Dam projects on the Koksu River threaten the historical heritage of Kazakhstan
A press conference dedicated to the problem of the destruction of archaeological sites as a result of the implementation of industrial projects was held at the Kazakhstan Press Club today. Experts expressed extreme concern about the situation in the Turkestan region, where dozens of ancient burial mounds have already been destroyed, and plans to build a cascade of hydroelectric power stations on the Koksu River in the Zhetysu region, which pose a direct threat to the unique historical and cultural heritage of the region.
The participants paid special attention to the Dam construction project on the Koksu River. This valley is a unique archaeological area, where thousands of monuments of different eras are located – from Paleolithic to modern times. The greatest concern is the fate of the Eshkiolmes sanctuary, the largest collection of petroglyphs in Kazakhstan, which is included in the UNESCO World Heritage tentative list. According to experts, there could potentially be hundreds of ancient burials on both banks of the Koksu River in the flood zone, and a change in the microclimate of the region would cause irreparable damage to clusters of petroglyphs — an increase in atmospheric humidity would accelerate the destruction of rocks and stimulate the development of lichens that destroy drawings.
Olga Gumirova, Executive Director of the Petroglyph Hunters Foundation, noted the complete lack of transparency in the implementation of the project: “Despite the fact that the Eshkiolmes complex is included in the UNESCO World Heritage preliminary list, and the graves of the revered batyrs Zhainak and Mainak are located in the valley, none of the planned Dams have passed an archaeological examination. We have not been able to receive project documents from government agencies and developers for a year. This information vacuum and ignoring the requests of the public cause serious concern for the fate of the unique heritage – the heart of Zhetysu.” At the same time, the construction of the Rudnichnaya Dam-2 is in full swing at Koksu, and work is continuing at the Verkhne-Talaptinskaya Dam. Members of the public have already recorded the destruction of several burial grounds and other archaeological sites.
Alexander Kolotov, director of Rivers Without Boundaries, spoke about a scheme that allows circumventing legislative requirements when implementing such projects. “We are witnessing the use of the so-called “salami” scheme, when a single cascade of seven Dams on one river is artificially broken up, “cut” into separate “small” objects. This makes it possible to lower the hazard category of each individual project and avoid mandatory full–scale examinations and public hearings,” said Alexander Kolotov. – Ecological and historical and cultural criteria are completely ignored when choosing sites for the construction of Dams. If the stone chronicles of Eshkiolmes are the heart of Zhetysu, then the Koksu River is the artery of the region, and seven dams–thrombi will surely make a cascade of dead reservoirs out of a living river.”
The participants of the press conference noted that the situation in the Zhetysu region is not an isolated case, citing as an example the destruction of dozens of ancient burial mounds in the Turkestan region during the implementation of an agricultural project. According to experts, this indicates a systemic failure in the work of mechanisms for the protection of historical and cultural heritage. The speakers see the personal intervention of the head of state to protect the priceless heritage of the people of Kazakhstan as the only way out of this situation.
Original (in Russian): Проекты ГЭС на реке Коксу угрожают историческому наследию Казахстана
