Türkiye’s Call for International Assistance and the International Community’s Response
Natural disasters, wars, and economic collapse tend to seriously undermine social order and make it impossible to address even people’s most basic needs. During such periods, it becomes difficult for communities to feed themselves, find shelter, receive medical attention, relocate, and communicate with others. Individuals and communities have provided emergency assistance to such individuals, without expecting anything in return, to address basic needs like food, shelter, and medical treatment throughout history.
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Disaster Management Cooperation Bolstered by Civil Society and Volunteering
There is no doubt that the Turkish Red Crescent remains a prioritized civilian entity due to its historical origins, institutional past, and capacity, but it cannot represent the entire civilian domain by itself in this day and age. As such, a mechanism for disaster management should be put in place that ensures the readiness of all official and civilian resources and the effective use of those resources for a rapid response.
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the Kahramanmaraş earthquakes will be at the top of Türkiye’s political agenda ahead of the 2023 elections. On the campaign trail, voters will closely monitor each party’s vision for relief efforts, comparing the government’s proven crisis management skills with the opposition’s potential performance. Right now, the electorate can make that comparison.
It is necessary to uphold the sense of solidarity, which emerged among states after the earthquakes. Last but not least, one would hope that the humane way of thinking can triumph over the idea of interest and exploitation in international relations. This is a time to focus on moral values and solidarity – not realpolitik.
NGO volunteers work on the ground around the clock. In the recent past during the coronavirus pandemic, they delivered aid to people alongside government agencies. In the holy month of Ramadan, they serve meals. Every year, around Eid Al-Adha, volunteers work extra hard to help people around the globe by building bridges between donors and people in need. As such, they represent Türkiye through their excellent work.
In particular, earthquake-resilient housing retrofitting or reconstruction needs massive additional funding schemes, as public or individual funding mechanisms could never be sufficient. In addition, millions of private properties or residential buildings built before 2000 require urgent strengthening or rebuilding.
Türkiye earthquake: Observations at ground zero
Based on my on-site observations following major quakes, I can confirm that the seismic activity has significantly transformed the landscape of the affected zone, resulting in damaged roads and railways, as well as the formation of numerous cracks across the mountains and plains
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Egypt's forgotten revolution, the future of the Sissi regime
At this point, public opinion in the country is that the Sissi regime must change. It is also raising pressure on Cairo that Western actors, especially the U.S., have signaled that Sissi is dragging the country into greater chaos.
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There is something almost legendary going on in Turkey in regard to the Syrian refugees. This amazing work by AFAD and local nongovernmental organizations deserves better international recognition.
