Latest news from Hasankeyf

The waters of the Ilısu Dam reservoir are starting to rise, but people are still fighting to save Hasankeyf and let the world know about the irreparable damage being done to cultural heritage, ecosystems, and communities.

Please follow us on Twitter and Facebook for the latest updates. We are also compiling recent media coverage of Hasankeyf on our In the News page.

Additional resources on Twitter for those who understand Turkish include the accounts of Hasankeyf'i Yașatma Girişimi and Hasankeyf Koordinasyonu and the hashtag #HasankeyfİçinGeçDeğil -- It's Not Too Late for Hasankeyf. 

Hasankeyf in the headlines: A look behind the news

This year promises to be one of renewed focus on Hasankeyf. Already in 2016, Europa Nostra has recognized Hasankeyf as one of Europe’s 14 most endangered sites, and the 40th meeting of UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee, to be held in Istanbul this summer, will likely prompt even more interest in the town and its history.

In light of this heightened international attention, it hasn't been surprising to see recent declarations by the Turkish government regarding Hasankeyf making the news. In late December, the Hasankeyf District Governor announced that the town's new museum is open. Then, in January, the Turkish President insisted that the Ilısu Dam will be completed, the State Hydraulic Works (DSİ) requested that Hasankeyf residents be evacuated from their homes, and the Turkish Parliament approved the operation of the hydroelectric plant connected to Ilısu, and thus, the inundation of Hasankeyf. The press – including the BBC – has generally relayed the government’s discouraging messages without examining the actual situation or talking to people in Hasankeyf.

The view in the town diverges significantly from the headlines seen in mainstream media. Local sources have told us that neither the new legislation nor the DSİ orders have changed their circumstances or outlook. “This is very difficult,” said one businessman, referring to the government’s efforts to apply pressure on the people of Hasankeyf. “They keep squeezing us,” commented another. Politicians in both Hasankeyf and the larger province of Batman have raised objections to the government’s policy towards Hasankeyf, criticizing both the destruction of cultural heritage and the lack of protection for the unique demographic composition of this mixed Arab-Kurdish town.

What follows is a list of major statements and declarations made by government officials and other stakeholders in recent weeks, along with some notes about how these comments reflect the situation on the ground.

Dec. 27: Hasankeyf District Governor Bülent Baygüven announces the “opening” of the new Hasankeyf museum and summarizes the government’s vision for heritage conservation. The new museum, however, stands empty and there is no sign that the town's monuments can be moved soon.

Jan. 6: Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu proposes new municipal boundaries for Hasankeyf in Parliament.

Jan. 12: In a written petition, HDP Batman MP Ayşe Acar Başaran queries Culture Minister Mahir Ünal about Hasankeyf, the government’s justification for flooding the town, and the viability of its plans for preserving the town’s heritage.

Jan. 14: President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan insists that the Ilısu Dam will be completed and criticizes academics and “Greenpeace” for their opposition to dams.

Jan. 20: The DSİ asks the District Governor to evacuate Hasankeyf. This request contradicts a government declaration issued in May 2015 that states that residents will be required to vacate their current homes within 30 days of taking possession of their new homes. The state housing enterprise, TOKİ, has not yet built these houses, so the legal basis for the DSİ’s request appears feeble. In addition, some Hasankeyf residents still refuse to accept the terms of expropriation offered by the DSİ.

Jan. 20: Murat Cano, who has mounted legal challenges to the Ilısu project in Turkey and at the European Court for Human Rights, summarizes the legal campaign for Hasankeyf at the annual meeting of Europa Nostra-Turkey. Having served as a member of a court-appointed expert committee reviewing plans for the removal and protection of monuments in 2012, Cano said, “On this subject no project has been prepared, nor is there any approval by official agencies.” He also announced that the European Court of Human Rights would be reviewing the case of Hasankeyf in 2016.

Jan. 26: In a radio interview, Hasankeyf resident Murat Tekin (and HDP mayoral candidate in 2014) says that the DSİ request to evacuate the town is unrealistic and serves merely as a form of psychological pressure.

Jan. 29: Parliament passes a law changing Hasankeyf’s geographical coordinates to the new settlement area, but keeping the administrative center of the town in the existing settlement for the time being. The law also approves operation of the Ilısu Dam and the flooding of Hasankeyf, causing alarm among Hasankeyf friends across Turkey and all over the world. However, Hasankeyf residents have told us that “nothing has changed.” Work on the dam is progressing very slowly and residents remain in their old homes with no idea of when the new houses will be available and when they will be required to move.

Feb. 4: Speaking to Deutsche Welle, Mechtild Rössler, the Director of UNESCO’s Division for Heritage and World Heritage Center, says that Turkey has not officially applied to UNESCO to list Hasankeyf as a World Heritage Site.

Feb 5: HDP MP for Batman Mehmet Aslan reads a statement before Parliament stating that the Kurdish and Arab population of Hasankeyf will be adversely affected by resettlement and noting that several tombs in the town belong to sahabe or “Companions of the Prophet” martyred during the city’s conquest in the 7th century.

Feb. 7: In a lengthy interview with Batman Sonsöz newspaper, Hasankeyf Mayor Abdulvahap Kusen (AKP) states, "I'm not against dams, but I am against the destruction of Hasankeyf." He also says that the people of Hasankeyf should move to the new settlement area as a group so that their sense of community can be preserved and the historical treasure of Hasankeyf protected. He also insists on guarantees of employment for local people and a serious tourism plan going beyond broad references to water sports.

Feb 12: The Cihan news agency reports that the Minister of Forests and Water Affairs, Veysel Eroğlu, speaking before the Planning and Budgeting Commission of the Turkish Parliament, made the following comments:

“Hasankeyf is in total ruin [tamamen yok edilmiş]. The Artukid bridge has been completely destroyed. Its stones have been taken and used in buildings in various places. They have been used in stables and houses. Hasankeyf is completely under water. If we had not built the Ilısu Dam at Hasankeyf that historical city on the cliff was going to fall and it would have been destroyed on its own. By means of this dam we are reinforcing it. We are completely protecting especially the historical upper city. In addition some of the historical monuments will become a first example in the world; there is the Zeynel Bey Tomb. Now the bidding process has been completed and we will move it in a special way... We have completed the archaeological excavations in their entirety. It will even be considered an exemplary project worldwide...”

The pylons of the 12th c. Artukid Bridge at Hasankeyf

In summary, it is impossible to know how quickly the government may carry out its plans to flood Hasankeyf. Labor disputes, regional conflict and PKK threats have contributed to significant delays in construction of the dam, and there is still no clear timeline for building houses in the new settlement and requiring residents to move out of their present homes. It could be a long time before the campaign to save Hasankeyf completes its work.

--HK Matters team

Two mosques built by Ayyubid Sultan Suleyman dominate
the lower city of Hasankeyf

Where there's life, there's hope

The window of opportunity is narrowing for Hasankeyf, but there is still time to find a way to keep this ancient city and its present-day community above water. Here’s an update on the situation.

The process for assessing the value of residents’ current property began in the spring of this year. Assessors entered homes, measuring each room and the garden outside. Every building – homes, cafes, mosques, and even cemeteries – was marked unceremoniously with a number spray-painted on the wall next to the entrance.

An assessor numbered each building in Hasankeyf,
 including Er-Rizk Mosque (shown here) and cemeteries

In May, prices for housing in New Hasankeyf were announced: the preferred 3-bedroom model in the new settlement was priced at 170,000 TL.

Then came the property valuations in September. People were stunned and angry. According to local sources, a typical home in Hasankeyf was assessed at 20,000 TL, a commercial store or cafe was valued at 5,000 - 10,000 TL, a block of mixed residential and commercial property at 150,000 – 200,000 TL.

As one shop-owner put it, “I have a business. I go home at night with no debt hanging over my head. We own our home. And you want to give me a loan of 100,000 TL for something I don’t even want?”

In a rare moment of town solidarity, the people of Hasankeyf met in early October and agreed to occupy the bridge into town. Even children faced off with the police in the October 10 demonstration.

Hundreds of Hasankeyf residents, including local elected officials
and children, blocked traffic (except ambulances) on October 10, 2013

Hasankeyf Mayor Abdulvahap Kusen and District Governor Temel Ayça convinced protestors to clear the bridge by encouraging them to detail their grievances in a petition. Representatives of each family met again to define their demands and elected four delegates to present a dossier to officials in Ankara. According to sources close to those who prepared the dossier, the petition outlined three demands: higher assessments for their current property, lower prices for the new houses, and the assurance of employment in the new settlement. These sources also state that the petition was signed by a cross-section of Hasankeyf residents, including the local mayor and local heads of political parties AKP and BDP.

The Hasankeyf delegation (Şevket Altuğ, Mesut Argun, Abdullah İridil, and Ramazan Koçyiğit) met with officials in Ankara earlier this month, and residents now await new terms for resettlement from the government.

If Ankara satisfies their demands, Hasankeyf residents may decide to sign housing contracts promptly, enabling TOKİ to begin building residential units in New Hasankeyf. (The District Governorate and Hasankeyf Security Directorate moved to new offices in the new settlement last month, and construction is under way for a School of Tourism.)

If, however, local residents decide that the new terms proposed by Ankara, e.g., regarding employment, are not satisfactory, they may refuse to sign housing contracts. This would delay the process of resettlement further, with the potential of impacting the timeline for flooding the town beneath the waters of the Ilısu Reservoir (The dam is expected to be completed in 2014, making it feasible to fill the reservoir by 2016. National Geographic published rare video footage of the Ilısu Dam construction site earlier this year).

Ilısu Dam construction, Nov. 2013 (photo: Fırat Argun)

Asked about the prospect of moving to the new settlement, one Hasankeyf business owner replied, “We can’t see what’s ahead. You know for sure that if you jump in the river, you’ll get wet. But if we move over there, we don’t know if we’ll stay dry or get soaked.”

"We own our home. And you want to give me a loan
of 100,000 TL for something I don’t even want?”

In the meantime, Hasankeyf is open to the public, free of charge. So come with your friends and flood Hasankeyf with a wave of tourism. Your presence will make a huge difference to local merchants and send a message to Ankara that Hasankeyf is a valuable cultural and economic resource. Please refer to our Visiting Hasankeyf page for tips on exploring the city's archaeological treasures, canyon trails, and legendary river.

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

'This was Hasankeyf'

Set a reminder now: next week on Monday, August 27, there will be a live interview with Tommaso Vitali, director of the documentary "This was Hasankeyf". The film is now in post-production, and Tommaso will be speaking about the documentary and its goals with Ekrem Eddy Güzeldere on the radio show Inside/Outside.

The interview will go out live on Açık Radyo between 10:30 and 11:00 Istanbul time. We'll add a link to the MP3 later once it's up.

Stay tuned.

--Helen

Europa Nostra recognizes Allianoi campaigner

Our very first post on Hasankeyf Matters was about the fate of the ancient city of Allianoi, one that we hope very much to prevent Hasankeyf sharing.

Before, during and after the burial and flooding of Allianoi, Associate Professor Ahmet Yaraş was a tireless campaigner for its excavation, preservation and -- now -- commemoration. His work has not gone unnoticed, even though Allianoi has now been consigned to a watery grave, and this year Europa Nostra formally recognized his efforts with an award for dedicated service. Europa Nostra is a pan-European organization representing around 250 NGOs from more than 50 countries and describes itself as the "voice of cultural heritage in Europe."

As the jury noted, “the long lasting public campaign to save this major heritage complex from oblivion represents a powerful example to the world of how authorities should deal with their national cultural heritage, and thus the Initiative highly deserves to be recognised by this award.”

Dr. Yaraş in Allianoi (photo: Hakan Cengiz Yazar)

Dr. Yaraş previously wrote a moving piece on the loss of the site to which he had dedicated his professional life, and which had only begun to offer up its secrets. Titled I’m ashamed of what I see, we include a brief extract below.*

In an effort to save itself, the State Waterworks Authority (DSİ) is offering tender after tender;  
Concerned about votes, politicians are flashing smiles on all sides;
In an illegal protest, the kids are throwing themselves in chains;  
The lawyers are still seeking law in the courts of this country;  
I am watching the place I excavated with my fingernails and to which I dedicated the best 12 years of my life being destroyed.  
Scientific ethics...  
Modernity...  
Democracy...  
Between the cries of yes / no
 an affront to humanity... / a butchery of history...  
My heart aches...  
I’m ashamed of what I am witnessing. 

We warmly congratulate Dr. Yaraş on his achievement, and on his continued efforts to ensure that while Allianoi is gone, it is not forgotten.

--Helen

* You can read the full translation of the piece here and the Turkish original here.

Hasankeyf matters globally

Former Today’s Zaman columnist and long-term Turkey resident Andrew Finkel focused on Hasankeyf in his post this week on his Latitude blog at The New York Times.

As well as providing a general assessment of the issues involved in the Ilısu/Hasankeyf debate, Finkel also links to an excellent EurasiaNet.org photo essay by Constanze and Jonathan of Tarlabaşı Istanbul.

If it raises the profile of Hasankeyf, we at Hasankeyf Matters support it! We’d love to see your thoughts on Finkel’s column in the comments section below.

-- HK Matters team