AYN WARDO, Turkey — The planned G25-Mardin Solar Power Plant project, launched by Turkey’s Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources, has sparked strong opposition from local residents and Syriacs (Arameans–Assyrians–Chaldeans) in the diaspora. The project, which is currently under construction, is set to be built in the historic village of Ayn Wardo (Gülgöze) in the Medyad (Midyat) district of Merde (Mardin) province, raising concerns over its impact on agriculture, livestock breeding, and the region’s centuries-old cultural heritage.
Promoted by the ministry as part of its renewable energy strategy, the project is presented as a source of “local and renewable energy,” employment opportunities, and foreign currency savings. Planned within the framework of Renewable Energy Resource Areas (YEKA), the facility is expected to generate 40 megawatts of electricity. The contract for the project was awarded to Aydede Energy, and the plant is being constructed on parcel 176 of block 101 within the boundaries of Ayn Wardo.
In an official objection submitted to the ministry, the Ayn WardoAssociation warned that the project area is actively used for agriculture and livestock breeding and serves as vital grazing and farming land for the village. The association stated that the solar power plant would negatively affect animal grazing routes, water resources, and the agricultural production capacity of the region.
The petition also highlighted broader social concerns. According to the Association, recent improvements in the region’s security situation have encouraged renewed interest among former residents and diaspora Syriacs (Arameans–Assyrians–Chaldeans) in returning to the village and investing in local development. Residents fear that large-scale industrial projects could disrupt the village’s fragile social and economic recovery.
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Beyond environmental and economic concerns, the Association stressed the potential damage to the village’s unique historical and cultural identity. It warned that the planned facility could harm the historical landscape, weaken the integrity of the cultural environment, damage the traditional stone architectural fabric, and negatively affect cultural and religious tourism in the region.
“If the public interest is truly intended to be achieved,” the Association stated, “it must be evaluated together with the environment, culture, agriculture, history, and social life.”
The Association has called on authorities to reconsider the project and urged the government to engage in sincere dialogue with local residents.
Ayn Wardo is regarded as one of the most important historical Syriac (Aramean–Assyrian–Chaldean) settlements in the Tur Abdin region, home to a civilization that stretches back thousands of years. The village is known for its historic churches, including Mor Barsawmo Church and Mor Had Bshabo Church, as well as its traditional stone houses and distinctive cultural landscape. The Cultural Heritage Preservation Association (KMKD) previously listed the village among endangered Syriac (Aramean–Assyrian–Chaldean) heritage sites in its report, Endangered Syriac Architectural Heritage in Tur Abdin.
The controversy surrounding the G25-Mardin project is not an isolated case. In the village of Midin (Öğündük) in Şırnak’s İdil district, land used for another solar energy project was previously expropriated under an “urgent expropriation” decree issued by the Presidency. Villagers reported receiving minimal compensation, despite the project initially being established through a lease agreement between residents and the energy company.
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