Germany joins countries that suspend Ilısu credit
Güncelleme Tarihi:
Daily News with wires
Oluşturulma Tarihi: Aralık 23, 2008 00:00
ISTANBUL - The Ilısu Dam is part of a wider network of dams called the Southeastern Anatolia Project, or GAP, aiming to turn the Southeast into Turkey’s breadbasket. German Undersecretary Erich Stather says he cannot see how this project can be completed with German help given the issues
Turkey’s failure to abide by its promises on the controversial Ilısu Dam has resulted in the German government suspending credit guarantees along with Austria and Switzerland, reported the German Frankfurter Rundschau yesterday.
According to the report, as noted by the Anatolia news agency, the news about the "Hermes" credit suspension was made public by the German Economic Cooperation Undersecretary Erich Stather, who said Turkey had been given another six months to abide by environmental protection clauses of the credit agreement.
He also said, however, "After all this, I do not see how this dam project can be completed with German help."
Turkey needs to prove it can fulfill more than 150 criteria, including measures to protect social and environmental life in the area for the project to receive funding from Austria, Germany and Switzerland’s export credit institutions.
Stather also said, "Turkey’s partners were surprised construction of the Ilısu Dam was going ahead and the nationalization of land near the building site." He described Turkey’s actions as a violation of the agreements and would not allow "such games to be played with them," according to Frankfurter Rundschau.
Obligations for the protection of historical heritage and the relocation of between 50,000 to 80,000 people in the region had not been complied with, said Stather to the German newspaper.
The cabinet decision to confiscate land near the building site came into effect last week when a government directive was published in the Official Gazette.
The State Waterworks Authority is charged with carrying out the expropriations. The Council of Ministers based its decision on Article 27 of the Confiscation Law, regulating urgent confiscation.
Confiscation possible
Article 27 states that urgent confiscation is possible to defend the country, in situations the Council of Ministers decides is urgent and in extraordinary situations outlined by special laws.
The confiscation decision came only weeks after it was reported Ilısu Dam construction had begun.
In two photographs, the Doğa Derneği association obtained earlier this month, a heavy construction vehicle was seen together with a concrete wall and conduits in the riverbed in the Ilısu region.
"In August there was nothing along the river in the area," said Erkut Ertürk, campaign coordinator for Doğa Derneği, who added the photographs were taken Nov. 24. An official from the State Waterworks Authority, or DSİ, said the concrete wall was a temporary bridge for construction vehicles to use to cross to the other side of the river and that it was to speed up construction of facilities around the dam, such as residences and roads. The wall will be removed when dam construction starts, he said.
This information, however, was contradictory to a construction engineer expert’s views. Declining to give his name, he examined the photos and said the concrete structure in the photos was not a bridge but looked like part of a dam. Pointing to the conduits, the engineer said they may be used to release or prevent water flow.
Germany, Austria and Switzerland sent a warning letter in October that advised Turkey to fulfill the necessary criteria before they would release the credit.
Hasankeyf
The dam project, which has been on the agenda for several governments, has been heavily criticized by environmentalists, who have said the ancient city of Hasankeyf will be flooded.
The Ilısu Dam is part of a wider network of dams called the Southeastern Anatolia Project, or GAP, aiming to turn the Southeast of the country into Turkey’s breadbasket.
A high priority action demanded by the credit agencies was a comprehensive study of the cultural heritage and historical assets of the site. In a report earlier this year, experts hired by the credit agencies criticized Turkey in a report for not having enacted any broad research on the issue.
According to experts, the most urgent needs are an archaeological and historical survey of the area in which construction work for the dam site is planned to start shortly, an ethnographic survey and a study of the villages to be resettled first.
This year, surveys should be carried out where no archaeological, historical and ethnographic surveys have yet been conducted. These surveys will serve as the basis for all future decisions concerning the location of additional excavation, documentation of historical monuments, detailed documentation of vernacular architecture and the intangible heritage of the affected villages.
"Work on the construction site can not start before surveys in the dam site area and all areas affected by mobilization work have been finished," the report warned Turkey.
The Justice and Development Party, or AKP, government rejected allegations the dam would harm the historical heritage of the area and the environment, and that historical remains will be moved to a new residential area, together with local residents.
According to the report, as noted by the Anatolia news agency, the news about the "Hermes" credit suspension was made public by the German Economic Cooperation Undersecretary Erich Stather, who said Turkey had been given another six months to abide by environmental protection clauses of the credit agreement.
He also said, however, "After all this, I do not see how this dam project can be completed with German help."
Turkey needs to prove it can fulfill more than 150 criteria, including measures to protect social and environmental life in the area for the project to receive funding from Austria, Germany and Switzerland’s export credit institutions.
Stather also said, "Turkey’s partners were surprised construction of the Ilısu Dam was going ahead and the nationalization of land near the building site." He described Turkey’s actions as a violation of the agreements and would not allow "such games to be played with them," according to Frankfurter Rundschau.
Obligations for the protection of historical heritage and the relocation of between 50,000 to 80,000 people in the region had not been complied with, said Stather to the German newspaper.
The cabinet decision to confiscate land near the building site came into effect last week when a government directive was published in the Official Gazette.
The State Waterworks Authority is charged with carrying out the expropriations. The Council of Ministers based its decision on Article 27 of the Confiscation Law, regulating urgent confiscation.
Confiscation possible
Article 27 states that urgent confiscation is possible to defend the country, in situations the Council of Ministers decides is urgent and in extraordinary situations outlined by special laws.
The confiscation decision came only weeks after it was reported Ilısu Dam construction had begun.
In two photographs, the Doğa Derneği association obtained earlier this month, a heavy construction vehicle was seen together with a concrete wall and conduits in the riverbed in the Ilısu region.
"In August there was nothing along the river in the area," said Erkut Ertürk, campaign coordinator for Doğa Derneği, who added the photographs were taken Nov. 24. An official from the State Waterworks Authority, or DSİ, said the concrete wall was a temporary bridge for construction vehicles to use to cross to the other side of the river and that it was to speed up construction of facilities around the dam, such as residences and roads. The wall will be removed when dam construction starts, he said.
This information, however, was contradictory to a construction engineer expert’s views. Declining to give his name, he examined the photos and said the concrete structure in the photos was not a bridge but looked like part of a dam. Pointing to the conduits, the engineer said they may be used to release or prevent water flow.
Germany, Austria and Switzerland sent a warning letter in October that advised Turkey to fulfill the necessary criteria before they would release the credit.
Hasankeyf
The dam project, which has been on the agenda for several governments, has been heavily criticized by environmentalists, who have said the ancient city of Hasankeyf will be flooded.
The Ilısu Dam is part of a wider network of dams called the Southeastern Anatolia Project, or GAP, aiming to turn the Southeast of the country into Turkey’s breadbasket.
A high priority action demanded by the credit agencies was a comprehensive study of the cultural heritage and historical assets of the site. In a report earlier this year, experts hired by the credit agencies criticized Turkey in a report for not having enacted any broad research on the issue.
According to experts, the most urgent needs are an archaeological and historical survey of the area in which construction work for the dam site is planned to start shortly, an ethnographic survey and a study of the villages to be resettled first.
This year, surveys should be carried out where no archaeological, historical and ethnographic surveys have yet been conducted. These surveys will serve as the basis for all future decisions concerning the location of additional excavation, documentation of historical monuments, detailed documentation of vernacular architecture and the intangible heritage of the affected villages.
"Work on the construction site can not start before surveys in the dam site area and all areas affected by mobilization work have been finished," the report warned Turkey.
The Justice and Development Party, or AKP, government rejected allegations the dam would harm the historical heritage of the area and the environment, and that historical remains will be moved to a new residential area, together with local residents.