Turkish army destroys the last forests in Kurdistan

The Turkish army is destroying the last forests in Kurdistan . In order to combat the rebels of the Kurdish Workers’ Party (PKK) the few still existing forest and bush areas in south-east Turkey, the home of approximately 15 million Kurds, are according to information from the Society for Threatened Peoples (GfbV) being intentionally set alight or shot at with fire-bombs. When the local farmers and shepherds try with the means at their disposal to put out the fires they are hindered by Turkish security forces. Last Sunday about 15,000 Kurds protested against the intentional arson in the town of Cizre .

In previous years also the Turkish a rmy has regularly caused forest fires in the Kurdish hills, reported the GfbV General Secretary, Tilman Zülch on Monday. "However this strategy against the PKK has not been successful. On the contrary, these draconian destructive measures have only increased sympathy for the rebel movement among the people.”

In the past few days forests and bush areas have according to information from the GfbV been burning in the following regions:

On 26th July 2008 in the triangle Turkey/Iran/Iraq

on 22nd July 2008 in Elazig

on 20th July 2008 in the province of Hakkari

on 19th July 2008 in the province of Siirt

on 18th July 2008 in the province of Van

on 15th July 2008 in the province of Diyarbakir

on 13th July 2008 in the province of Mardin

on 8th, 9th and 11th July in the province of Diyarbakir