Hello ,Happy Memorial Day Weekend!
The lush forests and steep valleys of the Artvin forest stretch from snowy mountaintops to the Black Sea coast of Northern
Turkey.
For 20-years, people there have protected this old forest ecosystem, fighting one mining company after another, but 2016 could be the year they lose the battle. Read more below...
New format this week! I'm being told that people don't read all the way to the bottom to get my latest news. And it must be true.
I've been trying to give away a copy of Irena's Children for two weeks now with winners not claiming their prize. So I'm moving news and links up, and I'm
giving away two copies of book! Treicia Phelps was the name drawn May 13th. Barbara Stagg the winner drawn May 20th. Shoot me an email reply to this newsletter with your mailing address, and I'll send you advanced readers copies of my next book.
All current subscribers' names were entered in a random drawing for the book. As the rules stated, the winner must e-mail me to claim the book before next Thursday, (now June 2 at 3pm) or an alternate winner will be selected with the same provision. I'll keep drawing...
Forest more Valuable than Gold |
Forestry workers blocked a road, hoping to prevent mining operations in the largest old growth forest ecosystem in Europe and Central Asia. The forestry union in the Cerattepe region is calling for world wide support in its efforts
to prevent mining in the Artvin forest and to end harassment of forestry union members. They say resources above ground are more valuable than those below.
In February, some three thousand locals turned out to oppose plans to cut down virgin forest, attempting to halt the Cengiz Mining Holding Company's schedule for building gold and copper mines.
They were met by police...rubber bullets and tear
gas.
Thanks to Getty Images for the photo above
Over seven days, resistance grew from hundreds of people to thousands. One local said, “We defend our right to live and we will not stand
down." People fear pollution from mining processes and degradation from the felling of more than 50,000 trees in an area that's home to brown bears and wolves.
Turkey's leading news source the Hurriyet Daily reported company guards were joined by law enforcement who
prepared for the clash by warning the area hospital to have additional paramedics standing by. CNN Turk reported 26 people hurt.
News of the stand-off spread via social media and people poured in from other regions of Turkey to add their dissent until authorities banned outsiders.
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Tactics used against forestry workers in Turkey in 2016 are the same bully violence used against American workers in 1916. How much has the world changed since the time of Fannie Sellins?
I leave you with a tweet from a young man on the ground in
Cetattepe.
Despite these pressures must hope to rise and the sky is falling on us from somewhere...translation by Google
Despite all this pressure rises and falls from the sky in a place of hope are raining down upon us...translation by
Bing
I'm grabbing that word hope, and clinging fast. Thanks for you time! Have you read a great book? Tell me about it. Have a burning question? Let me know. Until next week.... If you know someone
who might enjoy my newsletter or books, please forward this e-mail. I will never spam you or sell your email address, you can unsubscribe below anytime with a single mouse click. To find out more about my books, how I help students, teacher and librarians, visit my website at www.MaryCronkFarrell.com. My best, Mary
Questions? Comments? Contact me at MaryCronkFarrell@gmail.com. Click here to subscribe to this newsletter. |
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