Reportage : Le nouveau visage de Hasankeyf. The New Face of Hasankeyf.

Le nouveau visage de Hasankeyf.  The New Face of Hasankeyf.
26 août 2020
Le nouveau visage de Hasankeyf. The New Face of Hasankeyf.

© Alfred YAGHOBZADEH / Divergence

Shopping center is seen in new Hasankeyf, about 3 kilometers from the old town on October 03, 2019 in Hasankeyf, Turkey. The ancient Silk Road trading post of Hasankeyf, which sits on the banks of Tigris River in southeast Turkey, will soon be flooded by the Ilisu Dam. Hasankeyf is thought to be one of the oldest continuously inhabited settlements on Earth, dating as far back as 12,000 years. It will be completely submerged when a reservoir behind the new Ilisu Dam causes the river to rise some 60 meters in a few months. Ilisu is the fourth biggest dam in Turkey and is a key part of Turkey's Southeastern Anatolia Project (GAP), designed to improve its poorest and least developed region. In 2006 the Turkish government officially began work on the giant dam across the Tigris River, which will lead to the submerging of an estimated 80 percent of Hasankeyf and the displacement of its 3,000 residents, as well as many other people. The Ilisu dam and the Hydra Electric Power Plant will help fulfil the country's energy needs and provide irrigation to the agricultural lands surrounding it. Once activated, the power plant will generate 3,800 gigawatts hours of electricity annually. The project will affect 199 settlements in the area and push thousands of people out of their homes and away from their livelihoods. The government has built a new town with 710 houses for the Hasankeyf residents 3 kilometers away from the ancient town. Eight monuments have also been relocated to safer ground near the new settlement but the rest of the city, with all its rich history, will be inundated. Only the citadel will still be visible above the water. The Turkish government has given residents until 8 October to evacuate. Hasankeyf, Turkey 24/02/2020.

Lieu : HASANKEYF, TURKEY

Mots clés : Hasankeyf, river Tigris, ancient, fleuve Tigre, ancien, Mesopotamia, Ilisu Dam, Barrage Ilisu, Dam, Barrage, digue, water, submerged, flood, disappeared, disparu, flooded, inonde, submerge, drowned, river, riviere, Syria, Iraq, ÊAssyrian, Turquie, Turkey, history, histoire, tourism, Tourist, business, attraction, entertaining, Tourisme, affaires, Alfred Yaghobzadeh

AYA00155045