A copper mine is planned to be established in the area covering the rural neighbourhoods of Zengesor, Heşeder, Mizag, Peçar, Bayırlı and Şaxur in the Lice district of Amed (Diyarbakır). Residents took to the streets in protest at the project and made a statement to the press.

The demonstration promoted by Lice Nature Defence Collective was supported by Peoples' Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) Amed MP Serhat Eren, Amed Ecology Association, Chamber of Agricultural Engineers, Union of Chambers of Turkish Engineers and Architects (TMMOB) members and many locals. During the demonstration, banners reading ‘Capital, hands off Lice’ and ‘Our nature is our existence, we are not giving up’ were unfurled.

Before the press statement, Turkish soldiers entered the neighbourhood in armoured and civilian vehicles. Samet Ucaman, former Branch President of the Chamber of Agricultural Engineers, said that the mining project is a plunder of nature. Pointing out that the environmental impact assessment (EIA) report was not duly prepared, Ucaman said, “We are fighting against this. We see that the work carried out in areas close to settlements is aimed at changing the demography and forcing the people to migrate.”

DEM Party MP Serhat Eren said that the livelihoods of the people are in danger: “There is an attack on animal husbandry, beekeeping and agriculture. Efforts are made to displace our people from their land and send them to big cities, where the people's ties with their land, history, culture and language are wanted to be severed. We will never allow this. We will resist these mines until the end.”

Eren added: “No one can destroy our nature, trees, forests, living spaces and agricultural areas. The people's struggle to protect their nature is a struggle for freedom. We will embrace this struggle for freedom until the end.”

Zeki Kanay from the Ecology Association said: “Mesopotamia is a geography where all grains are grown and spread around the world. Now when we ask why we don't have tomatoes or grains, it is because even our streams no longer flow freely. They have built dams on all the flowing waters. Today, the Tigris and Euphrates do not flow. They submerge our houses, and then they sell us that water for money.”

Ahmet İnan, a lawyer from the Environment and Urban Commission of the Amed Bar Association, said that the area where the mining project is set to be realised is of critical importance for the people. Pointing to intentions to implement the mining project in the forested and water-flowing area, İnan said, “As stated in the EIA report, the area opened for mining activities is, unfortunately, 700 hectares of forest area.”

Inan concluded: “The destruction of our living spaces and attempts to sever our ties with nature are also an attack on the eco-sociological structure and values of our people. We clearly state that we will not allow any project that will usurp the rights of our people and nature.”