Farmers protest power cuts with tractors in Urfa

* Photo: urfanatik.com

Click to read the article in Turkish

Protests are ongoing in the face of power cuts that have hit several parts of Urfa province in southeast Turkey.

Today (August 10), a group of farmers in Haliliye protested the power cuts imposed by the Dicle Electricity Distribution Inc. (DEDAŞ).

Closing the Urfa-Mardin road to traffic with tractors, farmers said that as the water used in agricultural activities is supplied by electrically driven pumps, they are now unable to water their crops.

Evet, son dönemde çiftçilerle mücadelede gelenek haline gelen TOMA'lar, KİRPİ'ler, JOP'lar ve BİBER GAZLARI hazır!

Özel bir elektrik dağıtım şirketine söz geçiremeyen ama her olayda İTİBARDAN bahseden AKP Hükümeti çiftçinin itibarını ayaklar altına almaya devam ediyor! pic.twitter.com/jZkVp71EQP

— Aziz AYDINLIK (@azizaydinlikchp) August 10, 2021

Farmers raised concerns that the frequent power cuts caused their crops to dry up. Expressing their aggrievement, they demanded a solution.

As the vehicles queued up, gendarmerie teams were referred to the scene. The gendarmerie urged the group to open the road and disperse.

As the farmers did not agree to end their protest, the gendarmerie intervened with pepper gas. Some farmers have been reportedly detained.

DEDAŞ'ın elektrik kesintilerine karşı çiftçilerin yol kapatma eylemleri yayılıyor. Urfa-Mardin yolunu trafiğe kapatan çiftçilere, jandarma gaz bombalarıyla saldırdıhttps://t.co/poXjEpgebD pic.twitter.com/6vScPifLtr

— Yeni Yaşam Gazetesi (@yeniyasamgazete) August 10, 2021

(HA/SD)