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| Mehsa Mehdili |
Political analyst Mehsa Mehdili, in an interview with Voice of America, states that the drying up of Lake Urmia is not only a threat to the environment, economy, and people's lives but also a significant psychological blow to the local population.
"Lake Urmia, especially for the people living in that region and growing up on its shores, holds an important place in their lives. If we put aside all other issues, it has a significant spiritual and emotional weight. Therefore, this is truly a tragedy for the people of the region," says the political activist.
In her view, the ecological disaster around Lake Urmia also has psychological impacts on people that should be taken into account.
"We are all affected by this issue socially and psychologically. We talk about its economic, political, and social aspects, the harm it has caused to the environment and our lives. But at the same time, one of our great lakes is being destroyed. A huge lake is being destroyed. Our childhood, our past, and our future are going away. I see this as a great psychological blow to us, and it is a very heavy blow. We should look at the issue from this perspective too. We must show people that this is related to our lives. I even think that our collective pride is hurt. When it comes to the lake, it might seem like a small issue. But it is a great lake, and when you stand on its shore, you couldn't see its bottom or its corners. It had its own wealth, its own plants, its special Artemia, and birds. It was a world of its own."
She also refers to the protests and campaigns organized since 2010 regarding Lake Urmia, adding, "Our people have really protested enough regarding Lake Urmia. Dozens of people were arrested. The fate of many people changed, and they suffered. The Iranian government viewed these protests as a security issue. That is, they saw the people's demand to save the environment and preserve the lake as a threat to their security and ignored the issue of the lake. And we did not expect them to pay attention."
Mehsa Mehdili believes that organized and sustained awareness campaigns regarding the situation of Lake Urmia could yield results.
"I think if there is an injustice, it must be protested. Regardless of whether the protest yields results or not. Of course, if these protests are more consistent, if there is participation from everyone, and if we can explain to people that this disaster will affect everyone’s life in the right way, I believe we will gain great support in society. If there is even a one percent chance that our protest will have an impact, it is worth continuing our efforts with all our might. I believe that if we continue to raise awareness in a more organized manner, we will achieve results."
Link to the original interview in Turkish on the Azerbaijani section of Voice of America:
Məhsa Mehdili: Urmiyə gölünün quruması bölgə əhalisinə ağır bir ruhi zərbədir