STRUGGLES

The gas that’s coming from the rocks should stay there. We know that it’s harming the
environment. The Mesopotamian Ecology Movement have done a couple ofprotests around
fracking.
CW: Are you working on issues such as food sovereignty and land ownership?
We have communes in Bitlis, Wan and Kars. We are trying to live as equally as possible and
trying to take care ofeveryone. There are co-operatives in Bitlis where we are growing wheat
communally and sharing the profits. We are trying to do the same in Wan. The private
owners have given their land to the co-operatives. We are trying to return to farming that
excludes genetically modified foods.
CW: Are you helping with the reconstruction ofKobanê, over the Syrian border in Rojava?
ecological struggles in bakur
The Mesopotamian Ecology Movement, which we are a part of, is trying to build an ecological
hospital in Kobanê. There was a conference in Amed about the reconstruction ofKobanê and
lots ofgroups attended. Within this conference there was a long-term project to rebuild
Kobanê in an ecological way, with ecological houses and power and water supplies. The
rebuilding ofthe city will take years, and the urgent need is to build an ecological hospital. We
have support from the German communist party. They are helping us to write about the
project and get funding. Actually, the biggest obstacle is getting the funding. The
Mesopotamian Ecology Movement is doing the coordination and handling the finance.
Our main aim in helping Kobanê is to ensure that it remains a self-governed canton, and isn't
dependent on Turkey or Syria.
CW: Are you worried about western powers colonising Kobanê and Rojava by giving money for
reconstruction and then gaining more power in the region?
We are trying to rebuild Kobanê so that it's independent ofbig powers. But
the colonisation ofKurdistan began a long time ago. Capitalists have been
opening factories and dams for a long time.
Take Batman, for example. It is rich in oil. Turkish companies are taking oil to the west of
Turkey and refining it. They aren’t paying taxes in the Kurdish area. Ifthey refined it here
then we would get US$ 1 billion every year in taxes. This would go to the municipality of
Batman. On the contrary, Turkey is the most expensive country for petrol and diesel. The
municipality has taken the company, TPAO, to court. The company should pay the people
here. The municipality has made a complaint to the ministry saying that TPAO should pay
taxes here. The complaint is ongoing.
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