The recent protest against the copper mine project in Turkey’s Kaz Mountains highlights a significant environmental and social conflict. Locals and environmentalists, supported by political figures and civil society organizations, gathered on November 9 at the construction site of Cengiz Holding, a prominent company with close ties to the Turkish government. The company has been cutting trees in the area for over a week, preparing for the mine project, which has sparked widespread concern over the ecological and human costs of the venture.
The protest, held in the Bayramiç area, was fueled by the threat posed to local villages, agricultural land and the unique ecosystem of the Kaz Mountains. With nearly a million trees expected to be felled for the project, the protesters argue that the mine will result in the destruction of local villages, agricultural lands and water sources, all of which are critical to the area’s rural communities. The Kazdağları Ecology Platform, which organized the protest, claims that the environmental damage from the project will be catastrophic, erasing entire villages and their farmlands from the map.
In the face of this, local residents, including women from the villages under threat, voiced their opposition, emphasizing that the project represents an existential threat to their way of life. One protester said, “You can’t even break a branch in their country, but here they come and destroy our nature,” alluding to the injustice they feel when comparing the protection of other areas to the destruction of their own land. The protest also highlighted the challenge of balancing economic development with environmental sustainability, a tension that has been further exacerbated by the government’s approval of the project, despite concerns from local communities.
The protest was not only local but also political, with a strong presence from opposition parties like the People’s Republican Party (CHP). High-profile figures, including CHP representatives, MPs, and local officials, showed solidarity with the demonstrators, calling for the revocation of the permits and licenses that had allowed the project to move forward. The protesters questioned how the local governor’s office could approve such a project given the environmental and public health risks, especially in a region struggling with water scarcity.
At its core, this protest is about more than just environmental protection—it is about the protection of local livelihoods, the preservation of rural communities, and the challenge of balancing economic growth with the need to safeguard natural resources. The situation is a stark reminder of the broader environmental issues facing Turkey, particularly in regions like Kazdağları, where rich biodiversity and local heritage are at risk from large-scale industrial projects.
