Turkish grandmother battles to save olive farm from encroaching coal mine - in pictures

The 64-year-old activist is part of a local movement to stop coal mining expansion in south-western Turkey

Tayyibe Demirel, who is refusing to sell her olive grove to coal mining companies, is pictured among her olive trees in Turgut village, near the south-western town of Yatagan, in Mugla province, Turkey. Reuters

Tayyibe Demirel picks wild greens in her olive grove in Turgut village near Yatagan, Mugla province, Turkey. village. She is a part of "No Coal Mugla" local movement to stop coal mining expansion. Reuters

Tayyibe Demirel tends livestock on her land in Turgut village, Mugla province, Turkey. Reuters

Tayyibe Demirel talks with a mining company official in her olive grove, in Turgut, Mugla province, Turkey. She has won a court case against the expansion of an open-pit coal mine towards her village. Reuters

A placard that reads "We want a Mugla without coal", hangs in Isikdere neighbourhood of Ikizkoy village, near the south-western town of Milas, in Mugla province, Turkey. Reuters

Environmental consultant Deniz Gumusel talks with Aytac Yakar, from Ikizkoy village, near Milas, in Mugla province, Turkey. Ms Gumusel claims pollution from coal power plants in the region has caused the death of 45,000 people in 40 years. Reuters

An olive tree stands near the temple of Hecate in the ancient town of Lagina, near Turgut village, at Yatagan, in Mugla province, Turkey. Reuters

Tayyibe Demirel who is refusing to sell her olive grove to coal mining companies, walks up the stairs of the temple of Hecate in the ancient town of Lagina, near Turgut village, in Mugla province, Turkey. Reuters

Tayyibe Demirel rests on the roadside in Turgut village, near Yatagan, in Mugla province, Turkey. She fears a coal mine will end up surrounding her six-acre olive grove. Reuters

Tayyibe Demirel stands in her olive grove and views the nearby open pit coal mine at Turgut village, near Yatagan, in Mugla province, Turkey. 'Three or four years ago, this demolished land was full of tulips, poppies and daisies,' she said. Reuters

An aerial view of an open-pit coal mine near Turgut village, near Yatagan, in Mugla province, Turkey. Reuters

Smoke rises from Yatagan thermal power plant, in Mugla province, Turkey. Five villages have disappeared as mines serving the power station have expanded, and Turgut is now threatened. Reuters

Abandoned houses and a mosque of Isikdere neighbourhood of Ikizkoy village, near Milas, in Mugla province, Turkey. Reuters

A toxic lake and ash dam produced from waste from Yatagan thermal power plant, in Mugla province, Turkey. Yatagan power plant says it has planted more than 1.5 million trees in the region and that its operations respect the environment. Reuters

An overhead view of a toxic lake produced by waste from Yatagan thermal power plant, in Mugla province, Turkey. Yatagan power plant says its operations are carried out under supervision of the relevant Turkish ministries. Reuters

Sixty-four-year-old grandmother Tayyibe Demirel is singlehandedly taking on the operators of a coal mine in a bid to save her land and village.

Behind the lush greenery of Demirel's olive groves in south-western Turkey lies a vast, grey expanse.

The rolling hillside has been eaten by the nearby mine.

On the horizon, heavy smoke billows from the power plant it feeds - the country's largest.

"I have been crying at night until dawn. Six years ago, when I was picking olives, the excavations of these mine companies had not come this close. When the farmers were shaking olive tree branches, I was worried. That was when this struggle began."

Demirel said that the area beyond her fields had once been carpeted with wildflowers.

'A hell pit'

"I love green. I am in love with green. I am in love with birdsongs, the green and the nature that God created. Once my sister was crawling in the fields that are now destroyed. Three or four years before this was demolished, she was posing for photos among tulips, daisies and poppies. This is no more. Which is better, a hell pit - as I call it - or nature? What do you think?"

Five villages have already disappeared as the mine expanded. Hers could be next.

"They say all the land around will be dug and plundered, and your olive grove will be stuck in the middle. I object. I will continue my struggle despite my sickness. I will seek my rights stemming from the laws."

Turkish authorities are pushing to more than double coal power capacity, as the country tries to wean itself off imports.

The Yatagan Power Plants said its operations respect the environment and are carried out under supervision of relevant ministries.

Campaigners say the equivalent of nearly 8,000 soccer fields has been lost to mining in the last four decades across the Mugla province.

Activists such as Deniz Gumsel say coal pollution has led to major health issues, alongside environmental damage.

Court battle to halt mine expansion

But Gumsel says there's reason to hope - thanks to the resistance of the women, like Demirel, from nearby villages.

"... the woman villagers, the female villagers of Ikizkoy, Milas are carrying out an incredible fight against this unjustice business - coal business and they were very successful to stop or slow down the progression of the mines for instance."

Last month, Demirel won a court case leading to a halt of the mine's expansion towards her village.

She still fears her six-acre property is still under threat - but won't give up without a fight.

"One day, my grandson will ask me, 'Grandmother where is your village? Where were you born?' I was not born in the city. I was born here, married here and lived here and I want to live here until the end of my life and die here. Don't take me away from my village."

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