Bresser’s conduct in last year’s relocation of the Zeynel Bey Tomb did not comply with OECD Guidelines

*** The Initiative to Keep Hasankeyf Alive *** Hasankeyf Matters ***

*** FIVAS – The Association for International Water Studies ***

Summary
The Dutch NCP for the OECD Guidelines has concluded that Bresser, a small to medium-size Dutch enterprise, “has not fully met the expectations and satisfied the due diligence criteria of the OECD Guidelines” in the project to relocate the Zeynel Bey Tomb, in Hasankeyf, in Southeastern Turkey. The tomb is a late-15th-century monument of extraordinary cultural value and a symbol of the rich cultural heritage of the region. Its relocation impacts the human right to culture of the affected people. Companies of all sizes are expected to consider and minimize the potential impact of their activities on human rights.

The NCP notes that Bresser made some effort to carry out due diligence with regard to the involvement of the local community, but recommends that Bresser adopt a more structured approach before engaging in a project, in order to avoid contributing to adverse human rights impacts. In order to avoid a violation of the human right to culture, a broad consultation with all stakeholders, including the local community, should have been conducted prior to the removal of the Zeynel Bey Tomb. The NCP’s statement also confirms that under the Guidelines, companies of all sizes, regardless of their location in the supply chain, are responsible for conducting adequate due diligence in order to prevent adverse impacts to human rights, including the right to culture/the right to cultural heritage and its conservation.

Introduction
On August 20, the Dutch National Contact Point (NCP) for the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises (“the Guidelines”) published its final statement concerning the notification about Bresser. (A Turkish translation of the final statement is available here.) The final statement notes that the parties did not reach an agreement through a mediated dialogue. In its final statement, the NCP recommends changes in Bresser’s behavior. The notification was filed by the Initiative to Keep Hasankeyf Alive (Turkey), Hasankeyf Matters (Turkey), and the Association for International Water Studies (FIVAS, Norway).

Bresser, working as a sub-contractor to the Turkish firm Er-Bu İnşaat, supplied the technology and skills essential to the relocation of the Zeynel Bey Tomb. The monument was built as the burial place of an Akkuyunlu prince killed in battle against the Ottomans in 1473. The tomb was relocated on May 12, 2017, under the protection of armed security forces, as part of the controversial Ilisu Dam project, which is expected to flood the ancient city of Hasankeyf and large parts of the Tigris River Valley.

Plaintiffs urge Bresser to cease work in Hasankeyf
The organizations that filed the complaint have asked Bresser to cease all activity in Hasankeyf until a proper human rights assessment and the attendant due diligence are carried out. The plaintiffs maintain that Bresser’s contribution to moving the Tomb without the involvement and consent of the local population and other stakeholders makes the company responsible for a violation of the human right to culture. A sufficient due diligence would have made it possible for the company to identify and mitigate the adverse impacts. By moving the monument without consultation and infringing upon human rights, the project is also in breach of both Council of Europe Convention for the Protection of the Architectural Heritage of Europe (CETS 121) as well as what is considered best practice for a European structural relocation company.

The NCP’s recommendations
The NCP states that that Bresser should have used its leverage “as a supplier of essential technical knowledge and experience” and should have “ensured more thoroughly with the main contractor [Er-Bu İnşaat] and/or DSI, that procedures are in place providing sufficient opportunities for stakeholders to participate in project development and implementation.” The NCP states that this case shows that Bresser has not fully carried out the due diligence necessary to satisfy the expectations of the criteria of the OECD guidelines. The NCP further notes that Bresser did some efforts to carry out due diligence, but that these measures were not adequate to meet fully the expectations established by the Guidelines. The NCP recommends that the company adopt a more structured approach and show a clearer inclusion of risks external to the company in their risk management system.

All companies have a responsibility to conduct due diligence
This decision is noteworthy for the international business community, as it affirms that all companies, including SMEs, have a responsibility to conduct risk-based due diligence under the Guidelines. The NCP acknowledges that “the size of the enterprise does not affect its responsibility to conduct due diligence, but may affect its manner of carrying out due diligence.”

It is also worth nothing that the Dutch NCP confirms that cultural rights are part of human rights, meaning that international businesses of all sizes and status in supply chains should include the potential adverse impacts on cultural rights and the right to cultural heritage and its conservation as part of human rights risk-based due diligence processes.

The project continues to deny the right to stakeholder consultation
It is alarming to observe that Bresser continues to assist Er-Bu and the DSI in the removal of select architectural elements. On August 6, the historic hamam (bath) was relocated using techniques similar to those used in removing the tomb, but now with even less transparency/public disclosure. The project continues to exclude a broad cross-section of relevant stakeholders, including the local community and independent experts in cultural heritage conservation, from the selection of monuments, the manner of removal, and their future location.

While the final statement makes clear that Bresser’s actions and policies have not fully met the expectations established in the Guidelines, the fact that Bresser continues to participate in the removal of Hasankeyf monuments, with virtually no change in its behavior, raises questions about how the OECD Guidelines can help commercial enterprises to identify potential synergies between ethical corporate behavior and the creation of economic value.

We call upon Bresser to halt all work in Hasankeyf until the cultural heritage conservation project is conducted in a way that meets the expectations established in the Guidelines.

The Initiative to Keep Hasankeyf Alive
Hasankeyf Matters
Fivas

Zeynel Bey Tomb, new location, (from southeast, May 2018)

Zeynel Bey Tomb, new location (from northwest, May 2018)

Hasankeyf merchants to protest DSİ's eviction order

Merchants in Hasankeyf have agreed to gather at the old municipal building this morning to express their opposition to the eviction notice issued by the DSİ (Turkey's State Hydraulic Works). They continue to insist that it is too early to move to the new settlement area, which cannot at present support a level of commercial activity anywhere near that of the current market in historic Hasankeyf.
 

Hasankeyf market, March 2018

It has been a month since the DSİ issued a tebligat (official notice) ordering the merchants to vacate their present stores. Pressure is mounting. A few Hasankeyf residents have been forced to move from their homes on Dicle Sokak, and these houses have been demolished to make way for the removal of architectural elements.

Demolition of homes along Dicle Sokak (21 March 2018)

To force the merchants out of their current locations before the new settlement area can support commercial activity would potentially violate the universal human right to work (as outlined in our letter to DSİ executives two weeks ago). The universal right to work is guaranteed by Turkey's 1982 Constitution (e.g., IV. Freedom to work and make contracts, Article 48; V. Work-related Provisions, Article 49).

The level of economic injustice perpetrated by the state (according to procedures defined in a Council of State Declaration issued in 2015 and amended in 2016) is completely out of line with international conventions and standards for sustainable economic development:

• Some Hasankeyf merchants have not been allowed to purchase new commercial property because they reside in surrounding villages and were, therefore, excluded from the compensation and relocation plan set up for Hasankeyf residents.
• Others report that they have been the denied the right to buy commercial property because they are not married.
• Some local entrepreneurs who have been operating various businesses in Hasankeyf for years have nonetheless been prevented from buying property due to bureaucratic technicalities (e.g., missing the cut-off date for registering a business, which was several years before the announcement in 2015 of procedures for resettlement).
• A number of business owners have borrowed money to purchase equipment and/or merchandise and worry that they face severe financial hardship, or ruin, if they are not able to continue doing business in their current location.

An unofficial English translation of the 2015 Council of State Declaration is available here.

We reiterate our hope that the merchants of Hasankeyf will be allowed to conduct business in their current locations at least until the cultural heritage conservation project is nearing completion and the majority of residents of Hasankeyf have moved to the new settlement area.

The route for removal of monuments is under construction (March 2018) 

Open letter to DSI: Forced eviction of Hasankeyf merchants would violate the universal right to work

*** The Initiative to Keep Hasankeyf Alive *** Hasankeyf Matters ***

*** Fivas – The Association for International Water Studies ***

*** The Corner House *** Riverwatch ***

OPEN LETTER

RE: Forced eviction of Hasankeyf merchants 

would violate the universal right to work

5 March 2018

To:
Mr. Murat Acu, General Director
State Hydraulic Works (DSİ)

Mr. Ali Naci Kösalı, Region 16 Director
State Hydraulic Works (DSİ)

Mr. Şehmus Erkan Dursun, Hasankeyf Branch Director
State Hydraulic Works (DSİ)

CC:
Prof. Dr. Veysel Eroğlu
Minister of Forestry and Water Affairs

Mr. Ahmet Deniz
Governor of Batman

Mr. Faruk Bülent Baygüven
District Governor of Hasankeyf

Dear Mr. Acu:
Dear Mr. Kösalı:
Dear Mr. Dursun:

We write to you to express our concern about the official notice (tebligat) of 22 February ordering merchants to vacate their shops in the historic touristic bazaar of Hasankeyf within two weeks. The notice warns that failure to comply will result in forced eviction. Such action would constitute a flagrant violation of the right to work, which is enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (Article 23). [Also published in Turkish]. Case law of the European Court of Human Rights protects aspects of the right to work.

We note that the new settlement area is still under construction and cannot support a level of commercial activity equivalent to that currently enjoyed in the historic touristic bazaar. We also note that Turkey has ratified the International Convention on Social, Economic and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) and is obligated to respect, protect and fulfill the right to work.

Of particular relevance to the present situation in Hasankeyf is the fact that under Article 6 of the ICESCR, Turkey is committed to safeguarding the right to work by, among other measures, implementing “policies and techniques to achieve steady economic, social and cultural development and full and productive employment under conditions safeguarding fundamental political and economic freedoms to the individual.”

The right to work “also implies the right not to be unfairly deprived of employment,” (ICESCR General Comment No. 18, paragraph 6). Should the government force the merchants out of their current location now or at any time prior to the installation and operation of facilities/services necessary to support and promote commercial activity in the new settlement area, it will have deprived the merchants, their families and the entire community of Hasankeyf of economic well-being and diminished their sense of dignity. Consequently, these merchants will be “entitled to adequate reparation, which may take the form of restitution, compensation, satisfaction or a guarantee of non-repetition” (General Comment No. 18, ICESCR, paragraph 48).

We refer also to the UN “Basic Principles and Guidelines on Development-based Evictions and Displacements.” As this is a situation in which the merchants (and all residents) of Hasankeyf are compelled to relinquish their property through expropriation, the state is obligated to compensate those displaced for various damages they suffer as a result of their involuntary displacement. Such damages include, for example: “lost opportunities, including employment, education and social benefits; material damages and loss of earnings, including loss of earning potential; moral damage; and costs required for legal or expert assistance, medicine and medical services, and psychological and social services” (paragraph 60, emphasis added).

These Guidelines also state, “Cash compensation should under no circumstances replace real compensation in the form of land and common property resources. Where land has been taken, the evicted should be compensated with land commensurate in quality, size and value, or better” (paragraph 60, emphasis added).

Notwithstanding Turkey’s obligation to compensate any and all whose economic well-being is to be diminished (in many cases irreparably) by the Ilısu Dam and Hydroelectric Plant Project, the merchants of Hasankeyf have proposed an interim solution, which would lessen to some extent the damage to their economic, social and cultural interests.

According to this proposal, the merchants would continue to conduct business in the historic market until the people of Hasankeyf have taken up residence in their new homes and the monuments to be salvaged (with the exception of the minaret of the Er-Rızk Mosque) have been relocated to the new settlement area. This would not only enable the touristic market to continue drawing visitors to the town, but it would also allow for a degree of social and economic continuity during the difficult transition to the new settlement area.

In conclusion, we call upon you to exercise the utmost care in planning and executing the relocation of the residents of Hasankeyf to their new homes and workplaces. You, as the state authorities managing the Ilısu Dam project, are responsible for safeguarding the human rights of all those affected by the project. In cases where these rights are violated, you are responsible for ensuring that those who have suffered harm are compensated appropriately.

Signed

Hasankeyf Matters
The Initiative to Keep Hasankeyf Alive
Fivas – The Association for International Water Studies, Norway
The Corner House, United Kingdom
Riverwatch, Austria

Er-Rızk Mosque, Hasankeyf (built 1409)

Eviction threat looms over merchants in Hasankeyf’s historic bazaar

Every weekend, a steady, if modest stream of tourists still visits Hasankeyf, despite the accelerating destruction in and around the town. They buy souvenirs in the historic bazaar and enjoy a cup of tea or a meal. But local residents say the government has given merchants along the “touristic bazaar” an ultimatum: vacate their shops within two weeks, or be forcibly evicted.

Hasankeyf's historic market (Fall 2017)

Previous announcements set deadlines of 1 October 2017 and 17 January 2018 for closing the bazaar ahead of the town’s planned move to a new settlement area outside of the flooding zone. But last week’s notification (dated 22 February) is said to be stronger, warning that merchants could be evicted by force if they do not comply. Shopkeepers are understandably hesitant to abandon their workplaces, especially as peak season approaches; some are saying, “We’re not going.”

The new Hasankeyf marketplace (Feb 2018)

Many merchants have been allocated spaces for their shops in the new settlement area, but there are no customers to serve in the new marketplace, which sits near the tourism school, within view of the new museum. Neither facility has opened. In fact, the new town is still under construction, and it will be years before major tourism attractions such as the museum and an “archaeopark” (where a handful of architectural elements taken from historic Hasankeyf will be displayed) are ready for visitors. The merchants know that their incomes will drop sharply as soon as they close their current shops.

New housing is still under construction (Feb 2018)

The ostensible reason for evicting the merchants at this early date is to demolish the market and clear a path for the removal of the minaret of the Rizk Mosque, which stands at the western end of the market street. Several local residents have noted, however, that the state has not expropriated all properties along the market street, as some owners have rejected the government’s cash offers. The path cannot be fully cleared until these cases are resolved.

Some shop owners argue further that the minaret should not be moved until after the other monuments to be salvaged have been relocated to the new archaeological park and the Hasankeyf residents settled in their new homes. This would enable the bazaar to continue drawing visitors to the town, allowing for a degree of social and economic continuity during the difficult transition to the new settlement area.

Unfortunately, local residents report that recent conversations with government officials have been especially tense, and they fear that the market could be closed forcibly early this month. We hope that the authorities will find a way for Hasankeyf merchants to keep earning a living and providing for their families.

Europa Nostra’s Board gives statement on the endangered heritage site of Hasankeyf, Turkey

The Hague, 29 June 2017 — The Board of Europa Nostra, the leading heritage organisation in Europe, made a statement about the Ancient city of Hasankeyf and its surroundings in Turkey, listed among the 7 Most Endangered heritage sites in Europe in 2016, following a nomination by the Cultural Awareness Foundation. In their statement, the Board of Europa Nostra deeply deplores the decision of the Turkish government to build a dam that would lead to the flooding of a site of world significance, without proper and transparent justification and without adequate compensation measures. In particular, the Board regrets that the removal of the Zeynel Bay Tomb has been carried out with insufficient consultation with the local and scholarly communities and that other Islamic monuments of great significance remain highly endangered. The Board of Europa Nostra urges the Turkish authorities to adhere to the standards of heritage protection that are included in the European Conventions and to set up a proper consultation process with local communities and civil society organisations concerned in an open and transparent manner.

Koç Mosque and Sultan Süleyman Mosque (center);
minaret of Er-Rizk Mosque (left)

Statement by the Board of Europa Nostra

The Board of Europa Nostra, meeting on 14 May 2017 in the framework of the Europa Nostra’s European Heritage Congress in Turku, Finland, was advised that the longstanding intention of the Turkish Government to move the Zeynel Bay Tomb, a monument featuring Timurid tradition, has now been completed, as part of the ongoing government project to build a dam that will lead to the flooding of the archaeologically and architecturally important site of Hasankeyf on the river Tigris.

It is to be regretted that this removal has been carried out without sufficient documentation having been provided and certainly with insufficient consultation either with the local or with the scholarly community, both of which believe that the value of the site of Hasankeyf is far greater than the benefits to be obtained by its flooding. It is to be even more regretted that other Islamic monuments of great significance including the medieval bridge of the 12th century of the Artukid dynasty, the 15th century mosque complex and tomb of the Ayyubid Sultan Süleyman and the Imam Abdullah tomb, remain at risk. For all these reasons, Hasankeyf was included on its 2016 List of 7 Most Endangered sites in Europe, as part of the programme run by Europa Nostra in partnership with the EIB Institute and the Council of Europe Development Bank.

The Europa Nostra Board also deplores the fact that the law recently passed by the Turkish Grand National Assembly overrules the decision taken by the Turkish courts in 2013 that the relevant Environmental Impact Assessment Report was inadequate.

In the light of the above worrying developments, Europa Nostra Board states the following:

1) The foreseen flooding of Hasankeyf would destroy evidence for one of the oldest organised human settlements ever discovered. Such a site is not just of national and European but of world significance. Therefore, we believe that it is incumbent not only on Turkey but on the entire international community to ensure its safeguard.

2) Hasankeyf possesses one of the richest treasures of Islamic monuments in any country member of the Council of Europe. Acknowledging and affirming the value of this heritage for Europe’s shared cultural heritage, we deeply deplore the decision of the government of Turkey, a Member State of the Council of Europe, to build a dam which would lead to the flooding of such a site and, as a consequence, to the loss of one of the most valuable witnesses of Islamic heritage in a European country, without proper and transparent justification and without adequate compensation measures.

3) We urge the Turkish authorities to adhere to the principles and standards of heritage protection which are included in the European Conventions adopted under the auspices of the Council of Europe and of which Turkey is a signatory (namely the Granada Convention and the Valletta Convention). We also make a strong appeal to the Turkish authorities to set up a proper consultation process with local communities and civil society organisations concerned in an open and transparent manner. It is by now very late but applying best international practice to this case of outstanding but endangered heritage could still be beneficial.

CONTACTS:

Europa Nostra
Joana Pinheiro
Communications Coordinator
E: jp@europanostra.org
T: +31 63 43 65 985, M: + 31 6 34 36 59 85

Hasankeyf Matters
John Crofoot
Co-founder
E: johncrofoot@yahoo.com
T: +1 404 831 7757, +90 542 285 85 67

TO FIND OUT MORE:

www.europanostra.org
7mostendangered.eu
Facebook: Europa Nostra
Twitter: @europanostra
Flickr: europanostra

www.hasankeyfmatters.com
Facebook: Hasankeyf Matters
Twitter: @HKMatters

BACKGROUND:

About Europa Nostra
Europa Nostra is the pan-European federation of heritage NGOs which is also supported by a wide network of public bodies, private companies and individuals. Covering more than 40 countries in Europe, Europa Nostra is the voice of civil society committed to safeguarding and promoting Europe’s cultural and natural heritage. Maestro Plácido Domingo is the President of the organisation. Founded in 1963, Europa Nostra is today recognised as the most representative heritage network in Europe. We campaign to save Europe's endangered monuments, sites and landscapes, in particular through the 7 Most Endangered programme. We celebrate excellence through the EU Prize for Cultural Heritage / Europa Nostra Awards. We also contribute to the formulation and implementation of European strategies and policies related to heritage, through a structured dialogue with European Institutions and the coordination of the European Heritage Alliance 3.3.

About Hasankeyf Matters
Hasankeyf Matters was formed in Istanbul in 2012 with the goal of consolidating information about Hasankeyf, its history and its potential for economic development. With volunteers based in Hasankeyf as well Istanbul, Hasankeyf Matters has organised twice-yearly “ingatherings” in Hasankeyf to attract visitors and showcase elements of traditional life (e.g. gardening, herding, fishing, foraging) that could serve as the foundation for commercial services for tourists. Hasankeyf Matters partnered with The Initiative to Keep Hasankeyf Alive and the Cultural Awareness Foundation (a Turkish NGO) in the successful nomination of Hasankeyf for the 7 Most Endangered programme run by Europa Nostra in partnership with the European Investment Bank Institute and with the support of the Creative Europe programme of the European Union.

About Hasankeyf
Hasankeyf, sitting on the banks of the River Tigris, is one of the most important architectural and archaeological sites in Europe, boasting a rich biodiversity and 12,000 years of human history. Masterpieces of Islamic architecture, dating from the 12th to 15th centuries C.E., make the town one of the best preserved witnesses to Seljuk urban culture, particularly from the Artukid and Ayyubid dynasties.

A small town with a great heritage, Hasankeyf already attracts about 500.000 visitors each year, a number expected to rise. Given its historical, architectural and economic significance for the region, public opinion supports its preservation. The area was declared a First Degree Archaeological Site by Turkey’s Supreme Board of Monuments in 1978 and has been under the protection of the Culture Ministry’s General Directorate of Antiquities and Museums since 1981.

The urgent threat to Hasankeyf is posed by the Ilısu dam hydroelectric power project which, if implemented as planned, would submerge the site under 65 metres of water by 2018. The Government of Turkey has a vision for salvaging selected monuments and developing the site as a prestigious destination. However, Hasankeyf’s preservation in its original location might prove more economically advantageous than the dam, and its cultural significance for Turkey is incomparable.

What will you do for Hasankeyf?

With a history reaching back 11,500 years, the cultural heritage of Hasankeyf is a vital resource for building peace. Unfortunately, the site is under threat of flooding by the controversial and massive Ilısu Dam and Hydroelectric Power Plant (HEPP) project. Inscription of Hasankeyf and its environs as a UNESCO World Heritage site, along with other conservation measures, can ensure that Hasankeyf lives. We ask for your support in advocating for these protections.

Hasankeyf: Ayyubid Mosques and Artukid Bridge

Cultural heritage and dialogue

Little is known about the history of Hasankeyf between the time of its first settlement in 9,500 BCE and the Romans’ use of “Kifas” – or “Rock”, as it was known in Eastern Aramaic – as a defense outpost. In the 4th century CE, Constantinius II built a palace and chapel on the solid rock mount. The naturally fortified city grew and prospered, became the seat of a Syriac Christian (Nestorian) bishop in the 5th century and participated in the Ecumenical Council of Chalcedon in 451. Following the Islamic conquest in the 7th century, a succession of Arab, Kurdish and Turkmen dynasties ruled the city. Christians, however, remained a significant proportion of the population until recently. Today, most Hasankeyf residents speak three languages: Kurdish, Arabic and Turkish.

Europa Nostra has selected Hasankeyf as one of Europe’s 7 Most Endangered sites for 2016.

A synthesis of Arab, Persian and Central Asian influences

Hasankeyf displays an extraordinary collection of diverse architectural styles from the 12th to 15th centuries. Viewed from the far bank of the Tigris, the pylons of the 12th century Artukid Bridge and the minarets of two Ayyubid mosques (built between 1378 and 1409) still dominate the skyline, a reminder that Hasankeyf is the product of numerous cultures and civilizations, most recently the Turkmen Artukids and the Kurdish Ayyubids.

The Koç Mosque (date of construction uncertain) originally consisted of an eyvan (a grand arched entryway) combined with a domed space above the mihrab, with barrel-vaulted prayer halls on either side. While the Seljuks of Anatolia used the eyvan widely in madrasahs and villas, they generally did not use it in mosques, making the Koç Mosque a fascinating and unusual application of Great Seljuk design in Upper Mesopotamia.

Koç Mosque: eyvan and Persian-style dome
flanked by prayer halls

The Zeynel Bey Tomb is the only example of Timurid architecture in Anatolia. Its huge calligrams, as seen in Iran and Central Asia, display the names Allah, Muhammad and Ali.

Zeynel Bey Tomb: calligrams in Kufic script

Cultural heritage and economic development

Hasankeyf is extremely important to the people of the region, not only because the site serves to strengthen their bonds with the past, but also because it helps to sustain their ways of living and their livelihoods. In times of peace, hundreds of thousands of visitors come to Hasankeyf each year.

A historically rich open space for leisure and creativity

Taking a broad view of the historic city and its hinterlands, it is possible to craft a locally grounded management strategy that balances conservation and tourism, with the potential to accommodate millions of tourists while also preserving the site for future generations. The tourism-related revenue of Hasankeyf and its hinterlands could gradually reach €500 million annually, a figure already surpassed by Göreme, in Cappadocia, and is slightly greater than the anticipated direct revenue from the Ilısu Dam.

The threat to Hasankeyf

The Ilısu Project is expected to flood 80 per cent of the town of Hasankeyf, irrevocably changing the natural ecosystem and destroying the historical landscape. While there are dams in the world that have lasted much longer, research shows that most dams built today have a life expectancy of less than 100 years.

Is flooding a 12,000-year-old city with a 100-year dam the optimal use of economic resources? Are there better alternatives for building peace and prosperity in the Tigris Valley? Your voice can help us build a robust dialogue around cultural heritage conservation and sustainable development.

Zeynel Bey Tomb (late 15th century)

For peace and sustainability

Voting is underway in today’s historic parliamentary elections, with high hopes for peace and reconciliation for all citizens of Turkey.

No matter the outcome, Hasankeyf will remain under threat of flooding until a compromise solution is agreed by all parties concerned – national and regional policy makers, local residents, etc.

Construction of the Ilısu Dam has halted temporarily, opening a window of hope for a brighter future for Hasankeyf. However, in the event that the Ilısu reservoir does not flood Hasankeyf, uncontrolled property development and commercial activity could severely and irreparably damage the cultural and natural heritage of the site.

It is crucial, therefore, that friends of Hasankeyf and leading heritage advocates work together on three strategic efforts:

1. Write letters and network with politicians, activists, social entrepreneurs and business executives to keep Hasankeyf top of mind during the countdown to the 40th meeting of UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee in Istanbul in July 2016.
2. Build a “dialogue around heritage” where stakeholders from across the political spectrum can share ideas for strengthening peace through environmental sustainability.
3. Put forward detailed models for managing Hasankeyf‘s cultural and natural heritage in an environmentally, culturally and economically sustainable manner.

The seeds of dialogue are already in the ground, and a variety of organizations (governmental and non-governmental) are working to encourage all to take a second look at Hasankeyf.

In 2011, state-owned Turkish Airlines (THY) mounted a publicity campaign to increase awareness about Hasankeyf as an international tourist destination.

Daily THY flights to Batman, gateway to Hasankeyf  

Since 2013, the District Governor of Hasankeyf has sponsored a number of improvements, including the construction of a telegenic open-air amphitheater (with Hasankeyf’s legendary skyline in the background). Working in cooperation with DİKA (The Tigris Development Agency), the District Governor has also begun to develop a network of ecological villages emphasizing local garden produce, culinary traditions and handicrafts as the basis for tourism.

The new amphitheater offers one of the best views of Hasankeyf

Architectural lighting in Hasankeyf was upgraded in 2014

At the regional level, volunteers in southeast Turkey, particularly Batman and Diyarbakir, are taking new approaches to promoting the cause of Hasankeyf. Working in cooperation with the Initiative to Keep Hasankeyf Alive and a network of local ecological councils, the Hasankeyf Solidarity Group has organized numerous activities this fall, featuring panel discussions, bicycling and kite-flying as well as press-conferences calling for “peace for humanity and nature.”

The Hasankeyf Solidarity Group offers new ways of seeing Hasankeyf

By continuing to build a truly open dialogue around heritage, people of varying perspectives and philosophies can come together to share different visions of past, present and future in Hasankeyf.

--HK Matters team

Facts on the ground in Hasankeyf

Anyone interested in ecological and cultural conservation in Hasankeyf has celebrated the Council of State decision halting work on the Ilısu Dam. Doğa Derneği has indicated, however, that work at the project site is ongoing, contrary to the court order. This is troubling.

Just as troubling, if for slightly different reasons, is the situation in Hasankeyf (60 km upstream from the Ilısu Dam site)

A last visit to the Citadel (20 August 2012)

Incremental developments are adding up to big changes:

• The Citadel remains closed. This is important not only because it attracts busloads of tourists who spend money in the local market but also because it is the ancestral home to local residents. Since being forced to leave the Citadel 50 years ago, Hasankeyf residents have regularly returned there to be close to the memory of their parents and grandparents. But these visits came to an end after Ramadan last year. 

New Hasankeyf (August 2012)

• The New Town sits half-finished at the base of the Raman Mountains across the river from Hasankeyf. Its street lights shine uselessly each night. Meanwhile, the magnificent monuments of bygone centuries are invisible in the darkness. Another banal example of the politics of memory and forgetting. 

Earthen foundation for new bridge at Hasankeyf (Jan 2013)

• Trucks work day and night piling up rock and dirt for the supports of the new bridge and four-lane divided highway. One can only speculate what damage this road will have on the visual landscape and natural environment. 

Imam Abdullah Tomb (November 2012)

• The Imam Abdullah Tomb -- one of the monuments of greatest spiritual significance to the people of Hasankeyf (comparable to the meaning of Eyüp Sultan for Istanbul) -- has been enclosed within a rock "vault," ostensibly to protect the tomb from the coming flood. 

Western entrance to Hasankeyf (27 January 2013)

Western entrance to Hasankeyf (April 2011)

• Construction crews have set up prefab housing at the western entrance to Hasankeyf, obscuring the sublime view of the Zeynel Bey Tomb rising majestically in front of the Citadel, Lower City and Artukid Bridge. 

The placement of the workers' dormitories is an unfortunate choice, and one resident explained its effect this way:

Zeynel Bey Tomb (27 January 2013)

"Whenever we spend time away, our love for Hasankeyf increases and we long to return. Now, unfortunately, we approach Hasankeyf with this sense of longing only to see our love afflicted by this horrible scene. It's not right."

A long-time observer of Hasankeyf affairs added: "The rapid rise of the new town last spring had already done enough damage to this beautiful landscape. Each new development takes its toll on the morale of people here."

Facts on the ground.

Where are the Rainbow Chasers?

--John

Less haste

The Ilısu construction site (source: DSİ)

While the Ingathering last weekend at Hasankeyf was a fantastic experience for all involved, there was also some sobering news: A worker at the Ilısu Dam site lost his life in an industrial accident on Sept. 5. We of course offer our condolences to his family; while we are unquestionably against the Ilısu project, any loss of life is a tragedy.

However, we are also concerned that this could be a first sign that the government is overreaching in the accelerated program for Ilısu (and in general for expropriation to faciltate HEP and other infrastructure projects) and perhaps also in its new incentive package for the Southeast.

Ilısu construction workers (source: DSİ)

Experts and friends of Hasankeyf alike have long protested that there remains no real plan (nor sufficient time) for protection or relocation of the town's cultural assets. Hearing of a site death in a landslide less than a week after diversion of the Tigris began, we are again reminded of this.

Whatever lies ahead for Hasankeyf and its residents, we would like to hope that the authorities are acting with all due consideration, and fully weighing up the options before acting...

If the opposite is the case, it will not be for the first time, but it will be a further tragedy.

--Helen

Building dams, and nations

Archival photo from 'Modern Essays 5: Graft'

The building of dams has been seen as essential to Turkey’s modernization and development since the early days of the Turkish Republic, when the nation’s capital was established in arid Ankara rather than waterfront Istanbul.

The job of the country’s early leaders was to save Anatolia from “the grip of poverty and darkness” – rampant illiteracy, scant electricity, and primitive homes and farming methods – former president Süleyman Demirel told researcher/architect Aslıhan Demirtaş in a 2012 interview, adding that dams were a way to “break these chains.”

Dam-based infrastructure to bring irrigation and drinking water to Ankara in the 1930s was quickly replicated around the country, a process documented in “Modern Essays 5: Graft,” an archival exhibit currently on display at SALT Galata in Istanbul.

Archival photo from 'Modern Essays 5: Graft'

Curator Demirtaş has compiled black-and-white photographs of families posing proudly in front of dams in the 1940s and 1950s; old newspapers with full pages of photos showing people enjoying recreational opportunities in the country’s new reservoirs; scale models of the 42 dam lakes on the Tigris and Euphrates, including the yet-to-be-filled Ilısu; and her video interview with Demirel, who presided over Turkey’s dam building agency before becoming president.

In the video, Demirel concedes a few qualms about relocating people and other negative impacts of dams, saying “some projects may take away more than they bring,” but remains firm in his conviction that Turkey’s hydro projects have been key to its drive for modernity and civilization. The entire exhibit – which also includes a touchscreen display on which visitors can access a database of the country’s dam lakes – indeed explores how deeply entwined such projects are with national identity and pride, and not just for Turkey. To successfully propose alternatives, it seems a new, and equally convincing, national narrative about development and what it means may have to be created.

The exhibit “Modern Essays 5: Graft” ends this Sunday, August 26, but the dam database (in both Turkish and English) will remain available online.

--Jennifer

New economic incentives target the Southeast

If the residents of Hasankeyf and environs were to develop an investment and economic development strategy for Southeastern Anatolia, how might it differ from Turkey’s official regime of economic incentives?

“We are changing the region rapidly with big projects, schools, the most modern hospitals, roads, bridges, dams, and airports,” said Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, referring to Southeastern Anatolia during a speech announcing Turkey’s new economic incentive program.

Fog over Hasankeyf

The Ilısu Dam would flood Hasankeyf, making way
for electricity, fishing and water sports 

Dividing the country's 81 provinces into six categories of economic wealth (map), the new program offers higher incentives for industrial investments in less developed areas, in order to close the gap between Turkey's rich and poor regions.

It also seeks to promote market consolidation and economies of scale by giving preference to large investments. In other words, investors building large manufacturing facilities in the Southeast would see the biggest incentives, mainly in the form of reduced costs for labor, financing, and taxes.

In addition to steering investments toward less developed regions, there are special incentives for investments in economically strategic sectors such as Defense and Space & Aviation, which will be supported at the same level as those in Category Five provinces, regardless of geographic location. Investments in primary and secondary education; mining; rail, sea, and land transportation; and cultural preservation and tourism in developing regions will receive similar levels of support.

It is worth noting that by favoring large projects, the incentive program runs the risk of overlooking local initiatives, where faith, history, nature, and physical activity can be integrated with sustainable tourism.

It is also possible that the special incentives for tourism could actually open a door for entrepreneurs to propose innovative alternatives. What might happen if a large and socially minded investor backed a locally generated strategy for Hasankeyf and Tur Abdin?

--John

Yurtta sürdürülebilirlik, cihanda sürdürülebilirlik!*

Istanbul itself faces numerous challenges in sustainable development
Photo: Jonathan Lewis, Tarlabaşı Istanbul

The UNDP has released the Istanbul Declaration following a gathering in Turkey, and the key take-home message is one of sustainability, more specifically sustainable development.

There is plenty that Turkey would do well to heed among the four key points in the statement:

1) A globally adopted vision that combines equitable growth with environmental sustainability, rooted in universal values and global social justice, is needed. It should include a strong emphasis on social inclusion, social protection, and equity -- in recognition of the fact that economic development has too often gone hand in hand with environmental degradation and increased inequality. In Istanbul we discussed this vision, as embodied in the UN Secretary General’s High-level Panel Report on Global Sustainability, and in the UNDP Human Development Report.

2) Additional resources are needed to fund innovative solutions to address today’s challenges to ensure a more sustainable and equitable development. Official Development Assistance remains an important resource and must be used in an effective manner. A coordinated approach in mobilization of global capital and local resources is essential to solve global environmental and social problems. New partnerships, inclusive of the private sector and civil society, can increase resources and contribute to a better life for all people today and for generations to come.

3) Women constitute half of the world’s population. Empowering women, enhancing their opportunities through access to education, health care, basic services and their participation in the labour force, are essential. Promoting their larger participation in decision-making processes is also vital for sustainable development efforts.

4) Good governance for sustainable development is essential at global, regional, national and local levels. The United Nations has a vital role to play in engaging all societal actors and supporting national capacities to devise and implement comprehensive sustainable development strategies.

We were delighted to see such a firm commitment to sustainability voiced in Istanbul (a city that itself faces significant problems in finding a balanced roadmap for development). Will Ankara be taking steps in this direction in the near future? We certainly hope so…

--HK Matters team

* “Sustainability at home, sustainability in the world!” – based on a popular saying by Atatürk

How long is the lifespan of a dam?

With its human history stretching back thousands of years and its vast canyons formed over millennia, Hasankeyf is a place that demands long-term thinking. If it is to be submerged under the waters of the Ilısu Dam, it only makes sense to ask how many years of benefit would be gained from the trade-off. Answering this question, though, poses a real challenge.

The Rindge Dam in Southern California: built in 1926 and filled with sediment by around 1950

Advocacy groups such as Doğa Derneği say the Ilısu Dam’s lifespan would be just 70 years, a blip in Hasankeyf’s history, but a number with no clear citation. In a statement to Congress in 2010, the American Society of Civil Engineers described 50 years as “the typical useful lifespan” of a dam. But there can be dramatic variations on either side of that average. According to International Rivers:

“Dams age at different rates and in a different way, depending on a variety of circumstances. Some dams may remain safe for a thousand years, others may start to crack and leak after less than a decade.”

To give just two examples from either end of the spectrum, the Grand Anicut (Kallanai) in India, an irrigation dam built from unhewn stone in the 2nd century A.D., is still in use nearly 2,000 years later, while the Laoying reservoir in China had to be abandoned even before dam construction was completed due to excessive siltation.

The Grand Anicut dam in India

Various factors come into play in determining how long a dam will remain usable, including its design and construction materials, the composition of the foundation rock, how well the dam is maintained, local temperature and humidity levels, the risk of earthquakes and other natural hazards, and the sediment levels of feeder rivers.

As we have yet to come across a comprehensive assessment of how these and other factors would affect Ilısu’s expected lifespan, we are issuing a call to knowledgeable engineers to make such an estimate and share it with us in order to better inform the public. Turkish-language submissions welcomed. Please spread the word!

--Jennifer

Sign the petition to save Hasankeyf!

Want to show your support for Hasankeyf?  Take a minute to read and sign this petition. 

Four organizations from Turkey, Iran and Iraq-KRG have initiated the campaign:

• The Initiative to Keep Hasankeyf Alive 
• Iraqi Civil Society Initiative 
• Civil Development Organization   
• The Centre for Sustainable Development 

. . . with the support of more than 40 international NGOs, including the Berne Declaration (Switzerland), International Rivers (USA), ECA Watch (Austria), and the Allianoi Initiative Group (Turkey).

Please sign it, share it with your friends and let them know why Hasankeyf matters.

-- HK Matters team

New construction in Hasankeyf

Following a tradition started by his father, Abdulkadir, Hasankeyf resident Fırat Argun plants trees each spring in his garden and surrounding fields. Around the time of Newroz, people from all over the world visit Hasankeyf to help with the effort.


Fırat knows the waters are coming to flood Hasankeyf, but that does not stop him from planting trees. Quoting the wisdom of the Prophet Muhammed, Fırat says, "Pray as though you'll die tomorrow, work as though you'll live forever."

Breakfast at Has Bahçe
(new guest house behind trees)

And despite the impending destruction of Hasankeyf, Firat decided to build a guest house at the back of his garden, with the idea that this would make it easier for visitors to spend more time in Hasankeyf and get a better feel for the place.

Once he built the guest house, however, officials filed a lawsuit against him for building on a protected site. Never mind that in the 1960s the Government built new houses on top of the archeological remains of the lower city to move people out of the caves.

March 2011 work begins on the new cafe.

Newly built cafe near gated entry to castle precinct

Of course, it's reasonable to restrict construction in and around important archeological site.

But many Hasankeyf residents complain that these restrictions have been used to suppress local initiative to improve the community.

It's surprising, therefore, to see a large new restaurant constructed last year at the entrance to the castle precinct. (Before and after photos at right)

--John

The new restaurant (light-colored building in foreground)
built and opened in 2011, in a town where most locals
have been restricted from developing
their property and businesses.