12/10/2013
We are self-organized discussion forums in the USA that are facilitated by volunteers and concerned citizens who are interested in the latest developments in Turkey. We’ve been observing the ongoing struggle of the 2011 Van earthquake survivors in eastern Turkey with much. Although it’s been two years, we realize the situation of the families living in trailer (container) cities since the disaster has not improved, it is getting worse by the day. We wanted to stand in solidarity with the people who are struggling to stay alive in Van and started an aid campaign “Support Earthquake Victims in Van” back on October 17, 2013. We invited our friends and other forums in the USA to get involved. We were able to have our aid delivered to the trailer city through graduate students at Koc University in Turkey as part of our extended network. Yet soon after we found out that people living in the container city in Van are facing eviction without securing their right to shelter. We issued an informative poster and edited a video to inform, create public opinion to stop the evictions and announce the earthquake survivors' demands to a wider audience. We launched a social media campaign asking people to send a video of themselves where they finish the sentence "I feel the cold in Van because..." or “I stand in solidarity with Van because…”. We received numerous videos from the USA and Europe, which we urgently aim to circulate in social media. The forums in the USA have been organizing academic panels, film screenings, art exhibitions and educational activities exploring environmental and human rights issues reaching out to local and international communities. Now we are collaborating to highlight the demands of Van earthquake survivors. Los Angeles Gezi Platform, New York City Students, Turkish American Gezi Platform (San Francisco, CA), Rutgers University Forum, University Park Forum (Pennsylvania State University) NOTE: We are not affiliated with any official organization. |
10/12/2013
Amerika’da bagimsiz kurulup ve tamamen gonullulerden olusan forumlar olarak, yurtdisindan Turkiye’de gelişen olayları yakından takip etmekteyiz. Ekim 2011'de gerceklesen Van depremi sonrasi verilen yasam mucadelesini kaygiyla izliyoruz. Iki seneyi asan zamana rağmen Van’da konteynerlerda yaşayan ailelerin mağduriyetlerinin giderilmediğinin ve sıkıntılarının günden güne arttığının farkındayız. Van’da direnen ve yaşam mücadelesi veren kardeşlerimize, büyüklerimize, dostlarımıza destek olmak istedik ve 17 Ekim 2013’te “Van Depremzedelerimize Destek Çağrısı” başlattık. Amerika’daki arkadaşlarımız, öğrenciler ve forumlar ile irtibata geçtik. Türkiye’den de Koç Universitesi doktora öğrencilerinin desteklerini de ekleyerek yardımlarımızı Van’da yine kendisi de depremzede olan bir arkadasımız aracılığıyla Anadolu konteyner kentine ulastirdik. Ancak, ilerleyen surecte konteyner kentte yasayan insanlarin barinma imkani saglanmadan konteyner kentten zorla cikarilmak istendigi haberini duyduk. Insanlarin zorla yerlerinden edilmelerine engel olmak, onlarin taleplerini acilen duyurmak ve kamuoyu baskisi yaratmak icin ortak basin bildirisi ve video hazirladik. Facebook uzerinden Amerika ve Avrupa’nin farkli sehirlerine cagri yaparak, gonullulerden "Van icin usuyorum cunku….” ya da “Van icin el eleyim cunku…” dedikleri kisa videolar gondermelerini istedik. Amerika’dan ve Avrupa’dan bir cok sayida kisa video elimize ulasti. Amacimiz, bu videolari en kisa zamanda derleyip sosyal medyada paylasmak. Amerika’daki forumlar daha onceden de cevre ve insan haklari icin duzenledikleri akademik paneller, film gosterimleri, sanat sergileri ve egitim etklinlikleriyle yurtici ve yurtdisinda dikkat cekmisti. Simdi de, Van’da konteyner kentlerde yasayan yurttaslarimizin taleplerine dikkat cekiyoruz. Los Angeles Gezi Platformu, New York Sehri Ogrencileri, Turkish American Gezi Platform (San Francisco, CA), Rutgers Universitesi Forumu, University Park Forumu (Pennsylvania State Universitesi) NOT: Desteklerin hic bir resmi kurulus ile ilgisi yoktur. |