The Coordination of the Kurdistan Women’s Communities (KJK) warned of a worsening ecological crisis in Turkey and especially in Kurdistan. In a statement released on Sunday, the KJK described the ongoing forest fires and environmental destruction as an expression of a “systematic policy of war and profit” and called for increased civil society resistance.
The KJK statement on Sunday reads as follows:
“We are going through a process in which the effects of ecological destruction are increasing day by day. The reasons for this are global environmental problems such as climate change, environmental pollution, and loss of biodiversity.
A war of annihilation against our planet
The planet we live on has been brought to the brink of collapse by the human-made phenomena of exploitation and power. Policies that disregard the ecosystem we are part of are polluting and destroying our basic life resources such as water, air, and soil. Selfish, self-serving, hierarchical, and morally bankrupt approaches are waging a war of annihilation against our planet and, by extension, against life itself. The capitalist plunder system, which is based on capital accumulation, not only exploits human labor but also objectifies nature and considers it its right to exploit it to the fullest extent. Natural resources are being exploited ruthlessly, and industrial waste generated during production is poisoning our water, soil, and air. States not only provide the groundwork for companies to engage in this exploitation but also pave the way for it through the wars they wage (ecocide) and the weapons they produce and consume.
Destruction of forests contributes to climate change
Today, the destruction of forests is one of the most important environmental problems facing the world. Every year, millions of hectares of forest are destroyed, leading to a range of problems from climate change to loss of biodiversity. Trees/forests are very important for the balance of the ecosystem. It is not without reason that forests are referred to as the “lungs of the planet.” Forests are the fundamental elements that maintain the balance of air, water, and soil. The destruction of forests contributes to climate change, leading to the loss of biodiversity, which in turn harms our water and soil.
An unjust and heartless destruction
As is the case worldwide, all projects implemented in Turkey under names such as HES (Hydroelectric Power Plant), JES (Geothermal Power Plant), GES (Solar Power Plant), GREEN PATHS and MINES have, in a word, destroyed nature. The depletion of water resources, the destruction of forested areas for development, air pollution reaching life-threatening levels, crops left unharvested due to lack of profitability, increasing drought, and soil salinization are all indicators of ecological destruction that stand before us.
The production relations of the capitalist system are both the cause and consequence of this ecological destruction and catastrophe. This unjust and heartless destruction is also the cause of the ecological crisis. Today, an unprecedented ecological massacre is taking place across Turkey, particularly in Kurdistan. This is nothing less than plunder and genocide. The increase and persistence of forest fires, linked to rising global temperatures, suggest that these fires are being deliberately set by certain groups.
Crimes that cannot be justified by the conscience of humanity
We see that negligence and profiteering groups are playing a role in the forest fires developing in western Turkey. On the other hand, we know that the fires and forest destruction in the provinces of Kurdistan have been developed as a special war policy. The process that began in 1990 with the evacuation of villages continues today with policies aimed at deforesting the lands of Kurdistan. What is happening is no longer a simple forest fire; it is a full-scale forest massacre and plunder. What is happening in our country today is a renewed version of fascist, discriminatory and warmongering policies. These actions are crimes that cannot be justified by the conscience of humanity. We observe with anger how the destruction of nature in Kurdistan today is driven by both profit and the implementation of special war policies. These policies do not target our culture alone; they also target our land, the ecological systems on our land, our air, and our water. Because every tree that burns is not merely the destruction of a plant. It is also the home of thousands of birds, insects, and the shelter of defenseless wild animals.
Ecocide under the supervision of the state
While it takes decades for a lost forest to restore itself, unfortunately some ecosystems suffer permanent damage. Fires lead to the loss of habitats and the destruction of livelihoods for communities that depend on agriculture and livestock farming. It is not just a village that burns, but memories, traditions, and social bonds woven with great effort are also left in the flames. This is called ecocide. The Turkish state, which maintains all of Kurdistan under the status of a special security zone, views the destruction of forests and nature that it has itself developed as a legitimate right. The ecological destruction taking place in Kurdistan today is being carried out under the supervision of the state. There is no acceptable aspect to this destruction, which the state has actively encouraged and even carried out itself.
Ruthless, profit-driven and colonialist practices must be exposed
We assert that the fires that are started every day without interruption in different parts of our country cannot be explained by simple carelessness or high temperatures, as claimed. The fires in our country are definitely systematic. Therefore, we must intensify our organized struggle against the criminal forces responsible for these disasters. These ruthless, profit-driven and colonialist practices must be exposed with a loud voice, and those responsible must be held accountable. We must strengthen our joint struggle and solidarity across Turkey and Kurdistan. We must protect our forests, water resources, mineral deposits, land, and olive groves, which are our shared values. Only through the joint struggle of all segments of society, young and old alike, can we put an end to these massacres. We must stand up for our forests, lands, air, water, and energy—our shared heritage that is being depleted day by day by oppressive regimes. In the contrary case, our lives will end along with the destruction of nature. We must intensify the ecological struggle without remaining mere spectators to the destruction and plundering of the beauty and abundance that nature has bestowed upon us as a gift.
We have witnessed the valuable struggles of volunteer groups, civil society organizations, local communities, and women in many places. Just recently, the stance of an 80-year-old woman who traveled from a village in Muğla to Ankara to oppose a mining law being debated in the Turkish Grand National Assembly was as meaningful as the heartfelt cry of someone holding an olive branch during a press conference in front of the same parliamentary building, declaring, “If this ends, life ends.”
It is time for all of us to unite
There is no doubt that forest fires and deforestation have become a permanent social problem. For all these reasons, we say that the fires are not just natural disasters, but the inevitable result of negligence and profit-driven policies. The time has come to put an end to the cruel practices of exploitative states and companies that disregard the lives of people, animals, and trees in their pursuit of profit. Today is not the day to bury our anger inside. In just the last five years, forests covering an area equivalent to 55,000 football fields have been burned down. If we are not going to fight against this disaster, then when and why will we fight? It is time for all of us to unite our paths, our words, our anger, our rejection, our defiance, and our actions against these inhumane attacks directed at our lives and our future.
Protecting nature is essential to protecting life and the future
Let us not forget that even Mother Nature’s patience has its limits. And she never forgets what has been done. First and foremost, we women must put a stop to the ruthless exploitation of nature. We call on all women’s organizations and social groups to take up the fight against these exploitative, oppressive forces, recognizing that protecting nature is essential to protecting life and the future. Once again, we call on our people to increase their legitimate ecological struggle against the colonialist practices that are deforesting our homeland Kurdistan and handing it over to profit-driven interests, in the most effective and mass-based manner possible.”
Source: ANF News
