With the construction of Ilısu Hydroelectric Dam, the destruction caused to Hasankeyf and its 12 thousand years old memory of life is continuing. Turkish public housing authority has already launched casting concrete for the construction of 710 buildings.
In Batman’s Hasankeyf district demolition continues with dynamites and construction equipment.
In the ancient city Hasankeyf the Turkish public housing authority (TOKİ) has now started casting concrete for the building of some other 710 houses after finishing the construction works for the first 320 buildings. These building constructions are expected to be completed by the end of 2017. Many times before it has been clearly seen that the buildings constructed by the TOKİ collapsed due to rampant negligence.
Some days ago 500 to 600 years old water holes were detected at those construction areas. It is said that those water sources reach the Imam Abdullah Palace situated between the Zeynel Abdin Tomb, which was “relocated” outside the planned dam reservoir close to new settlement called New-Hasankeyf in May, and seven other monuments that are also to be shifted. Warning has been issued that those water places might suffer damage due to the construction works with heavy machinery in this area. Aside from these water holes, also the outlines of a foundation were stumbled upon, which are said to be three thousand years old.
Despite all these, 710 new buildings are still being constructed in the region. The residents of Hasankeyf stated that the Turkish state will first accommodate them in rented houses in their own land, then place them in new houses and leave them no choice other than migration as they will not be able to pay their debts for these homes,.
