The Turkish prime minister has the reputation of
being a man of his word. Just a few months ago, he said he would do
everything in his power to remove Kars’ abstract, monumental sculpture,
the Monument to Humanity, which he publicly called “freakish.” The head
of the sculpture was chopped off this week, and its demolition continues
despite significant public uproar.
On Feb. 26, the prime minister blamed “archaeological stuff” and
archaeologists for delaying the Marmaray Project in Istanbul. “First
there was archaeological stuff, and then it was clay pots and pans, then
this, then that. Is any of this stuff more important than people?”
asked the prime minister, and continued with a question, “Why do we
allow ourselves to be trapped by all this stuff?”
The “archaeological stuff” Mr. Erdoğan referred to in his speech is
perhaps the most amazing archaeological discovery of this century in
Istanbul: the remains of the first inhabitants of the city were found
under the ancient harbor of Byzantium. These remains proved Istanbul has
a much longer past than anyone had expected. In addition to the
discovery and excavation of some 30 Byzantine ships, precious and unique
wooden and organic remains dating back some 8,000 years were
uncovered. These finds proved to be revolutionary in changing our
understanding of the deep past of this magnificent city.
It was not only expert knowledge, however, but also legal procedures
that created obstacles and slowed down the Marmaray Project. The prime
minister blamed the committees and courts. He said these had held them
up for years. Mr. Erdoğan concluded his words by clearly stating, “But
there will be no barriers from now on, whatever it takes.”
Indeed, just a few months ago, experts and concerned citizens faced
the harsh reality that there was no way to stop certain projects. Take,
for instance, the case of Allianoi. This ancient Roman spa and healing
center near Bergama was discovered during the building of the Yortanlı
Dam. The finds from this ancient site were so spectacular that experts
prepared numerous reports explaining the importance of this discovery,
and why it should be saved as part of shared cultural heritage of
humanity. Meanwhile, the Justice and Development Party, or AKP, Minister
Veysel Eroğlu denied the very existence of the site and publicly mocked
the archaeologists and concerned citizens who wanted to save the
site. The legal battle for Allianoi continued for almost a decade. Civil
voices, domestic and international NGOs, opinions in the press, legal
actions, expert opinions, scholarly articles and protests were all
futile. No one and nothing could save Allianoi. The flooding of this
precious ancient site started in early 2011.
This week, Mr. Erdoğan publicly announced the AKP vision for Istanbul
in 2023; a giant project nicknamed the “Crazy Project.” This project
involves the building of a massive channel, 25 meters deep, 150 meters
wide and approximately 45-50 kilometers long that will pass through the
Istanbul peninsula, connecting the Marmara and Black seas and
effectively turning part of the city into an island. Although the exact
path of this channel is not yet disclosed, its route will inevitably
pass through natural and historical heritage protection areas.
During his speech, the prime minister repeated what he had already
warned us about in the Marmaray excavations almost verbatim. “This
understanding delayed Marmaray for four years,” said Erdoğan. “They
stopped this investment because they found pots and pans during the
excavations.” In Erdoğan’s statement “this understanding” presumably
refers to those who thought there was value in trying to save the
precious finds that emerged during the Marmaray project.
If the prime minister’s words are to be trusted, and he has
repeatedly shown he means business in such matters, there is really not
much anyone can do to save whatever cultural heritage comes across his
path during the implementation of this “Crazy Project.” Possibly the
most fascinating information we are yet to discover will soon be
destroyed before we have a chance to grasp it.
In most democratic systems, we at least have the illusion that people
have some control over their futures, that they can, in certain
contexts and through certain procedures, alter decisions affecting their
lives. But let’s face the current reality: an abstract sculpture is
being demolished as we speak and an ancient site has already disappeared
under the waters of a dam, despite prominent, significant, persistent
civil public opposition, expert opinions and legal procedures. Perhaps
it is time to face the grim truth. In the future nothing and no one will
be able to save whatever else will be found during the construction of
any other future project. The Crazy Project will be built. No matter
what the cost is for the past, present or the future.
This alone, perhaps, clearly indicates the project indeed deserves its nickname.
*Tuğba Tanyeri-Erdemir is director of the Science and Society
Center and a lecturer at the graduate program in Architectural History
at Middle East Technical University.
