Evrim Kepenek

 

ANTALYA – Alakır Nehri Kardeşliği (Alakır River Fellowship) member İnci Bilgiç said that they are concerned about Tuğba and Birhan, who are threatened by companies building hydroelectric power plants (HES), and she urged all life defenders to urgently raise awareness on social media under hashtag #hayratbirsey.

 

Tuğba Günal and Birhan Erkutlu, who left their lives in Bağdat Avenue in Istanbul 15 years ago and moved to Alakır town of Antalya, have been targeted by companies building hydroelectric power plants (HES) in the region. First guns were fired outside of their home to threaten two life defenders and then the land at the top of their house was purchased and their water was cut off. Alakır Nehri Kardeşliği (Alakır River Fellowship) member İnci Bilgiç stated that Tuğba and Birhan are wanted to be intimidated to leave the region but two life defenders never want to leave the region.

 

‘Take actions for them’

 

İnci asked everyone to urgently support the life defenders on social media under hashtag #hayratbirsey and write their support messages to raise awareness for them. İnci said, “Instead of going to the region, first we should launch this action to support them, we should take action. The people can write messages or share videos under hashtag #hayratbirsey. We call everyone to support our friends.”

 

What happened?

 

METAMAR KÜRCE HES built a hydroelectric power plant (HES) on Alakır River between 2009 and 2013. Tuğba and Birhan, who resisted against the HES, were threatened by unknown harassing fire.

 

On April 15,2016, 14th of the State Council ruled that no hydroelectric power plant can be built on Alakır River because it is a ‘First-grade Natural Protected Area’.