Product Description
A forrest fire that broke out in August 2021 as a immediate result of a military operation in the eastern anatolian region of Hozat district in Dêrsim (Tunceli), has been raging for 13 days.
The fire started near the villages of Danzi (Tanzi) and Kurukaymak and the hamlet of Koçeri, and spread to Karper (Buztepe) village and the hamlets of Mudek and Hinzori. Locals tried to intervene in the fires but so far have been blocked by authorities.
According to locals, the area was bombed three times by a drone on 16. August 2021. The lack of state intervention in the fire has given rise to public outrage. Residents of Dêrsim have been calling for support for nearly two weeks.
A group of people, including the mayor of Dêrsim Fatih Maçoğlu, were prevented from entering the site by police barricades. Finally after the public outcry, the Governorate of the district transferred two water-extinguishing helicopters on 29th of August.
Dêrsim has been a zone of conflict for centuries, because of its semi-autonomous position and Alevi identity under the Sunni-dominated Ottoman Empire and its Kurdish, Kirmanc and/or Zaza identity. Consequently, there have been numerous military operations in the region, conducted by the Ottoman and Turkish armies, leading to thousands of civilian deaths, forced displacement, as well as the destruction (mainly via burning) of forrests, agricultrual fields and villages.
Teslim A. was one of the victims who was affected by the forest fires in the eastern anatolian region of Dêrsim this summer. We met him, when we got lost in the forest area near of Hozat. He told us, that some of his trees catched fire and he couldn‘t stop it. The fire was present in Hozat & Ovacik, the first firefighting planes came up on the 12. day, meanwhile village people where denied to help. Teslim A. said before we left “direniyorum ve bırakmıyorum”, which means “i’m resisting and not letting go”.
Teslim A. told us a spot where we could see the effects of the forest fire. We drove to Hozat and passed a couple of military zones and checkpoints to reach a hill, nearby a military observation tower.
As we arrived two guys showed up and told us, that they are living in a village down the valley. Because of the fire, nobody is allowed to enter the valley-area. When something like this happens, the armed forced declare the area as a military zone for weeks.
3D print installation | 86 x 66 x 20cm
rural shades | adiro verde | Ilford SFX 200 120mm 6×7 infrared Negativ
Year: 2021