MEDİNE MAMEDOĞLU

Amed- The historic Taşköprü and Geliyê Goderne valley, having remains from the Neolithic time, wear many colors with the arrival of spring. Located at the border of Silvan, Kulp and Lice districts of Amed (Diyarbakır) province, the valley hosts thousands of local and foreign tourists in the spring and summer. The valley, much known with its cold water in summer and its beautiful view, is under threat due to Silvan Dam project.

The valley will be submerged

The valley will be submerged due to the Silvan Dam project, which began to be built in 2009.  70% of the dam construction has been already completed and the valley is planned to be submerged in three years. When the construction is completed, the historic buildings, thousands of hectares of agricultural land, and many villages will also be submerged. The dam has been built as a part of the Southeastern Anatolia Project (GAP) for “security” reasons.

History and nature will disappear

The valley hosts many endemic plant and animal species. The historic Taşköprü is located in the valley. The valley also has many historic caves, waterways, and caved churches.  The valley is a means of livelihood for the villagers. When the construction of the dam is completed, rock tombs in Hevika, Kanika and Kelê regions, the ruins of castle and palace from Marwanids, and caves from the Neolithic period will be submerged.

Number of dams increases

The number of dam projects in the region increases day by day for “security reasons”. Five dams have been planned to be built in Hakkari and seven dams have been planned to be built in Şırnak. Ilısu Dam was built for the same reason.