A year after two devastating earthquakes struck southern Turkey and Syria, killing more than 50,000 people and leaving a trail of destruction, basic needs remain unmet and social Mistrust pervades the region.
Nevertheless, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan remains popular thanks to the “culture of fear” he and his ruling party have created, said Adiyaman, one of the hardest-hit provinces. residents say.
“People vote for Erdoğan because they are tricked and afraid of what will happen to them if the government changes,” said Zeynep (name changed). I.
In the aftermath of the earthquake, which destroyed 300,000 buildings in 10 provinces, critics accused Mr. Erdogan’s government of not enforcing building regulations and misdirecting taxpayer money meant to make buildings more durable. It was also criticized for its slow response, with some towns waiting days for help to arrive.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan hit back at critics, saying “disgraceful people” were spreading “lies and slander” about the government’s actions, and pledged 10,000 Turkish liras (£259) in financial aid to all affected families, adding He promised to build housing for all the survivors. one year.
But as the anniversary approaches, many say that’s unlikely.
Zeynep says she and many others remain angry at the lack of government support in the days after the earthquake. The 25-year-old, who works as a psychologist and lives in temporary housing, added that even after a year, there is still a lack of government support.
Despite President Erdogan’s promise to rebuild 319,000 homes within a year, more than a million people remain homeless, many living in small container accommodation. Last year, the Turkish government estimated that rebuilding costs would total more than $50bn (£40bn).
“It’s been a year since the earthquake, but the demolition of buildings is still not finished. Construction of the promised public housing has begun, but it is not yet completed,” she says. I.
“Many people believe that everything is back to normal. However, there are still areas in need of water, and some people are unable to meet their housing needs or are living in tents.
“Until these needs are met, social mistrust will prevail.”
Zeynep argues that the Turkish president made these promises simply to reassure his supporters ahead of a crucial election, which took place months after the 7.8 and 7.6 magnitude earthquakes. She added that she had heard that “a number of conditions” were needed to benefit from the cash assistance promised by the president to survivors.
“There is no question that promises on housing have not been kept,” said Begum Zorlu, chair and co-convener of the Turkish Political Experts Group and a visiting lecturer at City, University of London.
A weak economy and rising rebuilding costs have made achieving the target even more difficult, with official government data showing construction costs rose 66% in November compared to a year earlier.
“I don’t think it’s possible that all the houses will be handed over within a year,” Ufuk Beil, secretary general of the opposition Union of Turkish Chambers of Engineers and Architects in Adiyaman, told Reuters in October.
Dr Zorlu said: “The entire system that ministries, aid services and governments have built over the last 20 years is to blame, which has enabled the lack of regulation and the weakness of aid services to provide support.” I believe that. [Mr Erdogan] It is at the center of the system. ”
She said the broken promise had not undermined the president’s grip on power, and that his Justice and Development Party (AKP) still held sway in the region, known as the heartland. added.
“His vote share in last year’s presidential election remained unchanged in major cities affected by the earthquake.” [compared to the last election in 2018], in some locations there was a slight increase in the second round.he got more votes [the main opposition party leader, Kemal] In Curcidalor, nine of the 12 provinces affected by the earthquake occurred. ”
She says this is because of the region’s deep polarization, with many people choosing not to stray from their political allegiances. “Even if there is an earthquake, people will not feel comfortable voting for the opposition because of their alliances or the party’s ideological position.”
The divide has escalated since the earthquake, with some accusing the government of not prioritizing cities with less support for the AKP. “Especially after the earthquake, there were complaints and protests in the Samanda area due to environmental concerns.”
The AKP aims to retake major cities lost to the opposition in 2019, which will be a focus of attention as local elections approach on March 31st.
“After the earthquake, people in the area were initially very angry,” Zeynep says.
“But at some point the situation changed and the number of people defending Erdoğan increased again. Especially in the city where I live, he received a high percentage of votes in the presidential election.”
She explained how she and other observers were threatened on election day while working as a poll observer in Gherghar area of Adiyaman province. But she was undaunted.
“We are doing our best to combat this culture of fear.”