EARTHQUAKE and STATE (News File) Interview with Heyva Sor
Türkçe English Deutsch Italiano Français Ελληνικά Kurdî Español We present the interview we made with our friend Emin Uslu from Heyva Sor St.Gallen labourers about the earthquake process. QUESTION 1--- After the disaster, there was a great destruction, especially in Maraş, Adıyaman and Hatay. We see from countless testimonies that in the most critical 72 hours, the institutions, measures, military rescue units, miners, AFAD Red Crescent, which the state says it has been preparing since the 99 earthquake, were not seen on the field. Even the people and groups who went there from many provinces with their own means were very inadequate due to lack of organisation and lack of equipment. Thousands of people who could have been rescued died under the rubble, first from cold and then from hunger and thirst. Despite this, those in power responded to the criticism with insults and claimed that the State was everywhere. What do you say about this? Earthquake is a natural event, but taking earthquake tax for 23 years and allowing rotten buildings and roads, not taking the necessary precautions, not intervening after the earthquake, even preventing the mobilisation of soldiers for fear of a coup d'état, preventing the aid organisations of HDP, Alevi institutions, trade unions and socialists, confiscating aid from other provinces, appointing trustees to some aid centres, declaring a state of emergency and covering up the riots in the region and police violence and torture.... Can all these be called massacres by taking advantage of the earthquake? Answer 1-- The fact that earthquake is a natural phenomenon cannot be disputed. Just like rain, floods, hail, lightning strikes... However, it is also obvious that necessary measures can be taken to overcome every disaster with minimum damage. We see this reality in developed democratic countries around the world. If you knowingly allow rotten buildings, if you engage in corruption under the name of zoning amnesty for the sake of economic and political rent, of course it is you, not the earthquake that kills. Unfortunately, the state structure of the Turkish regime has never been concerned about valuing the human element. We know this from past examples. However, today's fascist government is far from a normal political organisation. It is completely gangsterised, mafiaised, has indexed everything to rent and plunder, and sees the human element as a tool to be used. For this reason, it treats such disasters as a rent-seeking opportunity for itself and approaches them within the framework of a favour from God. For this reason, they do not have a problem such as using the earthquake taxes or aids collected in such cases, and they have the devilishness to use them. Because they do not have any moral, humanitarian, conscientious value, except for living a luxurious life and protecting their power... The most obvious example of this is the so-called Red Crescent, a so-called charity organisation, selling tents, human blood and food immorally. Where are these used? Of course, they are used for the development of their political and family circles and in many other dark dirty relations that we do not know but we can guess. The Red Crescent does not sell blood and tents on its own initiative. As a matter of fact, all the elements you call the state, especially Erdoğan and Bahçeli, have embraced it. Therefore, institutions such as the Red Crescent are also a rent gate for this fascist mob. In fact, I believe that behind closed doors they say "Praise be to God, this was a blessing of Allah". As a matter of fact, we have seen and know that Red Crescent officials have fun in entertainment centres with the tent money they sold. Another issue is the endeavour to prevent the aid. The reason for this is to cover their own helplessness, incompetence, reckless attitude, lack of moral and humanitarian values, to distract the attention of the people, the public, and to prevent those who provide aid in the real sense, by feeling the pain, from being seen in public (because for this gang organisation, they are the enemy party). In addition, another and the most important reason is the fact that they want people to die on purpose. Which people are these? Of course Alevis and Kurds. Because their dissolution and destruction are always among their aims and this disaster has created an opportunity for this. Another reason is the effort to gain political rent for themselves in this area due to the election process, with the concern that "the serious efforts of the opposition will bring political gain". For all these reasons, efforts were made to prevent the aid, even through trustees. Another reason for blocking was the evil of providing aid through their own so-called organisations as much as possible and spending it on their own dirty accounts rather than those in need. They are so devoid of morality that they even use it as election expenses. The reason why they declared the state of emergency is, of course, to prevent a possible popular revolt, intifada, because they know very well that their crimes cause rebellion. Also, of course, we can say that it is a precautionary measure for corruption in the elections. Question 2-- Has there been a quick enough reflex reaction to this situation abroad, in general? Has the deliberate and massacring attitude of the state towards the Kurdish and Alevi people, the poor and the progressive sector been exposed? Were the aids delivered to those in need? Could you also tell us about Heyva Sor's work on this issue? Answer 2-- In my opinion, the aid provided abroad, especially by civil society initiatives, i.e. non-state organisations, was as fast as possible, but here again the same tyrannical government has been obstructed. For example, many teams were arbitrarily kept waiting at airports. However, inter-state aid could not be as fast as this because a call from the one-man regime was awaited. Aid from abroad was also tried to be prevented due to feelings of hostility, especially Kurdish organisations. Because according to this mentality, anyone who opposes is an enemy. Moreover, in such cases, even the aid of the enemy should not be prevented, but the morality of this government is obvious. After all, we know that thousands of lives were lost due to these obstructions. It is indisputable that the murderer of these people is this government. I think that these hostile approaches, approaches based on rent and ambition, cruelly deliberately not providing aid, all these approaches were not sufficiently exposed. There was information on social media, but of course it was not enough. Especially in the first days, the unscrupulousness of blocking the internet and cutting down the voices of help is another method of massacre. In fact, these situations are rightly qualified to realise a popular revolt. But society has been brought to such a point that in this 20-year period, significant progress has been made in instilling a culture of servitude. Personalities and institutions that would lead the way have been suppressed by tyranny and massacres. Most of all, such a reflex of resistance was expected in the earthquake region, which actually showed how apolitical the society was. If there was a real society, people should have risen up, especially in the Marmara, Black Sea and Aegean regions. Because even though this earthquake was the disaster of the century, the biggest disaster was and still is the most unscrupulous disaster inflicted on the people by this government. Today, if the peoples outside the disaster zone, let alone those who show solidarity with the earthquake zones, remain unresponsive and cannot stand up, Turkey will not lift a finger even if it is burnt to the ground. Moreover, even the fact that volunteers, various civil initiatives, trade unions, associations, organisations such as HDP, TİP, Mardef, cemevis, who voluntarily participated in the work there, touched the people and showed solidarity with them disturbed the government. There are various interpretations about the absence of the military in the field, and there is a grain of truth in all of them. But the most important thing for me is the reality of an army that has been used in the Kurdish genocide in the most brutal way for more than 40 years and is far from morale and motivation. Hulusi Akar says that the army is protecting the borders. What they call borders are the invasion attacks both in Southern Kurdistan and Rojava and the war to declare the Kurdish genocide. In fact, this 40-year war has rotted the state with all its institutions. In fact, the source of all the negativities mentioned above is here. In fact, this war is the reason why elements like Erdoğan/Bahçeli rule the state. Just like the inflation problem. In other words, the reason for the decay of the state with all its institutions is the result of insisting on this war. Therefore, when we look at the current soldier profile, it is not even good for itself. For example, the fact that he burns his dead friend on the battlefield to hide him or to prevent him from crossing over to the other side, for whatever reason, already explains everything. The police, on the other hand, has become a Süleyman Soylu gang. He is not capable of working in public without a gun and a stick. We know that Heyva Sor a Kurdistanê is an organisation targeted by the state. Therefore, it is not in a position to work very comfortably. Nevertheless, I can say that it is one of the most organised and trusted institutions abroad. People can give their aid to Heyva Sor with peace of mind. I wish the Red Crescent was a quarter as honest. QUESTION 3-- There have been great migrations from regions with unique population density such as Hatay, Elbistan and Pazarcık. Still, people who see the state's stick rather than its help are forced to migrate from there. What should be done against this? Is aid reaching the people who have taken refuge in many cities such as Mersin and Adana? What do you think the state's intervention in the population structure aims at? Are patriotic, revolutionary and democratic circles able to form strong enough unions on this issue? Answer 3-- In fact, indirectly, as if taking advantage of this disaster, a second Dersim Tertelesi is wanted to be perpetrated. Just as after the Dersim genocide movement was completed, people, especially children, youth and young girls, were exiled to the west and kidnapped, they are seeking such a result from this disaster. The policy of displacing Kurds in general and Alevis in particular, and children in particular, to the west, by force or deception, or by being forced to do so, is nothing other than this. In other words, it is the policy of Turkification and artificial Islamisation, in other words, the policy of changing the identity, belief and culture of that society. This is also a disaster and genocide. We know that they are already handing over orphaned children to perverted sects. In fact, everyone knows that the guided organisation called Diyanet has issued despicable and immoral fatwas such as those who adopt children can marry them. It is also very clear that they will use these children for their very dirty purposes. Because we are talking about a cruel, ruthless and immoral government. There should be no doubt that they will turn some of them into drug traffickers and others into inhuman killing machines. I am personally worried that they will use them as Jöh, Pöh, various gang and mafia members. Therefore, those who say they are human beings need to protect these children the most. Most importantly, it is the most important human duty for all humanitarian, moral and conscientious institutions to take measures to prevent the displacement of people. Every evil should be expected from this government except goodness. (Interview, S.Kuş)
