‘Peace not only with people but also with nature’ 

2025-09-16 12:30:25


	 

	ŞIRNEX - Derya Akyol, a member of the Mesopotamia Ecology Movement who draws attention to the destruction of nature in Besta, said, “We started in Şırnak, we raised the voice of peace in Cudi, Gabar, and Besta. Our real goal is to raise the voice of peace in every corner of the earth."

	 

	The systematic destruction of nature that has been going on for years in Şirnex continues unabated. The process that began with fires continues with the felling of trees. Nature, destroyed under the guise of “security,” is being opened up for profit by those in power. Not only do the war policies against the nature of Kurdistan continue, but the plundered areas are declared “restricted zones,” forcing people to be torn from their own lands. In Şirnex, the people continue to show their reaction and raise their voices against the ongoing plunder of nature.

	 

	Derya Akyol, a member of the Mesopotamia Ecology Movement who participated in the vigil held on September 9-10 in the Besta region under the leadership of the Democratic Institutions Platform (DEKUP) with the slogan “No to ecocide, we are marching against the plundering of nature,” shared her assessment of the ongoing plundering of nature.

	 

	‘They are cutting down what they cannot burn’

	 

	Derya Akyol, who said that Şirnex, Gabar, and Besta were on their agenda, stated, “This was not actually our first action here. We had previously held the Cudi march. In fact, systematic tree felling has been taking place here for years. This was a process that began with forest fires. Later, this process evolved into the mindset of ‘cutting down what they couldn’t burn.’ Of course, this involved a process intertwined with security policies. It turned into a process of actually destroying areas where people could live. Of course, this actually evolved into a process intertwined with profit. At the same time, policies involving profit, such as taking these trees and selling them in other cities, were observed.”

	 

	‘We want peace in harmony with nature’

	 

	Derya Akyol emphasized that the region has been a restricted area for years and stated that this was the first time an action had taken place here. Pointing out the importance of the vigil, Derya Akyol said she considered it valuable that many people from Turkey and Kurdistan participated in the vigil. Derya Akyol said, “This was a beginning,” adding, "At the same time, a voice for peace was raised here. There was also an awareness and a raised voice against the destruction of nature. 

	 

	What we understand by peace is different from what states and governments understand by peace. While the 2013-2015 period was partly a period of non-conflict, police stations and fortified posts were built here. At that time, a huge amount of nature was plundered. From the construction of fortified houses to mining, from the opening of archive roads to the cutting down of trees, a great deal of environmental destruction was actually carried out. We do not accept such a peace. We always say an honorable peace. We want peace that is in harmony with both the people and nature." 

	 

	‘A peace in which we build an ecological life’

	 

	Derya Akyol points out that building peace is difficult, saying, “Because we know that without trees, we can only survive on Earth for a very short time. At the same time, the moment we create a hierarchy among species, we will also create power and domination. Domination over nature will also lead to domination over humans. That is why we are talking about a peace that will build ecological life. Today, we can say that we are at the beginning of a very beautiful process. We are at the beginning of a historic process. For the first time, there is a mass of people who want peace so intensely. Peace must be achieved not only among humans, but also with nature. However, we never imagine a process where profit is the driving force."

	 

	

	 

	Kurdistan as a pilot region for the destruction of nature

	 

	Derya Akyol, noting that hundreds of people from all over Turkey and Kurdistan had joined the vigil, concluded by saying: "Their coming here today is very valuable to us. We are also fighting against any destruction of nature in Turkey. As long as we unite in this struggle, we will achieve success together. The system attacks all of our nature and our lives in the same way. 

	 

	It is the same in this social context. What is happening here is being implemented first in Kurdistan, like a pilot region. When they succeed here, they do the same thing on the Turkish front. Today they are cutting down trees here, but they also cut down trees in Akbelen, and they continue to cut down trees in Muğla. This place is intertwined with security-related profiteering. Seeing this and uniting in solidarity will be more important for us."