CHP holds march in Turkey's Tunceli to protest planned hydroelectric plant, dam projects

The main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) held a march on Sept. 20 in the eastern province of Tunceli, formerly known as Dersim, to protest planned hydroelectric plants (HES) and dam projects in the region's picturesque Munzur Valley. 

Organized by the CHP's provincial organization, around 1,000 party members gathered at the Cumhuriyet Square in the city, from where they walked for almost three kilometers to the Gola Çetu Park, where the Munzur and Pülümer rivers meet, carrying "No to HES and dams in Munzur" banners. The crowd then left carnations at the Munzur River. 

The march was attended by CHP group deputy chairman Engin Altay, CHP Tunceli deputy Gürsel Erol, Istanbul's Bakırköy district mayor Bülent Kerimoğlu, Istanbul's Maltepe district mayor Ali Kılıç, Istanbul's Beylikdüzü district mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, the western province of İzmir's Bornova district mayor Olgun Atilla as well as many NGO representatives and party members. 

Before embarking on the march, Erol delivered a speech, saying the main opposition had now taken up problems in public areas in the face of "wrong policies" of the government. 

"The government has started to follow many wrong policies in the recent years. In the face of these wrong policies, we, as the CHP, have started to go to public areas and make our voices be heard. The people of Tunceli have become an example in Turkey in every area. We are raising our voices against the hydroelectric plants and dams planned to be constructed in the Munzur [Valley], which the people of Dersim and Alevis consider holy and a faith center," Erol said. 

"We have gathered here today for Munzur to be free, for it not to be shackled, for our holy places not to be constructed with HES; and we will...