Midnight massacre in Aydın Çine: 500 trees cut down 'by mistake'

A Raid-Like Operation: Target 3,000 Trees

Taking advantage of the darkness of night, heavy machinery entered the area and uprooted pine nut trees, which are the villagers' source of livelihood, as well as 50-year-old fruit trees. 

It is alleged that the company aims to cut down a total of 3,000 trees. No official permit or signage could be presented during the operation; it was stated that the workers were carrying out the cutting based solely on a map on a mobile phone screen.

"We Cut Them Down by Mistake" Defense

Villagers, who saw their lands unrecognizable when they woke up in the morning, intervened by standing in front of the heavy machinery. The fact that company officials hid behind the excuse of "wrong coordinates" for this destruction, which disregarded property rights, further increased the backlash. The victimized landowners emphasized that years of labor were destroyed in a few hours under the guise of a "mistake."

History and Nature Under Great Risk

The area where the destruction took place is not only agricultural land but also a historical heritage site. The fact that the cutting area is only 100 meters away from ancient rock tombs reveals that the cultural heritage in the region is also under threat due to mining activities.

The villagers expressed their reaction to this tree massacre with the words, "This place is both our past and our future. Neither our deeded land nor our thousand-year history is respected. This is not a 'mistake,' it is a deliberate massacre."

While the local people are preparing to initiate legal proceedings against those responsible, they are awaiting urgent intervention from nature advocates and authorities.

News Source: 12punto