ELAZIG GUNISIGI NEWSPAPER - September 2010
THE COEFFICIENT OF UNEASE
An important characteristic of human nature is that, even if people are aware of the negative aspects of their lives beforehand, they rarely pay much attention until the issue actually occurs. Once the event takes place, regrets, sighs, and "what ifs" are of no use. During such times, the coefficient of unease is at its peak, and everyone agrees on the need for precautionary measures. As time passes, the coefficient of unease gradually decreases, and we forget about what happened. I’m sure you can recall examples from your own life related to this concept.
The coefficient of unease should always be maintained at a certain level. The type of unease I am referring to is not something that causes discomfort. On the contrary, it’s a proactive unease, where responsibilities are taken seriously, precautions are made in advance, and the result leads to happiness.
Elazığ is located in a high-risk earthquake zone. The earthquakes of February 2007 and March 2010 left painful memories in our minds. We lost dozens of people even from a tremor that didn’t require us to leave our homes. After these events, we all rolled up our sleeves. By "we all," I mean that this issue was on the agenda of every citizen, and much of our daily conversations revolved around it. But just six months later, let's take a look at our agenda. The coefficient of unease has dropped, and the earthquake topic has disappeared from the public discourse. Issues that are no longer on the agenda are left to the conscience of the people. However, progress and improvement in these areas will only come through laws and enforcement, not just personal responsibility.
It is also disheartening how quickly the tension surrounding Elazığ's potential to become a metropolitan city has diminished. Typically, in such cases, there would be at least constructive criticism, even if there weren’t major works. Yet, when it comes to this issue, even those who expressed their opinions were few and far between. Civil society organizations, in particular, should be supporting the development of Elazığ through projects and actions. Sometimes, just raising awareness and keeping the issue at the forefront can be a significant service. Unfortunately, we couldn’t achieve even that in such an important matter.
Elazığ hosts many regional directorates of various institutions, but on the contrary, the city only has representations of professional associations, not full-fledged branches. Professional associations are among the largest civil society organizations. A branch of such an association in a city is equivalent to a regional directorate of an institution. However, a representation is more like the equivalent of a branch chief in an institution. Let me clarify, though: there’s no intention to undermine the importance of any personnel, from service staff to directors, as every role within an organization is invaluable and deserving of recognition. But, if we want Elazığ to develop and become a metropolitan city, every institution and organization must evolve.
Take, for instance, the Department of Civil Engineering at Fırat University, which has been educating civil engineers since 1967. Approximately 3,000 civil engineers have graduated from this program. Yet, today, the Chamber of Civil Engineers only has a representation in Elazığ, not a full branch. Wouldn’t it be appropriate for this professional association, which played a significant role in meeting the country’s need for civil engineers, to have a branch in Elazığ?
I’d like to address a common excuse in advance. About 30 years ago, Elazığ had a branch, but due to political events at the time, it was moved to Diyarbakır. Just last year, there were issues with the Ankara branch as well. Should we close this branch? It’s saddening that people would bring up this excuse. Of course, the Diyarbakır branch shouldn’t be closed, but Elazığ deserves to have its own branch.
Civil society organizations play a crucial role in the development of provinces. Even those who lack the means to take direct action can contribute significantly simply by voicing issues in the media, thus facilitating the resolution of problems.
I believe that maintaining a healthy coefficient of unease will keep individuals, institutions, organizations, and even countries alert and motivated for progress.