What human beings are unable to achieve in terms of justice, is imposed by nature by force when it revolts. After seven years of the brutal water deprivation policy pursued by the Turkish Republic against the peoples of Syria and Iraq — driven by the political blackmail of both countries and excessive selfishness without any regard for international agreements or conventions — the Turkish state was forced to open the gates of the Ataturk Dam, the largest Turkish dam on the Euphrates River, due to the arrival of the dam lake to its maximum storage capacity after the heavy rains and snow that swept the region during the winter and spring; This poses a threat to the dam’s safety, including the risk of flooding, excessive pressure on its infrastructure, or even collapse.
The proverb “the woes of a people with benefits” applies perfectly to Turkey, Syria, and Iraq; "What the Turkish authorities saw as a catastrophe and looming threat to the dam and the surrounding area was a great benefit for Syria and Iraq, particularly the areas along the Euphrates River that extend from Turkey through Syria to Iraq."
These water flows will not only provide direct water benefits, but will also contribute to the revival of agriculture, livestock, and some industries, as well as electricity generation and the provision of clean energy. It may also help lower the prices of agricultural and animal products and revitalize the economies of both countries, provided that Turkey — albeit reluctantly — continues to keep the gates of its larger dam open.
And all previous negotiations, diplomatic pressure and complaints from Syria and Iraq have failed to oblige Turkey to respect international water agreements signed between them, such as the 1987 and 1989 agreements, which stipulate that Turkey must ensure an annual flow of more than 500 cubic meters per second at the Turkish-Syrian border.
According to these agreements, Syria's share is 6.627 billion cubic meters annually, Iraq's share is 9.106 billion cubic meters, while Turkey's share is 15.7 billion cubic meters as the source country. Yet, due to the politics of egoism and political blackmail, Turkey—which already has the largest share allocated under the agreements—has taken over 90% of the water of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers.
Opening the gates of Ataturk Dam... not love
And regarding the release of Euphrates waters by Turkish authorities, Joseph Silwa, head of the National Beit Nahrain Union (HBA), told SyriacPress that Turkey’s opening of the dam’s gates is not out of its love for Syria, Iraq or their people. And he added that Turkey pursued a hostile policy towards Iraq when the region suffered from scarcity or lack of rain, a policy that has caused serious damage to the agricultural sector and contributed to the spread of diseases due to water shortages and drought.
And Salwa explained that Turkey released higher water levels towards Syria and Iraq because of the heavy rains in the region and out of fear for Ankara's own interests.
He stressed the need for the Iraqi authorities to adopt better strategies to ensure Iraq's water security and the well-being of its citizens, and to rethink their future water policies by exerting greater pressure on the Turkish side to obtain Iraq's share prescribed in accordance with international agreements. He also stressed the importance of starting the construction of dams that would serve as major water reservoirs and strategic reserves.
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