A delegation of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) is in the earthquake zone in Elazığ province to evaluate the damage caused by the quake on Friday evening and to organise support for the population. At a press conference, it was announced that the first aid shipments from other Kurdish municipalities have already arrived and that aid will continue.

HDP Elazığ co-chair Baki Yıldırım stated that the party set up a crisis management team in Elazığ immediately after the earthquake: "Groups were sent to the affected areas from one o'clock at night. A situation assessment was carried out in Elazığ, Sivrice, Maden and Gezin. In the morning our people went through the villages to get information on the extent of the damage and the need for help on the spot".

Result of the government's indifference

HDP Law and Human Rights Commission spokesperson Ayşe Acar Başaran stated at the press conference: "Of course we cannot prevent natural disasters of this kind, but we can prepare for them and take measures before human and material losses occur. We see this in many places around the world. However, as we must see today with the earthquake with epicentre in Sivrice, we are not prepared for natural disasters in Turkey. With our eyes open, we are confronted with dead people. When a six-storey building, which is described as problematic and which has been found to be incapable of withstanding natural disasters, becomes the grave of four people, we cannot attribute the responsibility for this to nature. It is the result of the indifference of a government that is unprepared and does not think ahead. In this context, we would like to remind once again who is responsible.

Our local crisis coordination team began its work in the first minutes of the earthquake. It has reached about sixty villages in Sivrice and Maden districts. These villages are those that the state and the government did not reach. For example, in the village Çevrimtaş two people died, three were injured, one of them seriously. No one has come there. The people in the village carried out the rescue work without any help from outside.

During the two days of our work here we have noticed that in these sixty villages and in Sivrice itself no help at all has arrived. Aid did arrive in Sivrice, but the goods were distributed by the local AKP leader to his followers. Those who were actually in need saw none of it. The only relief supplies that reached the villages were biscuits. However, the people need tents and blankets, they are in a very difficult situation.

In winter it is very cold in Elazığ, with temperatures as low as minus twenty degrees. The Alevi community centres have become reception centres for the population. They do what they can but have limited and very insufficient resources. The people whose houses were not destroyed are also traumatised. There is a risk of further quakes. That is why they want tents. But tents are not arriving, and where there are tents, there are no stoves. Where gas cartridges have been distributed, the additional equipment is missing and vice versa. There is an atmosphere as if common sense is being made fun of."