of Turkey’s highest quality olives. The destruction in Dikmece has been met with strong opposition from local communities, who emphasise that their lands are their only assets, and call for political support for their struggle. They met with various parliamentary groups, including the Green Left Party, emphasising the importance of joint struggle against unemployment, poverty, and environmental challenges.
While these government-backed actions, taken together, are having a devastating impact on Turkey’s environment, local communities continue to resist these practices, and political tensions are rising as proposals to address the environmental issues are repeatedly being rejected in the Assembly.
