People of Sur's Alîpaşa neighborhood, one of the two neighborhoods set to be destroyed by the Turkish state, expressed their reactions towards the mayor’s payment offer in return for their leave from their homes.
It is said that the demolition will not remain limited with Alipaşa and Lalebey neighborhoods alone and will involve all the neighborhoods southwest of Sur.
State-appointed mayor in Amed, Governor Hüseyin Aksoy held a speech some days ago in the Hilton Hotel, where he offered journalists an iftar meal, and said the following regarding the people who resist in Alipaşa and Lalebey neighborhoods of Amed's Sur district that the state seeks to demolish under the name of urban transformation: “For those who still didn’t left their homes, we offer them to pay the moving expenses and six months of rent.”
The mayor’s statement was met by Alipaşa inhabitants with reaction. One of the inhabitants, Ali Subaşı, stated that they refuse to be forced by the state out of their houses and said, “Now like making fun of us they talk about such payments. If the mayor and district governor want it so badly we can pay their rent and relocate their homes for free.”
“THEY AWAIT THEIR TURN FOR EXPLOITATION”
Subaşı stressed that they never beg something of someone and continue their legal proceedings against the decision of expropriation, because the only thing they want is to stay in the homes which they were born and grown up in. He said, “Should they even give a trillion to me, I won’t leave my house, because all my memories dwell in this place. We will leave here and do what? They want us to leave in order to exploit this area. AKP members and so-called businessmen are awaiting their turn for exploitation.”
“IT WON’T END WITH TWO NEIGHBORHOODS”
Fazilet Tanrıkulu, who also dwells in Alipaşa, does not leave her home even though their electricity and water was cut off. Tanrıkulu warned that, as the demolition workers in Alipaşa told him, all the districts south-west of the Sur district will be demolished, too. She stated that by decree made by the Cabinet on 25th March 2016, districts such as Melikahmet, İskenderpaşa, Camii Kebir, Ziya Gökalp, Abdal Dede, Süleyman Nazif will also be demolished, and added: “Nobody is standing with us now. After Alipaşa and Lalebey the other neighborhoods will be next. The demolition workers said they will destroy all the houses except for historical buildings and places of worship. I mean, today it’s our turn, tomorrow theirs. For that reason we do not leave, and the other neighborhoods residents should better be aware of it, because they won’t let them in peace. They decreed to raze the whole area between the Melîkahmet Avenue and Touristic Avenue.”
SIGNATURES HAVE BEEN DEMANDED
In the meantime, district governor of Sur sent forms to the mukhtars for Alipaşa and Lalebey neighborhoods and asked them to make the people sign that they demand 500 Turkish Lira to cover moving expenses. The inhabitants underlined that they will not sign these forms and they will never leave their houses with their consent.
