Şilan Özhan

SİİRT - 47 villages will be underwater along with Botan Valley, known for its historical and natural beauty, due to 16 dams to be built for ‘security’ reason. The dams, which will underwater many historical, cultural places in Siirt, will also destroy organic products such as pomegranate, peanut and turpentine trees.

Botan Valley in Siirt is taken a great attention with its history and its natural beauty by people of Siirt. Throughout history, the Botan Valley, became subject of folk music and tales, now is in danger of being underwater due to the building of dams. The same policy continues in different ways by building dams for 'security' reason in the Botan Valley, where was desired to be left without people by burning the villages for years. Historical bridges, mosques, castles, inns, mills, church remains, gardens, meadows, picnic areas and agricultural areas villages, on both sides of the valley will be underwater once the dams are completed.

 Zivzik pomegranate faces danger of extinction

The most recent excavations in Siirt, where a large part will be underwater due to the dams, have been revealed a city with a 6 thousand-year-old history in the Tillo District of Siirt. On the other hand, a large part of Zivzik Village will be underwater. The pomegranate of Zivzik Village, also identified with the name of the village, is in the danger of extinction.

16 dams to be built on Botan Stream

In addition to the dams to be built on the Botan Stream, Ilisu Dam will also cause serious damage and loss on the Botan Stream and its Valley. 16 dams will be built on the Botan Stream, which has a historical and cultural background. Çetin, Limak, Kirazlı and Pervari dams, four dams of the 16 dams, to be built from Şirvan to Cizre, have been already completed; two of these dams are in the project stage while 10 of them are in underway.

They want the region to be without any people

The villagers, who had to evacuate their villages in 1990’s, have begun to return to their villages, and the region is wanted to leave without any people by building dams for ‘security’ reasons. They wanted to habituate the local people to dams saying the local people would work in the construction of the dams and this way the employment area will be opened to the people. However, the employment area in the construction of the dams was not opened as promised. While the dams have no social or economic benefit to the people of the region, the people are forced to sell their houses and the people are forcibly displaced.

Assimilation of the people forced to migrate

The dams will also bring both assimilation and social disorders, by causing people in the region to migrate to the metropolis. The people of the region, who are forcibly displaced from their histories and languages, will be forced to live a life that they have never known. Due to experiencing social disorders, especially children will face many difficulties because they will grow up far away from their history and culture and this will cause trauma. On the other hand, one of the most influential situation, people in the region who have to migrate to metropolises will become unemployed.

47 villages in Siirt to be underwater

47 villages in Siirt will be underwater due to the building of dams. A memory of thousands of years will be underwater along with these villages. The soil between Siirt and Şırnak will lose its productivity due to dams and the production of organic products like pomegranate, pistachio, and turpentine tree will no longer be possible. The Botan Valley, which has the most beautiful view of Siirt, is a place where visitors of Siirt cannot return without seeing it. When the Botan Valley is underwater, tourism will be ended in the region.