Diyarbakır opposes construction of 12KM wall that will divide city in two

Duvar English 

Twenty-one non-governmental organizations in the southeastern city of Diyarbakır have come out in fierce opposition to the construction of a wall alongside a 12KM stretch of railway that passes through the city, effectively dividing it in two. 

The organizations, which include the Diyarbakir Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Diyarbakir Bar Association, the Diyarbakır Medical Association, and the Diyarbakır branch of the Progresive Trade Unions of Turkey, released a joint statement condemning the wall, construction of which began without the the required environmental impact assessment report. 

“When the project in question is considered as a whole, it is clear that these barriers, that were put up to a tender and planned around the railway system, are being built without taking into account science, art, social life, and other states of affairs,” the statement read.  

It has been seen that passageways for basic elements of the society such as animals, humans and traffic have not been taken into consideration, and that no measures have been taken in regards to this.”  

The railway in question was built during the early years of the Turkish Republic and has not been changed since. 

According to the statement, the wall is expected to block pedestrian passageways in the busy district of Ofis, the passage of vehicles in an industrial area where many tradesmen work, as well as an area that farmers frequently use to take their animals out to pasture. 

“We believe that this project will not benefit the people of Diyarbakır in any way, and that it will decrease their quality of life,” the statement said, adding that millions of TL will be invested for the railway-adjacent wall. 

The organizations have called for work on the project to be halted right away, for the necessary field observations, technical data to be gathered and for an environmental impact report to be prepared.