The Green Left Party Coordination explained that the government's depopulation policy in areas with a dense Alevi population, which has been in place for years, has gained momentum with the destruction of the earthquake.
The lives of around 13.5 million people in eleven provinces of Turkey were affected by the two successive major earthquakes in the Turkish-Syrian border area on 6 February. According to official figures, 50,783 people lost their lives and 5,649,000,317 buildings were damaged in Turkey. There was no news for a long time from the Pazarcık district, the epicentre of the first 7.7 magnitude earthquake. When the first teams reached the district, they were presented with a horrific picture. Sixty percent of the town had been destroyed. Search and rescue operations were suspended on 11 February. Pazarcık has a predominantly Alevi Kurdish population.
The Pazarcık Election Coordination of the Green Left Party, which is contesting the parliamentary elections on 14 May in place of the HDP, which is threatened with a ban, spoke to ANF about the current situation in the town and said: “People in the earthquake zone are angry with the government and state institutions for their late intervention. The main reason for the disastrous picture is the government's profit-oriented and inhuman policies. Pazarcık was one of the last settlement areas to be reached by official agencies, relief efforts were organised by volunteer teams, non-governmental organisations and political parties were obstructed by the state.”
"People in the diaspora also showed tremendous material and moral support. While the solidarity platform was growing, the district governorate confiscated the relief goods collected in Hasankoca. It was informed that relief goods would only be distributed by the disaster management agency AFAD. After this intervention, rumours circulated that trustees were to be appointed in the towns. This state of siege imposed on our people in the midst of destruction must not be forgotten. The people of Pazarcık are angry with all the institutions of government, and this anger will be reflected at the ballot box," said the Green Left Party Election Coordination.
DEMOGRAPHIC CHANGE IN FAVOUR OF THE GOVERNMENT
Pointing out that many people have migrated to their relatives outside the city and abroad due to the destruction of their houses after the earthquake, the Green Left Party Coordination explained that the government's depopulation policy in areas with a dense Alevi population, which has been in place for years, has gained momentum with the destruction of the earthquake:
"The state had sought a demographic change in Pazarcık even before the earthquake. It is resorting to the method of depopulation here. It is a place that has experienced a strong migration over the years, both to the city and abroad. Many people have migrated from the Kurdish-Alevi villages of Pazarcık due to livelihood difficulties, oppression and lack of services. After the earthquake, the remaining young population is encouraged to leave. Efforts are made to turn Pazarcık into a large old people's home. On the other hand, the population in Sunni-Turkish villages increases because the people living here are encouraged to stay with the support provided by the state. The demographic structure is being changed in favour of the government."
THE EARTHQUAKE ZONE IS CRUCIAL FOR THE ELECTION OUTCOME
Green Left Party Election Coordination stressed that the announcement of the Turkish Supreme Election Board (YSK) to set 17 March as the deadline for eligible voters to register their residences was aimed at influencing the outcome of the elections in favour of the AKP. The response from the earthquake zone is of crucial importance as it will decide the fate of the government, said the Election Coordination, adding:
"The AKP government is left only with changing legal regulations and electoral fraud. In depopulated areas, people supposedly entitled to vote are turning up. The aim is to use fake votes. At the same time, the region is being cleansed of opposition and the government is conducting election propaganda with aid packages from the Red Crescent. It is trying to exploit people's plight. However, people are aware of everything and will show their reaction at the ballot box. The region is a disaster area, so we cannot campaign with the usual enthusiasm. We are out on our campaign buses every day, but we only turn up the music when people demand it, because there is mourning. We continue our work with public meetings and visits, and we will do our best to make sure that people here can vote. On the election day, our vehicles will be out in the villages and in the centre. Pazarcık has the advantage of having tent camps in the centre. We will do everything to put an end to AKP rule."
