Gülistan Azak

 

DERSİM - The forest fires that broke out after the military operation in Dersim and lasted for two weeks turned many areas into ash due to the failure of the authorities to intervene. The women who came to the region where the forest fires took place and worked to extinguish it said: ‘’The war that has not ended for years in the country is destroying our geography. We will not allow this.’’

 

While the forest fire that started in the rural areas of Hozat district in Dersim and spread to the villages of Ovacık continued, a forest fire started in the Roj Stream in the Pülümür Valley and the Fırtına Veli Fountain in the Munzur Valley the previous day. 

 

According to information received from local sources, the fire that spread due to the failure of the authorities to intervene turned many areas into ash. While it is learned that the forest fire has spread to Hozat Uzunmeşe and is moving towards Ovacık, the smoke rising from the fire area can be seen from the city center.

 

No intervention to the fire in Roj Stream 

 

While citizens and Dersim Municipality fire crews responded to a forest fire that started in the Munzur Valley, no intervention was made to the fire that continued for four days in the Roj Stream.

On the other hand, in the images taken by the citizens who responded to a fire in the region, it was seen that the mountain goats that were stayed in the flames escaped from the fire.

Women who leading fire extinction efforts call for sensitivity to fires.

 

‘Forests are being burned by the state’

 

Aygül Aras is one of the women who went to the region to fight the fire. Aygül, who lives in Germany, works voluntarily in the region to put out forest fires in Dersim, where she came from. Aygül said: ‘’Our geography has been burned and destroyed for years. Living things are killed by burning in Dersim. While searching for the person to blame for the burning forests in the west, although it is clear who burned the burning forests here, no sound is heard. The purpose is very clear there. It wants our forests to be burned. The fires are set deliberately. They want to remove the people from their lands. There was a forest fire of the same magnitude two years ago. It is obvious that the forests in Dersim were burned by the state. Let’s be sensitive to forest fires and extinguish our forests by fighting together. This is my call to everyone.’’

 

‘No intervene to a fire’

 

Leyla Polat, one of the women, drew attention to the deliberate burning of forests and said: ‘’Our geography has been burned for years due to war policies. In the west, forests are burned because of rent and here because of the war. We are now in the fire zone. Except for the volunteer teams, there is no one who intervenes in the forest fires. The public is prevented from responding to a fire. The areas where the fires occur are settlements. There are people who ranch there. The animals were stayed in the middle of the fire. We do not want our geography to turn into a desert. Unfortunately, our geography, which has been burned for years, has started to turn into a desert. This is very painful. The people must stand up and give a voice. The geography of Dersim is disappearing. As war policies continue, forest fires will continue. I will do my best to put out the forest fire. I will not leave the area. I will protect my geography.’’

 

‘Our sacreds are being burned’

 

Gülseren Tütmez, who described forest fires as ‘’savagery, death, destruction, cruelty, pain’’, said: ‘’I feel the pain of the creatures killed in the fire in my heart. This scream hurts my heart. The war, which has not ended for years in the country, is destroying our geography. Our future is to be darkened. I worry that we will not be able to leave a healthy future for our children. State officials coming to Dersim are not at peace with geography. Our forests have not been intervened for weeks. Life is wanted to being destroyed. Nature is sacred to us, the people of Dersim. Our sacreds are being burned. Animals were massacred. Authorities continue to ignore forest fires. But we will not stand by as our forests burn. Today I came to leave my little child at home to put out the fire and raise awareness. I will continue to fight until the fire dies down.’’