Earthquakes in Turkey and Syria one year on
One year ago today Turkey and Syria were shaken by severe earthquakes in which at least 60,000 people died. Hundreds of thousands in the affected areas are still living in containers and tents. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan had promised swift reconstruction aid. Opinions diverge on whether he had kept his word.
Erdoğan blackmailing the victims
Karar is outraged that the Turkish president is asking people to vote for him in the upcoming elections in return for reconstruction assistance:
“Most of the aid should go to those place that are worst affected, right? Unfortunately this was not the case after the earthquake. Hatay did not receive the help and support it needed and deserved from the central government. ... The state is Erdoğan, the state is the AKP. And the state failed in the earthquake, it couldn't reach its citizens, couldn't heal their wounds. ... That's why Erdoğan is telling all voters in Hatay quite openly: 'We have the central government in our hands. If you don't vote for our candidates at the local level, you won't receive any services.”
Each camp has its own truth
Turkish society is completely divided in its perceptions, explains Raphael Geiger, Turkey correspondent for the Süddeutsche Zeitung:
“The [Turkish think tank] Ankara Institute has conducted an analysis of how Erdoğan's supporters and opponents view his crisis management: 96 percent of opposition voters said it was bad, while 90 percent of his supporters were satisfied. ... That was also the case in the earthquake region. In one village they complained that the state had barely made an appearance; in another they thanked the president for his help. ... The earthquake killed tens of thousands of people and displaced millions, but the echo chambers of Turkish society held firm.”
Our cities must be earthquake-proof
Earthquake safety measures are playing a key role in the campaigns for the nationwide local elections in March, writes Milliyet:
“Many of our provinces, especially Istanbul, are confronted with the reality and danger of earthquakes. ... There is talk that Istanbul will be severely affected. Sixteen million inhabitants are at risk according to official figures. ... Therefore the answer to the question of who will rebuild the earthquake regions and who will make the cities resilient to disasters will be decisive at the polls in the upcoming local elections.”