HDP's Toğrul: State confiscated our aid which is for earthquake victims 2023-02-27 11:00:48 GAZİANTEP- HDP Gaziantep MP Mahmut Toğrul, who stated that the centralist structure of the state that causes clumsiness should be discussed, said: “A TIR and a truck stove, which are in urgent need of the citizens, kept our aid for 48 hours at the entrance of Antep and confiscated it.”   The cry of "Save", which rose in the earthquake zones in the first days, gave way to the cry of shelter, heating, food and hygiene materials. Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) Gaziantep MP Mahmut Toğrul, who has been helping earthquake victims in Gaziantep and Maraş since the earthquake, spoke about the late intervention of the state to the debris and the prevention of the aid sent by non-governmental organizations, including his parties, for the earthquake victims.   EARTHQUAKE WAS EXPECTED   Pointing out that the government did not take any precautions despite the earthquake expected, Toğrul said: "Scientists pointed to two regions, one being Bingöl Karlıova and the other being the line starting from Gölbaşıand extending to Hatay Aksu. Stating that there was a serious lack of organization, Toğrul stated that the state could not be organized for the first 72 hours and professional search and rescue teams could not reach the field.   'STATE CONFISCATED OUR AID'   Stating that the state prevented the aid sent by NGOs, including his parties, for earthquake victims, Toğrul said: “When AFAD and the state were organized, this time they tried to prevent people who wanted to help earthquake victims. Law enforcement stopped NGOs that wanted to give up their power and help earthquake victims, including our party. On the third day of the earthquake, we made a visit to Nurdağı, they said that they were given new tents, but there was no stove to heat them. Their demand was the urgent need for a stove. We also took trucks stove from Sert and Êlih to the road. They made us wait for 48 hours at the entrance of Antep. On the one hand, people in danger of frostbite, on the other hand, are trucks full of stoves that are kept waiting for 48 hours. We suggested that we distribute them wherever you want us to distribute them, and they said that they were waiting for instructions from Ankara. Then, the stoves brought to AFAD's warehouse were unloaded from the truck even though they were fragile. We do not know whether that aid reaches the earthquake victims or not."