ELAZIG GUNISIGI NEWSPAPER – May 2012
WHY CAN’T THIS CITY TRANSFORM?
On February 23, 2012, Günışığı newspaper headlined, "Urban Transformation Must Be Accelerated." This headline resonated. Politicians and those working on this issue shared their opinions. For almost two months, discussions on urban transformation, disaster risks, and earthquakes became rare, as if we were searching for them with a candle.
This situation is not unique to our hometown, but it is the same across the country. Our brothers and sisters from Van, whom we embraced, are slowly being sent back to their hometowns. We’ve forgotten Erzincan, Gebze, Kocaeli, and Bingöl. We said we would forget Van in a few months, and we have.
This isn’t really forgetfulness, but an escape from responsibility, from a heavy burden.
The dream of urban transformation is undoubtedly difficult, but it is inevitable. Inevitable, yet we are running away from it.
So, how long will we keep running?
Unfortunately, it seems we will run until it’s too late. Is this escape the solution?
No, this escape leads us right into the arms of disaster.
This escape is like looking for a way in a dead-end street.
What is the solution?
The solution is in togetherness, in collective wisdom, and in seeing the reality.
Urban transformation can only be realized with the activation of local authorities.
Governorships and municipalities have an enormous responsibility in this regard. The statements of our Minister of Environment and Urbanization and the urban transformation law align with this.
Municipalities, in particular, are at the heart of urban transformation. These institutions will determine the fate of our towns and cities.
We must make the most of these passing moments. There is no need for an urban transformation law to determine the seismic resistance of existing buildings in each neighborhood or to identify risky areas. The existing municipal and zoning laws do not prevent municipalities from carrying out such studies.
We must come together immediately to identify risky areas. This alone requires a complex and interdisciplinary effort, as well as inter-institutional dialogue and productive cooperation.
When should these studies begin? You may ask. It’s already very late, we are at a point where any step backward could reduce the damage.
Anyone, whether authorized or not, involved in building earthquake risk and urban transformation issues should reflect on this: in the event of a sudden, destructive earthquake, if you are fortunate enough to survive and your loved ones are safe, you could still find yourself in a Red Crescent tent and soup line, having lost everything.
Wasn’t this the case for our neighbor Bingöl on May 1st?
Last year, in my column, I tried to express our feelings about Bingöl in a few verses.
Once again, I wish mercy from God to the citizens who lost their lives in the 2003 earthquake and patience to their families.
May 1st, the silence of the night,
May 1st, a fireball, an apocalypse,
May 1st, never to wake again,
May 1st, burying parents, burying children,
May 1st, never seeing your loved ones again,
May 1st, a great tremor,
May 1st, the end of 170 lives,
May 1st, the tears of those who remain,
May 1st, lives sheltered in tents,
May 1st, hands reaching for Red Crescent soup,
May 1st, the cost of being too late,
May 1st, the true image of the buildings,
May 1st, the Çeltiksuyu Primary School, a grave for the children,
May 1st, a day to learn from,
May 1st, a day to guide projects,
May 1st, 2003 yesterday,
May 1st, 2011 today.
(Today is May 1st, 2012, and sadly, there has been no meaningful action in the past year.)