DİYARBAKIR – Sur Municipality, under the management of a trustee, entered the Hevsel Gardens and the Tigris River bed, which was declared a UNESCO site, with a scoop. TMMOB Amed IKK components stated that they will intervene in the excavation that will change the course of the river and file a criminal complaint against those concerned.
 
Sur Municipality, where a trustee has been appointed, is changing the Hevsel Gardens and the Tigris River bed, which were added to the World Heritage List in 2015 as Turkey's 14th heritage site, together with the historical walls of Diyarbakır. Municipal construction equipment and trucks managed by the trustee change the river bed by removing sand and gravel from the water. Ferit Kahraman, Co-chairperson of the Chamber of Architects (MO) Diyarbakır Branch, one of the components of the Union of Chambers of Turkish Engineers and Architects (TMMOB) Provincial Coordination Board (IKK), who went to the region upon information, and Doğan Hatun, Co-Chair of the Chamber of Mining Engineers (MMO) Diyarbakır Branch, made a statement here.

'THE TRUSTEE DAMAGES NATURAL LIFE'
 
Stating that the natural protected area was destroyed, Ferit Kahraman said: "We were in the region on behalf of TMMOB Amed İKK and we saw the destruction with our own eyes. The destroyed area has been included in the world heritage list by UNESCO. The area that makes a profit right now is the natural landscape and the urban protected area. It is within the boundaries of what is considered a world heritage site. We have been informed that the excavation works were carried out by the Municipality of Sur and the materials here were unearthed. This natural protected area, the stream bed, is being destroyed by construction equipment and trucks. These destructions are damaging their natural habitats."

'WE WILL FILE A CRIMINAL COMPLAINT'
 
Stating that they will file a criminal complaint on the subject, Kahraman said: "The work here is not a short-term work, and they have clearly seen that excavations have been carried out by the municipality for a long time. We condemn the silence of the institutions and authorities against the plunder of nature. We would like to inform you here that we will file a criminal complaint to all authorities who have responsibilities regarding this issue. We are almost developing a reflex to protect this city from the authorities and the units that should protect it. We are surprised to see where these unconscious efforts will lead, and how long this destruction will last. We demand that those responsible be punished and that this destruction ends.”