Save Lake Orumieh
Solgunaz
Lake Urmu (Orumieh) (Urmia) is the largest salty lake inside Iran and the second biggest salty lake in the world. This beautiful lake is drying in front of Azerbaijanis terrified eyes.
The
aim of the Islamic Republic
of
Iran
is to dry the lake
Orumieh,
destruction of all natural resources
and assets
of
Azerbaijan
to reduce and destroy its value and validity. If
lake Urmu
dies, there will be a disaster in Azerbaijan. It is because the storms
winds will spread the salt all around the region. As a result a salty desert
will be made and killing
greens and forcing Azerbaijani Turks to leave their cities, villages and native habitat.
This is the aim and what
Islamic Republic
of
Iran
wants.
The problem of lake Orumieh is not only an environmental issue, it is also has turned to very important political subject.
Islamic republic of Iran and all other Persian racists are at war and conflict with Azerbaijanis who are combating for national self determination and independence. Lake Urmu is one of the field war where Iran is trying to dry it as soon as possible.
Islamic republic of Iran claims that environmental factors causes to drying lake, but the truth is something else. Experts believe instruction of tens of dams on rivers by Iran is the main factor of searing lake Urmia (Orumieh).
Lake Urmia has already received water from fourteen rivers and many small rivers, but in last twenty years Islamic republic of Iran has instructed nearly 40 dams and barriers to prevent water flow to the lake. Also due to reports more than thirteen dams are under construction.
Death of lake Urmu (Orumieh) is a national disaster for Azerbaijanis. Unfortunately, this national disaster and tragedy just will not end with the destruction of the lake. Another and greater disasters will occurred after drying the lake Urmia.
As a result, advancing salt winds and storms of salt and a large area of fertile agricultural lands will be destroyed. Also more than twenty cities and tens of thousands of villages around the cities and lake will be empty. In addition, in such a situation many diseases and cancers will prevalence and many social and economic problems will be created for Azerbaijan.
This is a real human and environmental catastrophe that the people of Azerbaijan only have very little information about.
Fortunately, Azerbaijani intellectuals, political and
environmental
activists
have
recently realized the terrible consequences of drying lake Urmia so they have
decided to save lake Urmu. They have realised that
l
Tractor football team fans which is Azerbaijan's most popular and favourite team called people to gather in Shahid Kalantari bridge over the Lake Urmu so Azerbaijani Turks held on a massive demonstration in on 2nd April 2010. Also many pickets and protests have been carried out in European countries to save the lake Urmu.
Demonstrators have been caring placards and slogans and their urgent demand was saving environment and lake Urmu. But Iranian anti riot police have attacked to demonstrators in beach of lake Urmu . South Azerbaijani Human right organisation have reported that more than one hundred were arrested and many people were beaten and wounded.
Azerbaijanis believe that drying lake Urmu makes their national interest in danger so they are determined to continue demonstrations and protest until the life of lake to be granted.
We as South Azerbaijani Socialists are tenacious defenders to save lake Ormuieh and the environment of Azerbaijan.
About Lake Orumieh
Lake Urmia (Orumieh) (Urmu) is a salty lake in South Azerbaijan is located to the South West of the Caspian Sea and North West of Iran. The lake is about 25Km far from Urmia City.
The measured surface area of the lake was about 5,700 kmē but according to the Head of Environment of West Azerbaijan in last few years nearly 2500 kmē or 40% of its area has declined. The average length of the lake approximately is140 km and its width varies from 16 to 63 km. The maximum depth before was approximately 15 m, but in recent years 6 m of its height has decreased.
Lake Orumieh water provided from at least fourteen rivers and many small rivers coming from the near mountains and it has no output but Iran has prevented dams and barriers receiving water to the lake.
The lake has a very salty water. The concentration of salt is different in each season of the year. In recent years the salinity of the lake has risen to more than 350 g/L during recent years
The Lake Urmu has numerous beautiful islands throughout where wild beasts and birds live. Lake Urmu has 102 islands which their names due to assimilation policy of Persian invaders have changed from Azerbaijani Turkic to Persian or Farsi. Azerbaijanis are against changing the islands and all other Turkish names to Persian.
The lake Urmu is home to more than 212 species of birds, 41 reptiles, 7 amphibians and 27 species of mammals including the yellow deer and etc. The islands of the lake are stopover points in the migrations of various kinds of wild bird life.
Different creatures live inside or near this lake, including some species of shrimps(Rtyma), amphibians and birds like flamingos and pelicans.
Unfortunately The salinity of water, causing the lake to lose its significance as home to R-tymas and thousands of migratory birds, such as flamingos.
Lake Orumieh has shallow borders with lots of mud. The Salty mud is used by patients who suffer from dermal and rheumatic
problems. Also the salty mud is said to have good effects in treatment of some diseases of the joints.
The lake is a major barrier between two of the most important cities in West Azerbaijan and East Azerbaijan provinces Orumieh and Tabriz.
A project to create a bridge and build a highway across the lake was initiated in the 1970s but project was cancelled when Islamic Revolution happened in 1979. Experts have warned danger of that wrong project for Lake's life. However, the project was started again in 2000s ; it is was completed in November 2008 with the opening of a 1.5 km bridge across the remaining gap.
.The lake is divided into north and south parts separated by a causeway in which a 1500m gap provides little exchange of water between the two parts of lake, instructing many dams together with a series of ecological factors, will eventually lead to the drying up of lake Urmu, turning it into a salt marsh which will directly affect the climate of the region.
Lake Urmia is getting smaller and smaller each year and completely will dry in next 5 or 6 years. As it has mentioned it is because more than 20 dams were built to stop receiving water to the lake. In last 20 years the dam industries had choked all small and major rivers in Azerbaijan. The aim of the Islamic Republic of Iran from constructing of dams is drying lake Urmu and make it a salt desert to destroy Azerbaijani's economical and political influence, reputation and its credit.
Urmia lake has been designated as an international park by the United Nations So Lake Urmia is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. But unfortunately UNESCO has ignored the problems of lake Urmia and does not care about the lake Urmia disaster. UNESCO has not taken any action and responsibility for stopping the national tragedy of lake Urmu yet.
Solgunaz
04/ 04/ 2010