Security forces set 31 places on fire for 'security' reasons in Şırnak 

2021-11-10 11:41:22


	ŞIRNAK - 31 fires started by the TSK for 'security' reasons in the Cudi, Gabar and Besta regions of Şırnak, were not put out with the same reason.

	There have been many forest fires since May in the Cudi, Gabar mountains and Besta region of Şırnak. Thousands of trees turned to ashes due to forest fires, and the vineyards and gardens of the people were damaged. While some fires were started by the soldiers taking part in the operations, some fires were caused by the fire opened from helicopters. While a total of 31 forest fires broke out in the last 6 months, 14 of them were in Cudi Mountain, 4 in Gabar Mountain and 8 in Besta region, the remaining fires in other regions.

	 

	PEOPLE ARE PREVENTING FROM PUTTING OUT THE FIRE

	 

	Noting that the intervention to forest fires in the region in the last year has been prevented, Mesopotamian Ecology Movement activist Yakup Tanış said that it will take a long time for nature to recover itself due to the fires. Saying that forest fires have become routine in the region, Tanış said, "After the villages in Gabar, Cudi and Besta regions are completely evacuated, the dried up grass is set on fire after them. Trees are cut down in areas where soldiers are present. When we call the authorities to help put the fire out, they say that they can't intervene since it is a forbidden zone."

	 

	IT TAKES TIME FOR THE NATURE TO RECOVER ITSELF

	 

	Tanış stated that with the forest fires that are constantly taking place in the region, there are almost no lands left for grazing the animals and said, "When there is no human intervention and after a long break and time, nature renews itself. This is a cycle. However, this takes a very long time. The conflict needs to end. If there will be human intervention, recovery can be achieved by developing projects by afforestation using endemic species. However, this takes many years. It takes almost 20 years for an oak tree to reach the level of a dwarf bush."

	 

	NATURE IS BEING DESTROYED

	 

	Stressing that the Cudi and Gabar mountains and the Besta region were a  living forest before the conflict, Tanış continued: "There were people in these areas and they were doing animal husbandry. Forest fires prevents life from growing in these places. It takes a long time for the environments to be livable again. In these ways, people's access to these regions and the growing of nature are prevented. Nature is being destroyed as a whole." 

	 

	 

	MA / Zeynep Durgut