Lonely İzmir

We unite as a nation. Especially in moments of disaster. But in order for the nation to unite, the nation must be aware of the situation. 

Fires have engulfed every corner of İzmir. Karşıyaka, Çiğli, Urla... It is burning. Our forests, our trees have burned. The fire spread to houses. The people of İzmir set out to save themselves, their friends, and animals. However, this has no news value. 

Ash rained from the sky onto the most refined corners of Karşıyaka. The fire also reached TOKİ buildings. It has once again emerged that we are not prepared for a greater disaster. Our planes, our helicopters, the city's urban planning, our lack of awareness, our indifference... All of these played a role. 

What were our priorities? Ostentation... Saving people or acting in a way to live humanely are expensive pleasures today. There is no priority for these. 

***

Yet we were warned. Erzincan, Van... These were not taken seriously. But when the earthquake struck Gölcük and the Gulf, Istanbul had finally been nudged. Exactly 25 years ago today, we left thousands of people under the rubble. For 25 years, the Istanbul earthquake has been in a corner of our minds...

***

Years of neglect, forgetting, and indifference... Then again... If Istanbul is comfortable, there is no problem. Even if the subject is Istanbul, we forget, but we get a little more occupied. 

***

It turns out İzmir is lonely. This beautiful port city, which once opened up to the world, is far from the eyes of Istanbul. When it is out of sight, what does it matter if it has burned or its infrastructure has collapsed? 

It turns out İzmir is lonely. How easy it is to not look at İzmir, which is burning fiercely, and to forget the earthquake it experienced. 

***

In our country, the impact of disasters is multiplied when combined with poverty. Do we really care about those who cannot find shelter, those who are in debt, those who cannot make ends meet, and those who can no longer even find money to borrow? By the way, what is happening in the Grand National Assembly of Turkey (TBMM)? What will the person from İzmir whose house burned down, or the people from Antakya, Adıyaman, and Maraş who still cannot find safe shelter, say to this being forgotten? 

I think we have become desensitized. These profound questions will be forgotten, and the politics of the "elites" will prevail. 

Will a cry for help be raised? Will there be a rebellion? I don't think so. 

After all, everything was done by foreign powers and terrorists. When a person has such enemies, there is no need to improve anyway. Damn it!