The people of Şırnak, whose houses were demolished by state forces during the self-government resistances, say living in TOKİ housing is virtually the same as being in prison and that they were used to houses with small gardens.
Following the curfews in 2015-16 when the self-government resistances happened in Şırnak, Cizre and İdil, state attacks took away homes and businesses of thousands of families. The construction of 6.500 residential and 1.000 commercial units by the public housing authority TOKİ started in March of the same year, but it still hasn’t been completed 3 years later.
Most of the 2.000 residential units were designed as 90 square meter dwellings, and who will the people to be settled there be is not clear yet. Residents of Şırnak are being referred to the projects in Cizre. It had previously been announced that families given larger units than their demolished houses would be made to pay for the difference, but the people don’t want to pay this cost because the city’s economy has deteriorated significantly in recent years.
“LIFE IN THOSE PROJECTS IS NOT FOR US”
Ahmet Karaman (70) was a nomad before he quit and settled in Cizre 48 years ago, and had been living in the same house for the last 40 years along with his family of 20. Karaman said their house was a two-storey, twin-apartment style building and they had a big yard: “Now they said they will give us 3 TOKİ apartments, but they are so small. Life in those projects is not for us.”
Karaman built a new house on his property after the first house was demolished. He said: “It wasn’t easy for me to take on such a burden at my age. I borrowed money from so many people. But now I have a house even more beautiful than before. I am planning to sell the TOKİ apartments to pay for my debt. I don’t have the strength to climb to the 9th floor.”
HIS HOUSE WAS DEMOLISHED 4 TIMES, HE STILL REJECTED TOKI
Mehyadin Duymak’s (54) house was demolished by the state 4 times. Duymak said the state demolished the family’s house in 1993 and they settled in Cizre after their village was evacuated. Duymak rebuilt his house after the first two demolitions there too. On their latest experience, Duymak said: “Of course the last demolition was the worst one. Our house was torn straight to the ground. My house was damaged in the first curfew too, but we were able to live in it. 2 weeks after the second curfew started, we were forced to leave. When we came back, there was no house, no furniture, no garden.”
HASAN GOREN RE-REPAIRED HIS HOME
Duymak had 6 people living in the house that was demolished, and has been told that he will be given 2 apartments in return for the house. Duymak said he lives with his brother’s family, and that he has a disabled nephew: “My brother accepted his own apartment but I couldn’t bring myself to. Me, my mother and my wife took another house, without even rent support. After some 5.000 liras in costs, we were able to make it liveable. Just the garden in this house is worth all the TOKIs for me. I think living in a TOKI apartment is no different than living in an open-air prison.”
