Help 1000's of Ilisu Dam-affected people in Turkey

Dear Friends and Supporters,

 We are pleased to give you an update on the work that we have been doing in the past few months thanks to your generous support. In October, the project took the issue of the human rights impact of the construction of the dam to the Third International Meeting of Dam affected people, which brought together representatives from hundreds of organizations, dam-affected people and experts from across the world. The meeting included forums for people affected by dam projects to share experiences a well as providing training workshops on a range of issues. The project delivered a training on ‘Rights and Remedies’ that provided legal strategies to confront development projects such as the Ilısu Dam. We explained how organizations and movements can use international mechanisms to combat development projects which are detrimental to the local population and environment, and highlighted the importance of early action and careful documentation and evidence gathering.

 The project continues to bring the issues surrounding the dam to the international community, whilst continuing to provide training and advice to human rights defenders and representatives of those affected by the dam, including on how to take cases to the European Court of Human Rights for those who have lost their land and livelihood. In 2011, we will be bringing the issue of the Ilısu Dam and other damaging development projects to the European Parliament as part of a seminar on water issues in the Kurdish regions.

 Turkey intends to build more than 1,500 dams in the next 25 years, with the potential displacement of over 100,000 people as well as the destruction of environmental and cultural heritage. With your continued support our project aims to ensure that those most affected by these projects will have a voice and the tools they need to protect their rights and their land.