After protests and campaigns led by environmental activists from different parts of Kurdistan, the consciousness about the ecocidal politics of the Turkish state has been growing in the international sphere. Thousand of trees that have been burnt with different methods in both North- and South Kurdistan, and desertification in Rojava is being accelerated by the deprivation of water, caused by water dam politics that are drying out the main rivers of the region, Tigris and Euphrates. It is important to consider these practice as part of a neo-colonial project carried out by Turkey for the means of it’s geo-political aims.
Even though the necessary outcry by environmental and climate movements to stop the ecological catastrophe that unfolds in the Middle East is missingm, slowly the silence is breaking. In this context Fridays For Future made a step to uncover the Turkish politics with a video they shared on their social platform .
Since the video offers a quite good some up of the wide impact the war on nature and water has for the region of the Middle East, we find it worth sharing:
“While we struggle to limit the climate crisis and ecological disaster, the Turkish state is actively destroying nature and ecosystems in one of the most fertile regions of the planet,” Friday for Future said. They also accused Turkish policies of disrupting indigenous communities, making it increasingly difficult for them to live in harmony with their environment.
The Fertile Crescent, which covers parts of present-day Turkey, Syria, Iraq and Iran, is known for its rich biodiversity and agricultural potential. Historically, the region was a cradle of early civilization and is considered crucial to global ecological health.
The Fridays For Future network showed their solidarity with the struggle for ecological change before with messages for the Fridays For Future Group in Qamişlo, North-East Syria.
These are important initiatives to create awareness on the devastating attacks on nature and the effects they will have on the region. Still it is relevant to strengthen the protest against Turkeys Ecocide to be able to make the needed steps to stop it.