AKP also opposed: Residents of İkizdere blocked HES meeting

As the streams of the Black Sea are being sacrificed for hydroelectric power plants (HES), the public resistance continues. Residents expressed their opposition to a planned HES in the Dereköy area of Rize's İkizdere district. Citizens who attended the Environmental Impact Assessment (ÇED) information meeting yesterday stated that they did not want the HES and prevented the meeting from proceeding.

Yesterday (November 28, 2023), citizens blocked the HES information meeting held at the İkizdere Teachers' House.

The meeting was attended by officials from the Directorate of Environment and Urbanization, representatives from the HES and ÇED firm, CHP Rize Deputy Tahsin Ocaklı, İkizdere Mayor Hakan Karagöz, former HDP Deputy Murat Çepni, AKP District President Mustafa Havuz, village headmen, and citizens. In his speech, Mayor Karagöz opposed the HES, stating, "If you don't want the people of İkizdere to leave here entirely, we do not want this project here."

AKP MEMBERS ALSO OPPOSE

CHP Rize Deputy Tahsin Ocaklı announced that AKP Rize deputies also oppose the planned HES.

Ocaklı said the following:

"It is incomprehensible that the Ministry of Environment and Urbanization insists on holding a ÇED information meeting for a HES that the court has already canceled in İkizdere's Dereköy. Everyone should know that we will stand together with the local people against capital destroying priceless natural beauties for a handful of dollars. The people of İkizdere do not want this project. All of my fellow deputies with whom I serve have also declared that they do not want this project and do not find it appropriate. And I told them that I would say this here. Our colleagues Muhammet Avcı and Harun Yenilmez also stated that this project is not right. We will never, ever let this project be built."

Former HDP Deputy Murat Çepni explained in his speech why they oppose HES projects. Emphasizing that he is also from Dereköy and that HES projects are one of the primary reasons for the disappearance of water sources, Çepni said the following:

'THE HOUSE ACROSS THE STREAM IS MY HOUSE'

"No one here has any intention of fighting. No one came here with that intention. But the house across the stream is my house. I will not listen to the ways and methods by which my house will be destroyed. No one can explain to me nicely how they will take my house from me. This meeting has no legal basis in this sense. This meeting is unlawful from the very beginning. No stage of a project that tries to take my house and my stream from me is legal or lawful. If this meeting is held here, the first pickaxe will have been struck. The real challenge itself is coming to our İkizdere and saying we will do this in your village and your stream. This is a challenge to all of İkizdere. The meeting is unlawful. HES capacities have dropped due to drought. This project is being brought here just so a company can make money. This project will make this place unlivable in every respect; it has no contribution whatsoever. The blasting will destroy the water sources. Every dynamite blast means a landslide. This is a landslide-prone area. Every tree cut down means a landslide. It is a project that harms everything except energy. This project is a betrayal. We will prevent the first pickaxe from being struck."

The AKP also opposed the HES planned for the Dereköy area. AKP District President Mustafa Havuz, who attended the meeting, reminded everyone of the tourism investments made in the region and stated that they oppose the construction of the project.

All citizens who spoke at the meeting stated that they opposed the HES and did not want to be informed. The objections were recorded in the minutes, and the meeting was concluded. Petitions signed by the Mayor of İkizdere and 33 İkizdere residents stating that they do not want a HES in the region were also handed over to the authorities.

ITS VALUE IS 'ENVIRONMENT'

The HES to be built in Dereköy is not the first HES project of the project owner, Reis RS Enerji. The company has a total of 7 HES projects. It was noted that 'Respect for the Environment' is listed under the 'Our Values' heading on the company's website.