Marta Sömek 

 

NEWS CENTER - Reacting to the decision of "EIA is not required" regarding the coal mine to be opened in Dereköy Plateau, Dereköy residents gave the message, "The villagers and nature will send the decision where it belongs".

 

Turkuaz Maden wants to open a coal mine in Dereköy Plateau of Korkuteli district of Antalya. The water resources of Dereköy, one of the most important production centers of Antalya in the field of agriculture and animal breeding, are under threat with the coal mine to be opened.

 

The Spokesperson of Platform A, which includes Dereköy residents and environmental activists, Hediye Gündüz and Dereköy shepherd Hafize Kurt reacted to the decision of "Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is not required" taken by Antalya Provincial Directorate of Environment and Urbanization. Villagers said: "We will never, ever accept this decision."

 

‘The villagers and nature will send the decision where it belongs’

 

"This decision taken by the Provincial Directorate of Environment and Urbanization on May 18, will send by villagers and nature to the landfill where it belongs," Hediye said. She stated that opening a coal mine in the middle of the Dereköy Plateau, which is the only water source of the entire Korkuteli and Korkuteli Dam, as well as thousands of decares of agricultural land in the region, means "turning your back on the villagers and agriculture".

 

‘It cannot be explained by hiding behind the Mining Law!’

 

Emphasizing that the decision was against the villagers who said "We do not want coal mine" in hundreds of petitions submitted to the Antalya Governorate and Korkuteli District Governorate since January 2020, Hediye stated: "It cannot be explained by hiding behind the Mining Law made against nature! The decision was that disregards agriculture and water."

Hediye said; "First of all, the illegal decision of the Provincial Directorate of Agriculture opened the door to the decision that disregards agriculture," and commented that the decision was taken "by force" with the following words: "Antalya Provincial Directorate of Agriculture and Forestry almost forced the Agricultural Lands Protection Board to take a decision, had the board that said 'no' hold a meeting for the second time and made a decision against the villagers and agriculture."

 

‘Not the water, the coal miner’s directorate!’

 

Hediye stated that the State Hydraulic Works (DSI), which is supposed to protect Korkuteli's water and water basin, pretended that there were no water resources in the Dereköy Plateau, acted as "not the water director, but the coal miner's directorate" and turned its back on Korkuteli's water.

 

Area of historical artifacts

 

On the other hand, it was emphasized that instead of saying "no" to the coal mine in the area where the historical artifacts of thousands of years are located, Antalya Regional Board of Protection of Cultural Heritage provided a basis for the opening of the coal mine and that all three institutions turned their backs on water and agriculture.

 

‘We are insistent: Villagers will protect agriculture, breeding and water!’

 

Dereköy Plateau is located in the middle of Sülekler, Varsak and Yağca Plateau, which has thousands of acres of plum and cherry yards, and approximately 40,000 sheep and goats are raised in the region.

Speaking on behalf of the residents of Dereköy, the village shepherd Hafize Kuzu stated that they were persistent in their demands and said: "Resisting those who want to give the Korkuteli Dereköy Plateau to coal, the villagers will protect both agriculture and water and will not allow passage to the dirtiest job, the coal mine."

 

She called out to the Grand National Assembly of Turkey: What are you waiting for?

 

Addressing the Grand National Assembly of Turkey for her demands and calls to be met, Hafize finally said: "What are you waiting for to change the Mining Law, which causes great damage to nature in many parts of Turkey? Who are you waiting for? Why don’t you listen to the voice of so many villagers? While one of your duties is to protect agricultural land and water, which means the future of the people and peasants, why don't you change such wrong laws? We expect you to act urgently to change the Mining Law!”