Residents reacted to the wildfire raging for 3 months now and said: "Each time we put the flames out, they start another a fire. The state is enemy of Dersim, those who are starting the fires in Dersim shall be called to account."

Living beings and endemic plants have been wiped out on a large scale in the wildfires in forests across Dersim territory; in Deşk, Geyiksuyu, Sin, Halvori, Rengül, Müşkürek Xaçeli, Mezrabali, Şıxmeran, Dere Are regions and Bali valley.

Billows of smoke are growing over Mazgirt, Pülümür and Nazimiye and the fire grows fierce in the Peri Valley. In Düzgün Baba, Kutudere and Hagaopil the state’s military forces do not allow the flames to be extinguished. While villagers work too hard and put out the flames during daytime to prevent it from spreading, fire is set anew to other forests at nightfall.

The state forces do not permit the forest management fire department to intervene either, what allows the wildfire to grow uncontrollably. Consequently, villagers of all ages, activists and citizens mobilised to extinguish the fire in Geyiksuyu area with their own means. HDP Istanbul deputy Erdal Ataş and Ovacik mayor Mehmet Fatih Maçoğlu also joined the efforts to stop the fire in Geyiksuyu area from spreading towards Ovacık.

700 HECTARES BURNED TO THE GROUND

Activists said that never before has a wildfire of this extent been witnessed in Turkey. About 550 hectares of Dersim’s land burned to the ground in July, which will soon increase to 700 hectares with the continuing fires. Photos taken of the devastating wildfires show that not only plants that have been categorized by Dersim's Governor as "sub-forests" but also ranges of oak trees have totally burned down.

"WE PUT IT OUT, THEY SET IT ALIGHT"

Local people said that 5 villages in the Geyiksuyu and Konaklar region by the Sînê Lake are under imminent threat to be engulfed in the fire and that the fire might sweep over Ovacık, saying: "We put the flames out but they set it alight again. This is not the solution needed. The state has to stop this now. Their aim is to burn Dersim's mountains completely to the ground and flood the valleys. They want to build dams without the people's consent. Those involved in these acts should be called to account.”

"THE STATE DOES NOT DEEM DERSIM PART OF THE COUNTRY, NOR US ITS CITIZENS"

The villagers said: "This cannot go on like this. It must have an end. Our forests are burned to ashes in front of everyone's eyes and everybody who opposes it is getting punished. The state does not regard these lands as its country, nor us as its citizens. So they burn down our forests on mountains and are planning to drown us in dams they are building."

THOSE WHO SPOKE OUT HAVE BEEN PUNISHED

The local people that tried to extinguish the flames on their own but they were not given permission in July, made a statement to the press on the wildfires, in which they voiced criticism. Those who attended this press briefing was given 227 TL fine each.