Some steps taken by the government after the general elections did not cure the economic crisis. While the fluctuation in exchange rates continues, citizens wake up to new increases every day. In particular, the lack of solution to the Kurdish issue and the insistence on war policies cause the crisis to deepen. Citizens in the border city of Colemêrg(Hakkari), one of the cities that felt the impact of the crisis the most, emphasized that they could not get along.

 

'THE PROBLEMS HAVE BECOME GANGRENISH'

 

Kemal Elmas, one of the citizens, stated that the main reason for the economic crisis is the Kurdish issue, which has not been resolved for years, and said: "There is a issue that has become gangrenous in Turkey for many years, and this is the Kurdish issue. As long as the Kurdish issue continues, gang formation, corruption, economic crisis and women's issues will continue in this country." 

 

'NO JOB OPPORTUNITY'

 

A young man named Abdullah Yılmaz said that the economic crisis has affected the whole country and said: “There are no insured and minimum wage job opportunities in Colemêrg. There is neither a factory nor a place that meets minimum conditions in the city. Instead of opening dozens of factories in other provinces, they should establish a factory here. Young people constantly work under heavy working conditions abroad and unfortunately, dozens of them lose their lives because of this. I am 23 years old and despite all applications, I have not been provided with a job opportunity from İŞKUR. Those who cannot find a solution to this crisis should go and sit at home."

 

Emphasizing that the crisis stems from the policies implemented by the government, Yılmaz said: “We are constantly looking for a job in the market. When we cannot find a job in the city, we have to go to other cities to work; however, we want to be together with our family. Military expenditures need to be prevented. We don't want war to happen. We are for peace and freedom. We do not want deaths to occur."

 

'AKP AND ERDOĞAN MUST LEAVE POWER'

 

Sergen Akkoç noted that the situation in the country got worse after the May 14 and May 28 elections and said: "These people are hungry, young people are unemployed. The people have reached a point where they cannot bring bread to their homes. The Turkish Lira has lost so much value that 50 TL cannot fill your stomach. A tin of oil 700-800 liras, a bag of flour has exceeded a thousand liras. The cheapest food product is pasta. How much pasta costs? Red meat has become very expensive per kilo. Nobody can eat red meat. The solution is for the AKP and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to leave power. Rest assured, this country will be at ease when someone else comes."

 

'WE CANNOT MAKE ENDS MEET'

 

Emphasizing that they can no longer make ends meet, Hacı Töre said: "Currently, I only have 20 TL in my pocket and nothing can be bought with it. We no longer know what to do and how to live. We have come to a point where we cannot pay the rent, electricity and water bills. Nobody can make ends meet, not just me. The people are in a difficult situation. There are people who cannot even take bread home. We cannot even go somewhere and drink tea with someone. A cup of tea costs 10 TL. How can anyone make a living in these living conditions? God forbid. The entire reason for this crisis is the state. The state does not provide employment opportunities to any of its citizens."

 

'ALL RESOURCES ARE SPENDED ON WAR'

 

Stating that the country's budget was transferred to the war, Hasan Sevi said: "There is every kind of crisis you are looking for in this city. Colemêrg has become the main center of all crises. The AKP administration has stolen all the resources in the country. Nobody knows where the money in this country goes. The poor are getting poorer day by day. Now he is a student. We cannot send them to school. I have two grandchildren, we sent one to school but we could not send the other because I do not have the means. The solution to this entire crisis is the end of the existing conflict environment and war. The economic crisis will end with the end of the war. All of Turkey's financial income is spent on the war in Syria and Iraq. They spend all the money on tanks and artillery. What is Turkey doing in someone else's land?" 

 

'PEOPLE ARE GETTING POOR EVERY DAY'

 

Underlining that they cannot make ends meet anymore, retired Halit Tekin said: "I have 4 children, I cannot make ends meet. We migrated to the city because there was no living space left in the village, Ömer Ersin also said: "They drove us from our villages, which are our sources of life, and brought us here. There is also a crisis in the cities.  There is no work, there is no power. The people are getting poorer and poorer."

 

MA / Mazlum Engindeniz