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People of Milas resist coal to protect their olive trees, health and livelihoods
The olive tree has been the symbol of Milas region in Muğla, Turkey since the Carian civilization, and the people of Milas have been cultivating olives for 4000 years. Today, Milas is known as the capital of olives and olive oil in Turkey.
“The eternal tree” is a part of Anatolia’s culture; it is a heritage that should be preserved and passed on to future generations. Despite this, two coal power plants have been poisoning Milas and coal mining activities have been destroying people’s livelihoods for the last 40 years.
The report, “Transition Opportunity for Local Economy: Olive Sector in Milas, Muğla, Turkey”, underlines that it is possible to develop the local economy without relying on polluters. The report shows how investments in olive production could be accelerated by the state subsidies that are granted to the two coal power plants in Milas over the course of just one year. And that if the necessary promotion and certification processes are implemented, the value of olive oil could increase from 0.4 million Euro to 5.7 million Euro at 2021 prices.
Today, defenders of this ancient tree (notably İkizköy villagers) are resisting coal expansion to protect the past, present, and future of Milas. Watch the story of the eternal tree and join the fight against the polluters in Milas.
Open pit coal mines in Milas are destroying the forests and threatening the livelihoods of the villagers
In recent years, 8 villages in Milas and Yatagan have been forced to relocate due to the commissioning of coal mines
On April 17, 2022, thousands of olive defenders came together in Milas, Turkey to protest a new mining regulation that opens olive groves to mining for the sake of electricity production to feed the coal power plants. The regulation particularly targets the Milas neighborhood of Muğla / Turkey.
İkizköy villagers holding the banner: ‘Justice for Olive’
A demonstrator holds a sign that says ‘What would you like to eat in your breakfast: Olive or coal?’
Members of Milas City Council holding the banner: ‘Branch of olive is the branch of peace’
“We can do olive oil cultivation, agriculture, and animal husbandry. So we are ready to do anything as long as we are given some support. And those [coal] power plants should be taken out of our lives now. While some money bags are getting rich here, we, the villagers, are the ones who are aggrieved all the time.
It is always the villagers, the lowest walks of life, who are deprived of their land, their children. It is always the villagers who have to move somewhere else, who are forced to migrate… We are currently in ruins.
If these production facilities are medium sized, then 46 million euros are needed. If the [coal] power plants are not subsidized for two years, it will be possible to establish these facilities.”
– Activist from Milas who prefers to keep their name anonymous
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Credits
Videographer: Selen Çatalyürekli. With thanks to 350 Turkiye and Climate Action Network Europe.