The Ecological Council of North and East Syria released a statement about the harm that warfare against Kurdistan and the exploitation and oppression worldwide is inflicting on nature:
In recent times we are facing huge numbers of natural disasters, occurring as a result of the disruption of the ecological balance: heat waves and droughts, frequent torrential rains and floods, volcanic eruptions, the extinction of large numbers of living creatures and so further. We are facing a century of ecological disasters and climate crisis, that create a severe global threat. In light of this we notice that the more technology advances and develops, the more it develops forms of violence against nature, like a fire that devours everything that stands in its path. A few years ago we saw how fires were set in the Amazon forests and others places considered the lungs of the Earth. Many capitalists and industrialists claimed that the fires were of natural origin. But with this argument they were hiding and disguising their crimes and warfare against the environment. We see this scheme of ecological destruction – in different ways and with different goals – repeatedly for years over and over again. In the lands of Kurdistan we see these violations acted out by the AKP government of Turkey. The violations are increasing in brutality, as the state is increasing occupation and terror against the people. The extensive attacks launched by the Turkish state in the north of Syria include cutting down hundreds of trees, especially the millennia-old olive trees. Their goal is to enforce violent changes of geographical and climatic conditions in the region. Historical sites and archaeological places are being destroyed and agricultural lands burned. We witness the highest levels of hostility against the ecosystems with all their elements: trees, rivers, living creatures, including humanity.
The Turkish state burns mountains and cuts trees in the legitimate defense zones on a daily base. Consequently it induces geographic change and environmental destruction, including the annihilation of dozens of species, animals, birds and plants, which affects the ecological balance. At the same time fires arose in the forests of Antalya, Marmaris, and many other Turkish cities. We are currently facing more than 300 huge fires in Greece, Kurdistan and other lands. These fires entered dozens of villages and cities, leaving them demolished and plundered. Such fires are no less destructive than the force of Covid 19, which resulted in the death of thousands of people, being played out for the interests of states, trade and economy. In order to use the space for new factories and further capitalization, firefighting planes have been hindered to intervene and help from neighboring countries has been rejected by the Turkish state.
On this basis:
As Ecological Council of North and East Syria, we condemn all abuses committed by capitalist and industrial forces against nature and environment. We condemn the AKP government’s unethical warfare against the sanctity of environment and nature. The AKP government repeatedly uses chemical and biological weapons in an extensive way and commits war crimes against humanity and environment.
We call to all environmental organizations, institutions, activists, movements and ecological parties;
we call to those concerned with the protection of nature, environment and climate justice,
to take responsibility in actively defending the ecological balance and protecting the environment against the geographic and climatic destruction caused by this terrorism against nature. Terrorizing the environment for the sake of protecting own interests and gaining profits, will lead the planet towards extinction.
Ecological Council North and East Syria
8/8/2021
