JINHA

RİZE - A 63-year-old mother of four has stopped bulldozers in the Black Sea region of Turkey, becoming a hero to many.

The "Green Road" planned for the Black Sea region of Turkey would cross 2,600 kilometers and eight provinces. The road would connect the Black Sea region's characteristic mountain plateaus, normally only reachable by roads that lead up the steep valleys and canyons from the coast. Environmentalists and locals have decried the road for the traffic and environmental destruction it would bring to the area.

On Saturday, residents of Rize province got news that construction was beginning on the Green Road project at the Samistal Plateau. They set out for the plateau, but found that the construction company had left equipment in the road to block their way. Because it would take 6-7 hours to reach Samistal on foot, the locals decided to build their own road to carry protestors up the mountainside before it was too late.

A group of around 300 began laying stones alongside the asphalt road to create a way up the mountain. The human chain built the new road in around 2.5 hours, calling it "our green road." When they reached the plateau, they were met with soldiers deployed to stop them.

63-year-old Rabia Özcan ignored soldiers and sat down to block the bulldozers' path with her long walking stick. She decried the provincial governor, who had said that a few "looters" couldn't stop the road project.

"The governor calls us looters. We've been living here since we were children," said Rabia, who has been nicknamed "Havva Ana"--that is, "Mother Eve." "Who's this governor? Who's this district governor? I'm the people and I'm here."

Rabia said that she would personally be in front of every bulldozer in every plateau in the Black Sea region until the project stopped.

"If there was no us, there would be no state," said Rabia, speaking from her position in front of the bulldozer. "They better not make us lose our temper. I didn't have to listen to anyone; I could have burned that construction equipment. But we're not that kind of people."

The soldiers deployed to the region were recalled and so far no construction has begun at the Samistal Plateau. A group of locals is maintaining their vigil at the site.

(mg/cm)