Turkey, Batman province, JULY2011. A Kurd fishing with a net along the Tigris river.
As only some researches have been in the Tigris valley till today is expected that the dams of the Turkish GAP project will reduce the water quality of the reservoir at extremely low levels, leading to massive fish extermination, threatening people’s health and affecting the Mesopotamian Marshes in Iraq – one of the most important ecosystems worldwide.
The GAP project (Guneydoglu Anadolu Projesi) was lauched at the beginning of the 80s by the Turkish government and contemplates the construction of 22 dams and 19 hydroelectric plants along the Tigris and Euprates rivers. The project is a source of concern for the Kurdish minority, which is predominantly represented in the region, and for Syria and Iraq. In fact, the construction of dams has caused and, is likely to cause, the flooding of hundreds of villages, the displacement of thousands of people, the destruction of the rivers’s ecosystems, and the reduction of the water levels towards Syria and Iraq.
Hasankeyf, Turkey, JULY2011.
Hasankeyf, Turkey, JULY2011. The city of Hasankeyf, with its 12,000 years of history, located on the Tigris river in Upper Mesopotamia, will be flooded by the Ilisu Dam. Despite Hasankeyf fulfilling nine of the ten UNESCO heritage criteria, the Turkish governament is not willing to discuss any alternatives to save the ancient city. The Ilisu Dam is part of the 22 dams of the GAP project (Guneydoglu Anadolu Projesi), a regional development plan in Turkey that aims to enhance a social stability and economic growth in the Southeastern Anatolia
Hasankeyf, Turkey, JULY2011. Cattle grazing along the Tigris river.
Hasankeyf, Turkey, JULY2012. Kurdish boys playing along the Tigris river near Hasankeyf. The city, with its 12,000 years of history, located on the Tigris river in Upper Mesopotamia, will be flooded by the Ilisu Dam. Despite Hasankeyf fulfilling nine of the ten UNESCO heritage criteria, the Turkish governament is not willing to discuss any alternatives to save the ancient city. The Ilisu Dam is part of 22 dams of the GAP project (Guneydoglu Anadolu Projesi), a regional development plan in Turkey. The Ilisu Dam will flood 199 villages and hamlets and force 78000 people to leave their homes. Surveys show that the 80% of the affected population opposes the project and refuses to be relocated. NGO and local representatives claim also that so far only half of the affected population have received compensation, while the remaining inhabitants still have not received any notification for resettlement or land titles.
Ilisu, Batman province, Turkey, JULY2011. Workers at the Ilisu Dam construction site. Once completed, the dam will completely or partially flood 199 villages and hamlets and force around 78.000 people to leave their homes. The Ilisu Dam is part of the 22 dams of the GAP project (Guneydoglu Anadolu Projesi), a regional development plan in Turkey that aims at enhancing social stability and economic growth in the Southeastern Anatolia.
New Ilisu, Batman province, Turkey, JULY2011. Kurdish woman at the entrance of the New Ilisu city, where they where relocated to enable the construction of the Ilisu Dam. Once completed, the dam will completely or partially flood 199 villages and hamlets and force around 78.000 people to leave their homes. The Ilisu Dam is part of the 22 dams of the GAP project (Guneydoglu Anadolu Projesi), a regional development plan in Turkey that aims at enhancing social stability and economic growth in the Southeastern Anatolia.
Hasankeyf, Turkey, JULY2011. Kurdish farmers of Hasankeyf buring a break. The city, with its 12,000 years of history, located on the Tigris river in Upper Mesopotamia, will be flooded by the Ilisu Dam. Despite Hasankeyf fulfilling nine of the ten UNESCO heritage criteria, the Turkish governament is not willing to discuss any alternatives to save the ancient city. The Ilisu Dam is part of 22 dams of the GAP project (Guneydoglu Anadolu Projesi), a regional development plan in Turkey. The Ilisu Dam will flood 199 villages and hamlets and force 78000 people to leave their homes. Surveys show that the 80% of the affected population opposes the project and refuses to be relocated. NGO and local representatives claim also that so far only half of the affected population have received compensation, while the remaining inhabitants still have not received any notification for resettlement or land titles.
Hasankeyf, Turkey, JULY2011. Irrigation systems in operation throughout the Batman, Sirnak and Mardin Provinces. Here the farmers use plumbing systems for irrigating their fields. The water is being pumped directly from the Tigris river at an high cost in terms of electricity.
Incirli, Batman Province, Turkey, JULY2012. A Kurdish man of Incirli. The village will be flooded by the Ilisu Dam and its inhabitants have not received any notification of resettlement yet. The Ilisu Dam is part of 22 dams of the GAP project (Guneydoglu Anadolu Projesi), a regional development plan in Turkey. The Ilisu Dam will flood 199 villages and hamlets and force 78000 people to leave their homes. Surveys show that the 80% of the affected population opposes the project and refuses to be relocated.
Bezivane Gimmis, Batman Province, Turkey, JULY2012. Kurdish farmers of the village of Bezivane Gimmis gather straw for the winter. The village will be flooded by the Ilisu Dam and its inhabitants have not received any notification of resettlement yet. The Ilisu Dam is part of 22 dams of the GAP project (Guneydoglu Anadolu Projesi), a regional development plan in Turkey. The Ilisu Dam will flood 199 villages and hamlets and force 78000 people to leave their homes. Surveys show that the 80% of the affected population opposes the project and refuses to be relocated.
Hasankeyf, Turkey, JULY2011. A view of Hsankeyf. The city, with its 12,000 years of history, located on the Tigris river in Upper Mesopotamia, will be flooded by the Ilisu Dam. Despite Hasankeyf fulfilling nine of the ten UNESCO heritage criteria, the Turkish governament is not willing to discuss any alternatives to save the ancient city. The Ilisu Dam is part of 22 dams of the GAP project (Guneydoglu Anadolu Projesi), a regional development plan in Turkey. The Ilisu Dam will flood 199 villages and hamlets and force 78000 people to leave their homes. Surveys show that the 80% of the affected population opposes the project and refuses to be relocated. NGO and local representatives claim also that so far only half of the affected population have received compensation, while the remaining inhabitants still have not received any notification for resettlement or land titles.
Batman Province, Turkey, JULY2011. A Kurdish man washes a bus, the principal mean of transport in the Southeastern Anatolia region.
Yeni Halfeti, Sanliurfa province, Turkey, JULY2011. A boy jumps from a flooded building in the city of Yeni Halfeti on the Euphrates river. The city was partially submerged by the Birecik Dam in 1999 and the majority of its inhabitants were relocated in a new city next to Halfeti. The Birecik Dam is part of the 22 dams of the GAP project (Guneydoglu Anadolu Projesi), a regional development plan launched at the beginning of the 80s by the Turkish government that aims to enhance a social stability and economic growth in the Southeastern Anatolia, the poorest region in Turkey.
Yeni Halfeti, Sanliurfa Province, Turkey, JULY2011. A flooded building in the city of Yeni Halfeti on the Euphrates river. The city was partially submerged by the Birecik Dam in 1999 and the majority of its inhabitants were relocated in a new city next to Halfeti. The Birecik Dam is part of the 22 dams of the GAP project (Guneydoglu Anadolu Projesi), a regional development plan launched at the beginning of the 80s by the Turkish government that aims to enhance a social stability and economic growth in the Southeastern Anatolia, the poorest region in Turkey.
Harran plain, Sanliurfa province, Turkey, JULY2011. A boy jumping into a water distribution canal in the Harrain plain. This canal is part of the infrastructures and of the 22 dams and 19 hydroelectrics power stations of the GAP project, a regional development plan lauched by the Turkish government at the beginning of the 80s. According to the GAP’s authorities, once completed, the project will be able to irrigate 1,7 million of hectares of land in the Southeastern Anatolia region. At the moment the water of the Euphrates are allowing a considerable frowth of the agricultural sector only in the Sanliurfa Province, turning the province into the top cotton producer within the entire country
Ataturk Dam on the Euphrates river, Turkey, JULY2011. The Ataturk Dam, the world’s sixth largest, represents the centerpiece of the 22 dams of the GAP project (Guneydoglu Anadolu Projesi), a regional development plan launched by the Turkish government at the beginning of the 80s. The construction of the dam, completed in 1992, has given rise to an explosive climate in the relationships between Turkey, Syria and Iraq. Counting on 230 billions cubic metres of annaul water reserves and on the control of the Tigris and Euphrates’ springs, Turkey has a powerful leverage vis-à-vis with its neighbours.
Antalya, Turkey, JULY2011. A water park near the city of Antalya. The Middle East is one of the poorest ares of the world in water supply and this problem is increasing. In this scenery Turkey represents an exception. With 26 hydrological basins, more than 120 lakes and 579 artificial lakes, 227 cubic kilometres per year of internal renewable water resources, and with the control of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, Turkey has in its hands a strategic resources to boost its position as a regional power.
Soruc distric, Sanliurfa Province, Turkey, JULY2011. A roof water tank in the a village near the city of Soruc. The Soruc district suffers of a chronic lack of water and around 45 Kurdish villages don’t have access to water supply yet. The area is part of the Sanliurfa Province where the hydraulic water systems of the GAP project have permitted a considerable growth of the agricultural sector, but the Soruc district has not known any change and the hydraulic infrastructures for water uses are still missing in the area. The government has promised to realize an irrigation network (57,927 hectares) within the end of 2013.
Soruc, Sanliurfa Province, Turkey, SEPTEMBER2011. The Soruc district suffers of a chronic lack of water and around 45 Kurdish villages don’t have access to water supply yet. The area is part of the Sanliurfa Province where the hydraulic water systems of the GAP project have permitted a considerable growth of the agricultural sector, but the Soruc district has not known any change and the hydraulic infrastructures for water uses are still missing in the area. The government has promised to realize an irrigation network (57,927 hectares) within the end of 2013.
Sanliurfa Province, Turkey, JULY2011. Border between Turkey and Syria
Sanliurfa, Turkey, SEPTEMBER2011. A street in Sanliurfa. The city represents the main administrative center of the GAP project. Since the early 1990s Sanliurfa has made huge leaps of development thanks to the Southeastern Anatolia Project, that provided a reliable supply of water for local farmers and fostered making possible a real growth in the agricultural sector. This in turn is driving significant development of medium and light industry in the city itself. The GAP project is a regional development plan based on the construction of 22 dams and 19 hydrolectric power stations. It was lauched at the beginning of the 80s by the Turkish government and amis to enhance a social stability and econimic growth in the Southeastern Anatolia.
Hasankeyf, Turkey, JULY2011. The new bridge of Hasankeyf on the Tigris river. The city, with its 12,000 years of history, located on the Tigris river in Upper Mesopotamia, will be flooded by the Ilisu Dam. Despite Hasankeyf fulfilling nine of the ten UNESCO heritage criteria, the Turkish governament is not willing to discuss any alternatives to save the ancient city. The Ilisu Dam is part of 22 dams of the GAP project (Guneydoglu Anadolu Projesi), a regional development plan in Turkey. The Ilisu Dam will flood 199 villages and hamlets and force 78000 people to leave their homes. Surveys show that the 80% of the affected population opposes the project and refuses to be relocated. NGO and local representatives claim also that so far only half of the affected population have received compensation, while the remaining inhabitants still have not received any notification for resettlement or land titles.
Hasankeyf, Turkey, FEBRUARY2012. Kurdish men along the main street of Hasankeyf. The city, with its 12,000 years of history, located on the Tigris river in Upper Mesopotamia, will be flooded by the Ilisu Dam. Despite Hasankeyf fulfilling nine of the ten UNESCO heritage criteria, the Turkish governament is not willing to discuss any alternatives to save the ancient city. The Ilisu Dam is part of 22 dams of the GAP project (Guneydoglu Anadolu Projesi), a regional development plan in Turkey. The Ilisu Dam will flood 199 villages and hamlets and force 78000 people to leave their homes. Surveys show that the 80% of the affected population opposes the project and refuses to be relocated. NGO and local representatives claim also that so far only half of the affected population have received compensation, while the remaining inhabitants still have not received any notification for resettlement or land titles.
Hasankeyf, Turkey, FEBRUARY2012. A family of Hasankeyf in front their house. The city, with its 12,000 years of history, located on the Tigris river in Upper Mesopotamia, will be flooded by the Ilisu Dam. Despite Hasankeyf fulfilling nine of the ten UNESCO heritage criteria, the Turkish governament is not willing to discuss any alternatives to save the ancient city. The Ilisu Dam is part of 22 dams of the GAP project (Guneydoglu Anadolu Projesi), a regional development plan in Turkey. The Ilisu Dam will flood 199 villages and hamlets and force 78000 people to leave their homes. Surveys show that the 80% of the affected population opposes the project and refuses to be relocated. NGO and local representatives claim also that so far only half of the affected population have received compensation, while the remaining inhabitants still have not received any notification for resettlement or land titles.
Mardin, Turkey, FEBRUARY2012. Children in a school of Mardin. On the background an image of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of the Turkish Republic. Aatatuk was the first to develop the idea to exploit the waters of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, laiding the foundations for the later development of the GAP project. The Guneydogliu Anadolu Projesi is a regional development plan launched by the Turkish government at the beginning of the 80s and based on the construction of 22 dams and 19 hydroelectric power plans on the Tigris and Euphrates.
Mardin, Turkey, FEBRUARY2012.
Mardin Province, Turkey, FEBRUARY2012. Turkish soldiers patrolling the road between the cities of Mardin and Diyarbakir while deactivating a car bomb planted by the guerrilias of PKK (Kurdistan Workers’s Party). The armed conflict between the Turkish army and the PKK is still alive in the whole Anatolia region. According to analysts 2011 showed a sharp increase in violence and was one of the bloodiest years in the recent history of the Kurdish-Turkish conflict.
di Cristina Paglionico
Il mastodontico progetto turco GAP, avviato già dalla seconda metà degli anni Settanta, prevede la realizzazione di otto dighe e otto centrali idroelettriche lungo il bacino del Tigri e di 14 dighe e 11 centrali elettriche lungo quello dell’Eufrate. La costruzione degli impianti porterà alla sommersione di intere aree e al dislocamento di migliaia di persone senza che ancora sia stato definito un piano di risarcimento e di compensazione per la perdita delle abitazioni e delle terre coltivate. Gravissima e irrecuperabile sarà l’alterazione degli ecosistemi fluviali e la perdita di millenari patrimoni archeologici. La realizzazione del complesso piano idraulico darà alla Turchia il potere di concedere acqua ai paesi confinanti, determinando nuovi equilibri politici nella regione mesopotamica. Come il petrolio anche l’acqua sta avviandosi ad essere una risorsa naturale messa a servizio più del potere che della vita umana. Sarà soprattutto il popolo curdo a farne le spese: già senza patria, i contadini resteranno senza terra, costretti ad abbandonare i loro villaggi. Il fotogiornalismo è innanzitutto testimonianza capace di svelare eventi spesso oscurati dal pur continuo flusso di notizie poste alla nostra attenzione. E’ un’operazione che unisce alla fotografia un testo descrittivo del tema affrontato: l’unione di due linguaggi produce una conoscenza più approfondita. Il patto che l’autore fa con il suo pubblico è quello della massima onestà intellettuale, in cui la necessità delle scelte e dei tagli di una realtà complessa è vissuta come atto responsabile, destinato a rappresentare gli eventi più che a interpretarli. Non è una generica e impossibile ricerca di obiettività, ma una mediazione tra la corretta informazione e l’inevitabile, ma auspicabile, sentire caratteristico del fotoreporter. Tommaso Protti registra gli ambienti in fase di modificazione, le nuove città, le difficili condizioni di vita e lo stretto legame degli abitanti con la propria terra, stabilendo un’empatia che gli permette di rappresentare la voce di chi non ha potere. Nella raccolta delle tracce del vissuto, nella realizzazione di immagini che creino domande, nell’estremo rispetto del soggetto sta la forza del suo fotogiornalismo: lavorare sulla coscienza e sulla conoscenza per cambiare il mondo.
Biografia E’ nato a Mantova nel 1986 e cresciuto a Roma. Ottenuta la laurea in Scienze Politiche presso l’Università Roma Tre, inizia a dedicarsi alla fotografia e si trasferisce a Londra, conseguendo un Master in fotogiornalismo presso il London College of Communication. Dal 2011 porta avanti un progetto a lungo termine sulla regione dell’Anatolia sud-orientale in Turchia e continua il suo percorso di crescita fotografica e professionale. I suoi interessi per le problematiche sociali che caratterizzano il mondo contemporaneo lo portano ad esplorare le complesse tematiche geopolitiche ed ambientali che influenzano la vita quotidiana dei popoli e delle comunità etniche. I suoi lavori sono stati esibiti in Italia, Regno Unito e Croazia. Il suo lavoro “Turkish Blue Gold” è stato premiato in diverse compezioni quali l’International Photography Award (IPA), il Foto8 Summershow e l’Organ Vida International Photography Festival.