Speaking about the house fire in Bursa that killed eight Syrian children and a mother, Hilmi Miynat of the Labour Party said that if measures are not taken, Syrian and Turkish workers, who are getting poorer day by day, will face more serious problems.
Nine Syrians, 8 children and a mother, were killed by a fire in their house in the Yıldırım district of Bursa province the night before. As the living conditions of refugees in Turkey are getting worse day by day, similar incidents are reported more often than before. The father, Hüseyin El Cesim, who lost all members of his family, is a textile worker and also collects paper waste. Two of the children who were killed by the fire were workers in a textile workshop.
Hilmi Miynat from the Labour Party (EMEP) Migration and Refugees Bureau spoke to ANF about the death of 9 Syrian refugees from the same family in Bursa and the precarious living conditions of the refugees in Turkey.
THOSE WHO SAY REFUGEES LIVE FOR FREE SHOULD TAKE A LOOK AT THIS FAMILY
Miynat said that the death of the refugees by the house fire in Bursa was a social homicide caused by impoverishment. “It is no coincidence that the poor always die in house fires, factory fires, earthquakes, and floods. There is a social reality and a social homicide here. Every death caused by poverty is a social murder.”
“The family fled the civil war in Syria and came to Turkey in 2017. The father is a textile worker. He also collects wastepaper to make a living. Two of the children who died were working in a textile workshop. They were under protection on paper, but their living conditions and this fire showed that this is not the case. Those who say, "refugees live in Turkey for free," should have a look at the fate of this family. They should take a look at the workplace homicide report of the ISIG Assembly that revealed the number of refugee workers who lost their lives in workplace homicides.
THEY HAVE NO SOLUTION OTHER THAN HAVING PHOTOS TAKEN
Miynat emphasized that the ruling AKP has no solution to offer to refugees other than having photos taken with families at funerals, nor to the poverty experienced by the Turkish people. “Representatives of the ruling party, who showed up at the funeral, are also those who imprison refugees in the provinces, and in the neighbourhoods. Millions face a residence crisis as they live under heavy exploitation conditions. Millions continue to worry about criminal record checks and forced deportations. What will be done for the survivors? What solution will be offered?”
Miynat added, “With the winter before us, it will become even more difficult for families to warm their children. Shelter, heating and a decent life are the common problems of not only Syrians but also all Turkish workers. Precarious conditions could kill all of us. If steps are not taken, we will face similar deaths. We call for a common struggle against poverty and social homicide caused by poverty.”
