Even Erdoğan will not be able to cope with weak buildings…
As you listened to the prime minister’s statements on the subject of earthquake, I am sure you also said, “Bravo. He is saying the truth. He does not act like a politician. He stands firm.” I also applauded his every speech.
He is furious to everyone, starting from the contractors who steal to municipalities who tolerate them, to controllers who do not do their jobs. People like to hear exactly the same words that we utter among ourselves coming from the mouth of the prime minister.
He was not content with those and uttered, “Regardless if we lose our vote or not, faulty buildings will be knocked down.” Then, a second round of applause, this time louder, came.
It is very good and very satisfying, up until this point, but there is also the “after” of this…
Will the prime minister actually do what has said? Or, will he, after a while, forget these words of his during the daily life’s rush or will bureaucracy succeed to melt him in its wheels?
Why not? Think about the 1999 Marmara earthquake… We spoke of almost the same things…
Again, prosecutors took samples from demolished buildings and went after the contractors. They could only find Veli Göçer. Others were forgotten.
Those buildings that were decided as “inhabitable,” those that were to be knocked down immediately still accommodate people.
The same municipalities still issue building permits for earthquake zones.
Same contractors, despite new regulations, continue their constructions without taking into consideration the earthquake risk. Controllers pay no attention. More importantly, there is no change in the stance of our people who know that the building they are living in is weak. They ignore and easily risk their lives.
Look, even at this point, we have started speaking the impossibility of demolishing illegal and junk buildings in Istanbul. It is told that that much money could not be found and that 40,000 to 50,000 buildings cannot be managed. Objections have already started…
No. I do not believe that the prime minister will be able to overcome that many obstacles and correct these minds; and take the step that will free the country from the earthquake plague.
Earthquakes will happen; our people will be miserable. They will scream, “Where is this state?” Again speeches will be delivered, the so-called solidarity shows will be put on and our politicians will visit the region and cry together with teary-eyed villagers…
Following that, whatever happened will be forgotten until a new earthquake happens.
I do not think Recep Tayyip Erdoðan will be able to break this negligence cycle.
If I am wrong, Turkey will win.
There should be a limit to mourning…
There are two leading problems in this country, which we will not be able to overcome easily. Especially, because of our mentalities, because of our view of the world and because of our habits, we are doomed to live together with these problems for many long years.
One of them is earthquake, the other is terror.
We do not possess the power, the courage and the intention to solve the two entirely. In these circumstances, we should as well learn to live with them.
No, we do not want to learn it either. On the contrary, we burn ourselves out every time. We blame each other for no good. The society becomes tense and tries to prove some things.
We experienced the same in the last terror and earthquake incidents that came consecutively.
We went into mourning… We cancelled ceremonies… Some TV journalists cancelled their shows. Some radios stopped broadcasting… We went into such confusion that the society was puzzled.
We need to plan better from now on. Just as well that we will be experiencing many more earthquakes, we will also endure many more terror incidents. If we attempt to go into mourning and create tension each time, then we will be stuck.
I do not want to be misunderstood but we should be able to adjust the extent of our mourning.
