It has been 19 months since the Maraş earthquakes that occurred on February 6, 2023. According to official figures, 53,537 people lost their lives in the earthquakes. However, considering the unregistered burials, missing people and bodies whose families could not be found, the actual number is estimated to be higher. In Hatay, one of the cities most affected by the earthquake, at least 80,323 buildings were destroyed or damaged. However, despite the time that has passed, no effective investigation has been carried out against those who were negligent in the destruction. 

 

Earthquake victims have been fighting for justice for their relatives for months in many cities. Lawyer Eren Can, a member of the Families in Pursuit of Justice Platform, who lost his parents in the Rana Apartment in the center of Antakya, is one of them. Can, who lives in Istanbul, spoke about their struggle for justice.  

 

'THERE WAS NO SEARCH AND RESCUE WORK'

 

Stating that they reached the rubble of the house where his parents lived within the first 24 hours after the earthquake, Can said that he did not encounter any search and rescue activities in the city center. Pointing out that the people were left alone and helpless, Can said, “We had to pull people out of other rubble without our own means and equipment. There was already no signal on the phones. We also lost our communication channel with the band narrowing. Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency (AFAD) officials could never be reached.” 

 

19 MONTHS OF STRUGGLE FOR JUSTICE

 

Stating that they have been struggling for justice since the day of the earthquake, Can said that the trial processes were problematic. Can stated that there is an impression that the judiciary is being interfered with in the earthquake trials and that the fact that all expert reports are from Karadeniz Technical University strengthens this suspicion. “Is there a civil engineering department in Turkey such that all reports are given to a single university almost as if they were delivered to the address?” he asked

 

Can reminded the expert reports on the Furkan and Ezgi apartment buildings, which collapsed in the earthquake, that the defendants were “flawless”. Can reminded that Ali Babaoğlu, the contractor of the Palmiye Site in Mereş, which caused the deaths of 150 people, was not caught even though he went to a notary in Izmir and made a transaction, and said: “The political power in Turkey took the economy through the construction economy for a while. Recently, all the people who are contractors are related to the political power. This enriched circle has both economic and political influence. Mehmet Özat is the contractor of the EmlakBank houses and somehow he is able to walk around with a warrant for his arrest. He was caught because people from the earthquake victims recognized him. This shows that we have to fight for justice.” 

 

'SOME FILES ARE NOT ALLOWED'

 

Can said that the state was “protecting its own personnel” and added: “Investigations of public personnel require the permission of the governor's office and these processes have been very protracted. In some cases, a very limited number of permissions were granted, but there were also cases where permission was not granted. In the cases where permission was not granted, the application process to the administrative court continues. There are still many files that have not been answered. By deliberately prolonging the process, public pressure on this issue and people's power to resist are being tried to be reduced. Criminals are also taking advantage of this time.” 

 

'NO EXPERT REPORT AND NO INDICTMENT'

 

Pointing out that the earthquake victims had to fight the legal struggle instead of experiencing their pain, Can said: “In Hatay, when we start the new judicial year, we can see that many lawsuits have not been filed, indictments have not been prepared, and the basic problems of the city have not been solved. Let me give an example on our own apartment building; although 19 months have passed, no expert report has been received, no statement of any suspect has been taken, no indictment has been issued. There is a judicial activity that is not progressing. This is the case in many apartment buildings in Antakya city center, where people lost their lives. There is a conscious impunity.” 

 

'WE WILL FIGHT FOR THE PROSECUTION OF THOSE RESPONSIBLE'

 

Stating that the families gathered under the roof of the platform both share each other's pain and struggle for justice, “We struggle through many channels, from symposiums to legal struggle, from press statements to theoretical publications. We will continue to struggle to ensure that the earthquake is not forgotten, that earthquake cases are not covered up, and that those responsible and public officials are tried” he said.

 

MA / Yeşim Tükel