ANZAC Cove Destroyed !

[Guest CGI]

If you do not recognize this picture : this once was Anzac Cove Beach.

See the text below for the latest information.

CGI

[Guest CGI]

The picture above was taken on 23rd February 2005.

The damage you can see in it is being caused by the people of Milli Park, redesigning the area for mass tourism. In order to construct a new road, an entire flank of Plugge's Plateau is being excavated, so much so that even McLagan's Ridge will be endangered once erosion sets in. The soil of the excavation is simply dumped on Anzac Cove Beach, which at some places has ceased to be a beach.

At the present moment, the work has been temporarily halted, because Milli Park want to reconsider after receiving a number of negative reactions to their present project. However, a lot of damage has already been done to the historical tissue of the landing site and nobody can be sure whether the work will not be resumed as soon as the protests die down.

I therefore think it is very important for all people who believe in the conservation of our historical heritage and who believe in the value of remembrance, to air their opinion about this form of blind destruction. Perhaps these reactions may help.

A collection of pictures showing the damage, together with the e-mail address to react can be found at :

http://users.skynet.be/Gallipoli/anzacgone/anzacgone.htm

This is really very sad,

CGI

[Paul Reed]

This is very sad reading indeed - and the image here and the ones on your site are terrible for those who have been to this area, and know and love it for its tranquility. It seems that even though Gallipoli is a 'Battlefield Park', this sort of damage can happen.

I hope forum members will follow your link and email those responsible.

[Paul Reed]

Just to let you know I emailed the address quoted on your site and it was sent back as undeliverable.

[Clive Maier]

While it is reasonable to oppose crass or environmentally intrusive developments anywhere, I don’t think we can expect the people of Turkey, Belgium or France to live forever in a mausoleum simply because they had the misfortune to be sites of warfare. They are entitled to live in their landscapes. That may, to a degree, be what they fought for.

[Terry Denham]

CGI

The email address on the site seems to be wrong and emails are being rejected.

There should be no space in the middle of 'cevreorman'

bilgi-dkmp@cevreorman.gov.tr

[Guest CGI]

Thanks Paul and Terry

I posted the address as I received it. The mistake has been corrected and it should work now. Please let me know if not.

It is :

email : bilgi-dkmp@cevreorman.gov.tr

subject line : c/o Ayhan Can, Director Milli Park Gelibolu

It can be found at : http://users.skynet.be/Gallipoli/anzacgone/anzacgone7.htm

CGI

[andigger]

While it is reasonable to oppose crass or environmentally intrusive developments anywhere, I don’t think we can expect the people of Turkey, Belgium or France to live forever in a mausoleum simply because they had the misfortune to be sites of warfare. They are entitled to live in their landscapes. That may, to a degree, be what they fought for.

To an extent I have to agree, although I cringe when I see things disappear. Preservation vs modernization is a tricky battle. Is there any sense of how many battlefield tourists visit the area each year versus the beach crowd which might come once the improvements are made?

Andy

[PhilB]

Am I right in thinking that Anzac Cove was already much changed by the construction of the tarmac road along the front, which presumably wasn`t there in WW1?

We can`t really complain. Our battleships didn`t shell it with a view to landscape improvements after all! Phil B

[Paul Reed]

While it is reasonable to oppose crass or environmentally intrusive developments anywhere, I don’t think we can expect the people of Turkey, Belgium or France to live forever in a mausoleum simply because they had the misfortune to be sites of warfare. They are entitled to live in their landscapes. That may, to a degree, be what they fought for.

I quite agree with you, but you have to realise that this area was designated a National Park by the Turkish because of its significance. Very few people live along this stretch of coast, and if past talk is correct, many of them have built houses within the park without planning permission, and they are scheduled to be demolished. This access and road improvement is not being done for them.

Access for the ever increasing number of visitors is an issue here, and something was needed, but whether it was this is open to debate.

[Captain Dave]

I concur with my colleagues who argue that the battlefield cannot be retained simply because we would like it to be so. Progress has a habit of marching on.

Besides, the shots look like they are preparing the beach for a second invasion by making it toataly unscalable, as opposed to difficult to scale.

[PhilB]

Besides, the shots look like they are preparing the beach for a second invasion by making it toataly unscalable, as opposed to difficult to scale.

Yes, but if we sent in the Aussies again, they`d land in the wrong place - somewhere else - thus defeating this defensive scheme! Phil B

[gcwilson]

Without knowing the full extent of the impact made by the recent works it is difficult to make a balanced assessment of the situation. The rather distressing photograph of Anzac Cove presented at the top of this thread does suggest however that some inappropriate activity has been taking place. Messages in this thread refer to ‘progress’ and ‘modernisation’ – it should be recalled that the Anzac Cove site forms part of the Çanakkale - Gelibolu Peninsula Historical Park. To quote from the Republic of Turkey – Ministry of Culture and Tourism website (http://goturkey.kultur.gov.tr/turizm_en.asp?belgeno=10631) –

‘The Gelibolu Peninsula Historical National Park, with a total area of 33,000 hectares, was founded in 1973 and is on the United Nations list of Parks and Protection Areas.’ – and - ‘The entire area has been officially registered as a historical site area, and has enormous cultural importance. Within the park, there are also many archaeological sites and monuments, some of which date back to 4000 BC. Between the ancient sites and monuments, there are beaches, bays, an interesting variety of plant life, a salt lake and geological and geomorphologic structures. The thickly wooded hills and valleys of the area are though to have played an important role on the outcome of the war.’

There should be no debate about the question of preservation (or rather conservation) v modernisation, particularly in regard to landscape. The situation here would appear to be the questionable management of a site that is of significance to people from a number of nations, not least of whom are the people of Turkey. The management strategy appears to be based on the absurd notion that one should be able to drive all over the site and in the process destroy the place you’ve come to see (buy a good map and a stout pair of boots instead).

I’ll attempt to contact ICOMOS (International Council on Monuments and Sites) – a non-government association of conservation professionals - either directly through their Turkish representative Zeynep Ahunbay or via ICOMOS (Australia) in order to determine what the situation is at present. I would also like to determine if there is UNESCO funding being used in any of this work in order to apply more leverage.

My background is in heritage management and quite frankly if the descriptions of the work are accurate then there is some need to re-educate those responsible for making these decisions.

[michaeldr]

CGI,

Thank you for bringing this to our attention

The pictures on your site are very distressing

And suggest one ‘improvement’ too far!

Regards

Michael D.R.

[Guest CGI]

Thank you for your reactions qcw and michael.

I had started wondering already about the necessity of a forum like this. After all, wouldn't a Playstation-forum be more useful? Question of not hampering progress, you know.

Apart from that, 'one improvement too far' might well be a euphemism for what is going on though. Have a look at what is happening at the foot of the Sphinx.

CGI

[bluedog]

I fully agree with CGI with regard to his disgust of happenings at

ANZAC COVE.

However, Phil, If the Aussies did have to land again on the

Gallipoli Shores we would use Royal Australian Navy navigators

NOT Royal Navy, that way we would be landed in the right spot

Peter

[PhilB]

Ouch!! Phil B

[harribobs]

It's a difficult one, anyone who has seen the poverty in Turkey can understand their efforts to improve their plight, tourism must now be their biggest earner and i suspect the GW tourists to Gallipoli won't be bringing in anything like a full complex of sun worshippers

[andigger]

There should be no debate about the question of preservation (or rather conservation) v modernisation

CGI... I think all of us would agree with you in regards to park or historical areas that are already set aside. I also think there should be an honest attempt to preserve those areas of signifigance that are not already protected, but I do think there is a balance between protecting sites and inhibiting people from making a living. For me, I think that needs to be a case by case and local decision.

Andy

[gcwilson]

I was remiss in not thanking CGI for bringing this matter to the attention of the Forum. The immediacy of this information is important given the negative comments that appeared in the thread regarding the ‘Red Chateau’ at V-B. It is surprising (or maybe not) that there has been no media attention regarding this matter when one considers the frenzy surrounding the recent concert debacle. Is this because the Australian/New Zealand media has not been informed?

In regard to comments regarding the exploitation of sites such as Anzac there has been a reasonable expectation for the past 30 years that registration of the site would provide protection from development. The whole point of reserving such sites is that there is an understanding that other (less significant) areas that have no statutory protection could be subject to possible future development – this is the trade-off. Such sites in the latter category should be located outside the boundaries of conservation areas, national parks, historic sites &c.

The photographs of the current works indicate a significant programme of road building. Having worked in the region the formula is usually: more roads = more people, more people require more facilities; first install toilet blocks and attendant infrastructure, then install a visitors’ center. With the establishment of such a node next come the food outlets and peddlers of trinkets and then on-site accommodation. The end results, another squalid tourist trap and the loss of the values that made the site significant in the first place. I’m not suggesting that this is the future of Anzac Cove but it is a strong possibility.

In terms of people making a living, in this instance I would suggest that the only people to gain any significant material benefit are the contractors involved in the construction work – contractors all round the world, despite their bleating, are never paupers. The approach is something that is seen in the Third World – it should not be a course pursued by a nation that is desperately attempting to join the EU. As a member of the EU Turkey would be subject to Article 151 of the Treaty Establishing the European Community – this includes the following clause regarding obligations – ‘conservation and safeguarding of cultural heritage of European significance’. I would suggest that the current activities are not in accord with the sentiments of Article 151.

[Guest tss]

I was at Gallipoli in June 2003. At Brighton Beach I videoed a concrete pill box right on the beach near the pier. Is that the same pill box in the CGI photo and when was it placed there??

TSS

[Andrew P]

Thanks for bringing this to our attention CGI

[Guest Brissie]

TSS

I also went to the Beach that year. We could not get close to bunker in that picture but were told tht it was similar to one of those bathing boxes they have at Mornington. it was transprted there on 24 april 1915 so that the ANZACS could change out of their swimming costumes before tackling the Turks.

Are you from Australia?

Brissie

[nzzephyr]

Anzac's + swimming costumes = I don't think so........

[andigger]

From the few pictures I've seen (even the Mel Gibson movie) the only swimming costumes at Gallipoli were birthday suits!!

Andy