The Gendarmerie and TOMA were sent today to the protection zone of Ikizköy residents who were protecting their olive trees from a coal mine owned by YK Energy in the Akbelen forest in the Milas district of Muğla.
Where the cutting machines enter the forest and cut down the pines reported.
Since 2019, the villagers have been fighting against the opening of a coal mine in the Akbelen forest.
While the case is ongoing, gendarmerie teams were sent to the region today at 05:30. The İkizköy resistance fighters called for support, saying that the felling of the forest had begun.
What’s happened?
Trees on a 740-hectare site in Akbelen Forest were to be cut down by YK Energy, a partnership between Limak Holding and İÇTAŞ, which operates the Yeniköy and Kemerkoy thermal power plants. The reason was to build a quarry to supply brown coal to thermal power plants. The company also obtained the necessary permits for this, but the residents of İkizköy objected to this decision and began to follow.
Last year, on July 17, brigades of the Main Forestry Department arrived in the Akbelen forest and started cutting trees. However, the villagers blocked the commands.
After 10 days, fires broke out in many parts of Turkey, including in Manavgat, which could not be brought under control, since air support was not provided for a long time. One of these places was Mugla. While the locals were busy putting out the fire, workers hired by YK Energy were cutting down trees this time, saying it was an opportunity. Working companies, using the fires as an excuse, cut down 105 trees.
The inhabitants of İkizköy, who were fighting the fires, started an action against the felling of trees, and the gendarmerie was sent to the area. The gendarmerie disproportionately interfered with the villagers on duty.