Despite nearly a month having passed since Reşit Kibar’s murder, no perpetrators other than the shooter have been apprehended. Aside from the failure to capture Kibar’s assailants, Dursun Ali Koyuncu, Yıllar Kibar, and Mutlu Akyüz remain unjustly imprisoned for defending their nature and living spaces.
The Çifteköprü Agricultural Development Cooperative has called out, “Let’s unite as one voice to protect our living spaces.” A nationwide call for a vigil has been made for October 6, Sunday, from 16:00 to 18:00.
The four main demands of the Çifteköprü Agricultural Development Cooperative are as follows:
- Those unjustly imprisoned should be released.
- Cankurtaran Forest should be named Reşit Kibar Forest.
- All mining exploration and operation permits should be canceled.
- Those responsible for Reşit Kibar’s murder should be prosecuted.
“We want this voice to be heard simultaneously across Turkey.”
According to a report by Atakan Asılbay from Artı Gerçek newspaper, Miraç Topal from Çifteköprü Village stated, “The process has affected us and made us realize that we need to resist even more. We were born in that village; we live there, and we will continue to live there. Who wants to see a mine in their field? Or who wants to destroy that beautiful greenery with various projects? Who would allow this? We are against this. During this process, we have clearly seen the distinction between the people and the enemies of the people. We are the ones being killed, we are the ones being arrested, and our village is the one being subjected to oppression. We will do everything within the framework of law and justice to protect our forest, nature, and trees. We are raising our voices during the vigils, and we want this voice to be heard simultaneously across Turkey.”
Murdered for Defending the Reşit Kibar Forest
Engin Korkmaz, President of the Hopaspor Denizin Asi Çocukları fan group, explained that they have no more places to go: “We owe a debt to those who put their lives on the line for nature. Metin Lokumcu was murdered in Hopa Square for defending nature. Reşit Kibar was murdered for defending the forest. We are paying a price to defend our nature and living spaces, and we do not step back while doing so. We strive to be a voice in the stands, even though we are sometimes silenced; they cannot extinguish this voice. It is unacceptable for us, as fans, to remain silent while so much has happened in our homeland. I believe that the vigils will be a response to the injustices in this country and to the enemies of nature who harm us. In this country, while people complain about poverty, wanting to plunder nature instead of finding a solution is nothing but greed.”
“The More Organized We Are, the More We Can Counter These Attacks”
Handan Ustabaş, President of the Hopa Branch of the People’s Houses, emphasized that the homeland is under attack from “predatory capitalist investors” from all sides. Ustabaş continued, “For those who resist these attacks, either state violence or methods of oppression by gangs, as seen in Cankurtaran, are used. We believe in the organized strength of the people against these attacks. The more organized we are, the more we can counter these assaults.”