May Karaada's fate not be darkened

In Muğla, places and roads are far from each other. The distance between Bekçiler village in the Seydikemer district, located on the Antalya provincial border (even after all these years, I can never bring myself to call it a neighborhood), and Pınarcık village in the Milas district, on the Aydın provincial border, is approximately 300 kilometers. The roads seem endless. Last Sunday, I set off quite early from Göcek to attend a breakfast organized by the Bodrum branch of TÜLOV (Turkey Promotion, Research, Democracy and Secular Formation Foundation) in Bitez, Bodrum. After a journey of over three hours, I reached the event by the sea. Bodrum's elite, enlightened, and democratic people had gathered to support our children's education. The breakfast, held in honor of the 101st anniversary of our Republic, was a beautiful example of solidarity.

I offer my sincere thanks to those who contribute even a drop to the bright future of our country. In today's harsh economic conditions in Turkey, it is truly very difficult to study and to provide an education. May God give strength to those who support children's education. We are all seeing and experiencing where the influx of nearly 10 million foreigners and refugees has brought our country.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's invitation for Lebanese refugees to come to our country, amidst the ongoing Israel-Palestine war that has lasted for a year, has infuriated our people who are already living in difficult conditions. After the speeches, awards, and conversations, I thanked the TÜLOV Bodrum branch administrators, the owner of the Manuela Hotel who hosted the event, and the scholarship recipients. After the breakfast, I left to attend an event that has been repeated for years for Bodrum and Muğla. For years, a struggle has been waged to prevent the looting and zoning of Karaada, the largest and most beautiful island in Bodrum, by profiteers and opportunists. We set off to participate in the "Bodrum Karaada Preservation Event," held for the 10th time, primarily by the Leleg Civilization Pedesa Protection and Sustenance Association and other NGOs.

We boarded a boat in front of the Bodrum Seafarers' Club to head toward Karaada. I steered toward the island with two fellow captains who had spent years sponge diving in their youth and are now working to protect Bodrum alongside environmentalists like lawyer Remzi Kazmaz. While heading to the island, which is covered in lush green maquis and forests, I asked my friends, who have been captains for years, why it is called "Karaada" (Black Island). They told the mythological story of the island with great enthusiasm. It was different from what I had known before. The story the captain told was very similar to the famous legend of the Maiden's Tower in Istanbul. It was a conversation similar to the tale of a father hiding his daughter on an island to keep her away from the man she loved, and the story of a snake bite. When the girl died, her father burned the island, and the green island turned black. Since that day, the island has been known as Karaada.

Where we stepped onto the island's pier and met the sea, I encountered local and foreign tourists swimming in a large pool. It is apparently the most preferred thermal spring in Bodrum for health. It has a pH of 6.3 and a temperature of 30-33 degrees. It has the characteristics of a soda-like, salty water with a high sodium content. The water is drinkable. It is a thermal spring preferred especially by people suffering from orthopedics, physical therapy, skin diseases, and gynecological ailments.

When your path takes you to Bodrum, go and see it; both swim and drink your fill. There are dozens of thermal springs in many parts of our Muğla, but we do not utilize them enough. The thermal springs of Gebeler in Seydikemer, the sulfur springs in Dalaman, and the mud baths in Köyceğiz have been flowing for years. There is so much more. As we headed toward the protest area on the island, we passed through trees that stretched down to the sea.

Association President Mehmet Melengeç and our comrades welcomed us. Hundreds of eco-friendly Bodrum residents organize an event with music and island walks every year to protect the island from profiteers. Once again, greetings to all our environmentalist friends. Profiteering, profiteering, profiteering. Not a day goes by that Muğla is not under attack... Although, it's not as if we don't get a breath of relief every now and then.

The Ayten Cove in Göcek was recently caught in an EIA (Environmental Impact Assessment) report. The creation of a new yacht marina was halted. As residents of Göcek, we breathed a sigh of relief. The government is so skilled and professional at creating agendas; while saying "Israel will attack," "Apo will speak in parliament," or "Feto is in the pit," they are making off with the loot. Opportunities arise for handouts and looters.

Just as CHP Chairman Özgür Özel said, "Look at the acrobat, while they make off with the loot." I am announcing it here; the government is preparing to strike another blow to our livestock industry, which is already on the verge of collapse. According to whispers and information, they are preparing to sell off and hand out our country's pastures. Don't do it, my brothers. You couldn't finish selling off the values and gains of the Republic. Now are you left with the pastures of the peasants and farmers? Enough is enough. This is a notice to the opposition and the public. Keep your eyes wide open.