Statement on the weaponization of water by Turkiye
In the past few years, the situation downstream of the Tigris River has continued to deteriorate significantly due to a combination of climate change and Turkish daming upstream as part of their climate transition plan. Domestically, these project also serves as a weapon against the Kurdish minority and their cultural heritage within the border of Turkiye.
The Ilisu dam in particular is especially problematic as it single-handedly decreases water flow to downstream of Tigris by 56%. The dam has also destroyed the Kurdish town of Hasenyef, a place that has been continuously occupied for more than 12,000 years and has become a small center of Kurdish heritage and culture. The Turkish government has resettled the population in a newly built-planned city devoid of the Kurdish heritage in the original town. Domestically, the Ilisu Dam clearly serves more purpose than generating hydroelectricity. It is also a weapon against the Kurdish population, forcing displacement and violating their right to their ancestral land.
Internationally, the Ilisu dam has significantly worsened the water scarcity in Iraq; it has a particularly detrimental effect on the ancient Mesopotamian marsh, which is a UNESCO World Heritage site. The sharp decline of water flow in the Tigris–one of the Marsh’s main tributaries–is slowly killing the marsh with increased drought in both frequency and severity. Attempts have been made to resolve the issue of Tigris water flow diplomatically to no avail. Turkiye has repeatedly weaponized the dam and the power it now holds in negotiations with Iraq, Syria, and Iran to their advantage. Turkiye’s weaponization of Tigris is a violation of the rights of all those living downstream as their access to clean drinking water and sanitation is now under threat. Additionally, it is also a violation of the right of the Marsh Arabs to their land and way of life. Their displacement is now imminent due to Turkiye withholding critical water flow for political gains.
Back when the Ilisu dam was still in the proposal and planning phase a group of civil engineers and scientists presented an alternative plan to the Turkish government. The plan would generate just as much clean hydro energy with only a fraction of the negative impact of Ilisu both environmentally and culturally. However, the Turkish government rejected the proposal. This rejection is a strong indication of the nature of Ilisu dam beyond a hydroelectricity plant, it is a weapon for Turkish geopolitical interest.
Currently, there is a complete lack of enforceable international mechanisms that protect inland natural bodies of water from such weaponization. The ACHRS urges all states and actors in the Tigris-Euphrates basin to find a diplomatic solution to ensure people’s right to water and their land are secure. The ACHRS also strongly condemns Turkish weaponization of water to advance their geopolitical interest and urges them to reconsider the role and impact of the Ilisu dam.
