ISTANBUL - Stating that the government created a "black market hell", HDK's Salih Zeki Tombak said: "There is an understanding of the administration that does not feel responsible in any way. The AKP-MHP government, who said that they could come to Syria suddenly one night, could not go to Hatay's Antakya district in 2 days." 

 

Reminding AKP's Tayyip Erdoğan's threats against Northern and Eastern Syria, HDK Executive Board Member Salih Zeki Tombak said: "The Turkish state said that they could come suddenly one night. The AKP is eager for war, but after 2 days to save those who lost their lives in the earthquake, he went to Antakya.

 

Earthquakes with a magnitude of 7.7 and 7.6, which occurred consecutively on February 6, centered in the Pazarcık of Bazarcık, caused great destruction in Maraş, Gaziantep, Diyarbakır, Urfa, Adıyaman, Malatya, Kilis, Adana, Osmaniye and Hatay. 20 thousand 318 people have lost their lives so far, thousands of people are still waiting for help under the rubble. While it is stated that there are many centers that are still not reached, the campaigns carried out in solidarity with the earthquake area are tried to be prevented due to the declared State of Emergency (OHAL).

 

Peoples' Democratic Congress (HDK) Executive Board member and politician-writer from the Union for Democracy (DIB) Coordination, Salih Zeki Tombak, evaluated the situation.

 

BLACK MARKET HELL

 

Stating that the share prices of cement and basic living materials skyrocketed with the opening of the stock market 6 hours after the earthquake, Tombak said: "The society was left to the 'merciful' and 'mercy' of the market. The AKP government did not send logistical support to the region. The AKP and MHP government created a black market hell. Everyone wants to sell everything they can at exorbitant prices. Earthquake survivors use their vehicles to solve the heating problem, but they need gasoline and diesel for this.”

 

‘STATE LOOKS AT DESTROYED BUILDINGS AS LANDS’

 

Stating that the state did not save the citizens who were under the rubble and that the AKP-MHP government acted extremely harshly, Tombak said: "The support of the opposition political parties and the people was tried to be prevented. The TAF reached the earthquake area 40 hours later. The state did not have any concerns about the right to life of the people. The AKP-MHP government sees the demolished buildings as land area. They say they will make peace with Syria and they will rebuild Syria. In other words, we are faced with a regime that looks everywhere with the logic of construction.”

 

AKP DID NOT LISTEN CITIZENS

 

Emphasizing that Turkey is in the earthquake area, Tombak said: “A country in this area should make its urbanization plan accordingly. No city can be built on flat plains and alluvial soils. While the citizens were affected by the earthquake crying for help to save their relatives, AKP member Nurettin Canikli was busy with his phone at the same time. He did not even look at the citizen's face. Turkey has no chance in the face of these disasters without a democratic republic and a popular administration. The state regime in Turkey is not community-centered. On the contrary, there is a management approach that finds the society at fault and does not feel responsible in any way. The AKP-MHP government, who said, 'We can come to Syria suddenly one night,' could not go to Hatay's Antakya district in 2 days."

 

WHY WAS A STATE OF EMERGENCY DECLARED?

 

Stating that the AKP-MHP government is a mechanism made up of “opportunists,” Tombak said: “They took this earthquake as an opportunity and declared a state of emergency. Through the state of emergency, they prevented people from covering each other's wounds, except for state institutions. Entry into the cities is prohibited. What is the purpose here? What's wrong with people bringing aid there and rescuing the person who is stuck with life in the wreckage there? The state is not on the side of the people in any way, on the contrary, it prevents the solidarity of the people. They see it as a danger that people help each other."

 

'STATE WILL CHANGE THE DEMOGRAPHIC STRUCTURE'

 

Pointing out that a black market may emerge in the earthquake area, Tombak said: “In the destruction area, food, heating and shelter will be the black market for everything. The AKP-MHP government itself came from this opportunistic mentality. They know this kind of opportunism well. AKP-MHP sees the earthquake as an opportunity for their political interests. For this reason, it will turn to the construction sector with the destruction. The state will change the demographic structure of the region with the constructions it will make. They are already planning to attract jihadists from Idlib to Antakya because the regions where there is destruction are the regions that disturb the government.”