IZMIR – Ecologists supporting the “Peace and Democratic Society Process” have emphasized that the ongoing efforts toward peace also offer a critical opportunity to halt environmental destruction, particularly in war-affected regions like Kurdistan. 

 

Although wars are often discussed in terms of human casualties, environmental damage is a major yet underreported consequence. In Kurdish regions, decades of armed conflict have devastated ecosystems. Forests have been burned, water and soil contaminated, and agricultural lands destroyed, often under the justification of “security.”

 

‘THE PROCESS GIVES US A CHANCE’

 

Erol Çırak, a member of the Peoples’ Democratic Congress (HDK) İzmir Ecology Commission, stressed that war causes irreversible damage not just to people but also to the environment. “Tons of bombs and chemicals have been dropped on nature. Forests have been burned, rivers poisoned. War destroys our health and economy. This peace process gives us a chance to reclaim and protect nature. As democratic politics advances, so too do the possibilities for ecological preservation,” he said.

 

‘WE MUST STAND FOR PEACE’

 

Environmental activist Gürkan Develi called Abdullah Öcalan’s stance on resolving the Kurdish issue “sincere,” criticizing the state’s lack of concrete response. “Political normalization is essential for democratic society. Only then can the government stop using ‘terror’ as a weapon against its own citizens,” he said. Develi also noted widespread ecological damage caused by capitalist development policies. 

 

“Villages were cleared under the pretext of terrorism. This ecological destruction is a direct reflection of war. A democratic process is urgently needed, not just for people, but for the planet.”

 

‘STRUGGLE WILL DEFINE THE OUTCOME’

 

Sedanur Parmaksız of the Children of Nature initiative warned that simply trusting the state is not enough. “We must see this process as an opportunity, but we cannot leave it in the hands of those in power. A democratic republic must treat nature as a subject, not an object. Our struggle must shape this process. Ecology is also about water scarcity and climate justice. Peace won't be handed to us, we must claim it. And to do so, we must stand in active solidarity with the Kurdish people.”

 

‘THE PEACE PROCESS MUST INCLUDE NATURE’

 

Ecologist Hüseyin Çağlar said Öcalan’s appeal was valuable because it addressed all peoples. “The peace process must also be seen as reconciliation with nature,” he said. “We’ve seen forests burned and handed over to corporations, under both security justifications in the East and mining exploitation in the West. Once peace is established, capital will find new ways to attack nature. That’s why ecologists must protect and shape this process.”

 

Environmental activist Meryem Gülbudak concluded: “Bombing a region over and over destroys all life there. Nature belongs to everyone, and protecting it is essential. This peace process is a real opportunity to end the destruction. We must take a clear stand for peace and the environment.”

 

MA / Ugurcan Boztas