"Dam Project In Munzur Would Even Change Seasons"

A Water Tribunal, organized by Heinrich Böll Stiftung and supported by Tribunal Latinoamericano del Agua (Latin American Water Tribunal-LAWT) begins in Istanbul.

Following the opening speeches, the tribunal saw two cases from Brazil and Turkey. The jury, consisting of seven activists will reveal its judgment on Saturday.

Turkey's PM Recep Tayyip Erdoğan as well as Germany's chancellor Angela Merkel are on trial in this tribunal.

During the opening ceremony, Osman Kavala of Anadolu Kültür emphasized the importance of water for human life and culture. "Because of this, turning water into a commodity is opposed to its nature. Commodification of water is a result of the greed of those in power. Following years of inconclusive legal action, local people applied to this tribunal for their right to water."

"This tribunal will reach a judgment based on national and international legislation but keeping social, cultural and environmental interests above all," said Ulrike Dufner from Heinrich Böll.  

Regarding right to water as a basic human right, Javier Bogantes from LAWT, described how people's relation to water is obstructed and how water is clouded with efforts of commodification.

Springs in Tunceli, Munzur are among the limited number of water sources serving drinkable water without treatment. Despite its uniqueness, planned dams in Munzur valley threaten to change ecology of the region.

Ümit Şahin of Turkey's Greens testified against the possible harms the dams would cause. "This is a result of government's lack of clairvoyance regarding energy policies. People of Tunceli are opposing this project hand-in-hand. This can't be disregarded."

The jury panel includes actress Pelin Batu, academic Emel Kurma, NGO representative Dilek Kurban, Mexican academic David Barkin, Brazilian prosecutor Alexandre Camanho de Assis, German publisher Silke Helfrich and Dutch political advisor Maurits Groen.

According to the report published in June 2008 by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) under the title “Climate Change and Water”, 2 billion people will live deprived of water in the year 2050 and 3 billion in 2080.

The objective of the tribunal is to contribute to the resolution of water-related conflicts, which can't be solved within the current legal framework. Activists invite political decision makers to generate solutions in this domain by drawing the public's attention to this area.(BÇ/AGÜ)