Participants
- Bebekliler Association
- Bebekliler Association Working Group
- Bosphorus Association Platform
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On April 23, 2016 Bebekliler Association and Bebek Citizens’ Initiative (BSG) volunteers introduced – a small rowboat named Bebek I – as their symbolic reference to a lifestyle totally opposite to the ‘Tekne Park Project’, an environmental disaster for Bebek and Istanbul. They also called attention to the rent-seeking mentality behind this unlawful project which shall increase the risk of sea accidents on the Bosphorus. The volunteers emphasized the importance of rowboats, now disappearing in the culture of coastal towns of the Bosphorus. During the event rowboat rides were arranged in the Bebek Bay. Fishing boats from neighboring coastal towns joined in to support them.
Bebekliler and all those devoted to the protection of the Bosphorus (or the Istanbul Strait) have been bonded for a long time in resisting Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality’s (IBB) Mega Project of 11 Marinas.
They are determined to continue their protests on democratic and legal fora with a positive tone until the project is totally cancelled.
While they discuss the cancelation of the project with the pertinent local government bodies, namely İSPARK and İBB, they also look for grounds to become partners in solution to the development of a better shoreline in Bebek. They also seek assitance from other NGOs, professional chambers, legal advisers, district organisations of political parties, assembly members of local governments, and their committies on the environment.
Together with all those who believe in the preservation of the natural shores and the sea at the Istanbul Strait, Bebekliler Association and Bebek Initiative (BSG) invited people to meet once again at Bebek Park on April 24, 2016. This was the first anniversary of their public protest and informative march that was held in April 2015 when they held a symbolic launching of rowboat named Bebek 1. In the April of the previous year Bebekliler formed a long human chain all along the Bebek coast, saying ‘No to Tekne Park’ (marina).
They declared their resolution to take ownership of and protect the Bosphorus towns, woods, coasts, bays and culture. In this event, too, they re-iterated their reasons for refusing the ‘Tekne Park Project’ and repeated their proposals:
We propose designing an examplary shore plan that takes Bebek’s historical, cultural and natural assets into consideration along with present-day values and needs.
For maritme pilots there are three suitable locations to drop anchor on the Bosphorus during emergencies (such as blocked rudders). Among the three, the Tarabya ve İstinye bays are already blocked by marinas. The only one left is the shallow waters of the Bebek Bay – a different and very important area that should not to be sacrificed.
However, while this shore line is being designed:
Sept. 15, 2015, BODEP & Bebekliler Derneği Presentation at the C20 Summit in Istanbul
May12, 2015: Çetin Ünsalan’s program ‘Ekopolitik’ at Ulusal TV
Jan. 29, 2015 Mirgün Cabas’ program ‘Her Şey’ at CNN Turk
Jan.4, 2015: Interview at Açık Radyo ‘Açık Gazete Program
3 TRT Documentaries about the Istanbul Strait (the Bosphorus)
Negative outcomes of the Istinye ‘Tekne Park’ marina