Resident of Sur denied access to his house for 6 years

The victimization of families with houses and workplaces in damaged neighborhoods has continued since 2015, when a curfew was declared in 2015 in Amed’s old Sur area amid the Turkish state forces’ heavy military onslaught on the ancient settlement.

Many of the families who were compelled to flee the city during the curfew settled in various areas or rented properties in the surrounding districts. Families were given three options: TOKI (Housing Development Administration of Turkey) apartments outside of the city, newly built houses, or money in exchange for their properties. The majority of the families wanted to live in areas where they had previously lived. However, a sum of two thousand Turkish liras was requested for each square meter of the proposed houses. Some economically disadvantaged households settled for TOKI dwellings. Families attempting to restore their destroyed or partially surviving properties have met a variety of difficulties over the years. The locations where the families’ properties were located are either given to investors or attempts are made to make the families give up by delaying the restoration procedure.

İsmail Üzmez, who spoke to MA, is one of the people whose house has not been handed over even after more than 6 years. Üzmez, who moved his family to a property he rented in a nearby neighborhood during the curfew and siege, wants his house back, which he can only visit with “special permission” because it is on the building site. Pointing out to his 379-square-meter house, which has only two rooms left untouched, Üzmez said: “We were living with a population of 52. They came in with tanks and weapons. Even now, bones have been discovered beneath the ruins. When we left, our house was still there. We were evicted from here by the state. When we returned, nothing remained of our homes and all the buildings were demolished. They wrecked everything into ruins. They took away our historical stones.”

Üzmez stated that efforts were being made to have them sell their houses for a cheap price or make them indebted to TOKI’s houses. Üzmez remarked that he cannot settle in TOKI apartments, which he compares to a prison, and emphasized that they do not accept this situation. Expressing that the families who signed for TOKI regretted it, Üzmez said, “This was my house with a title deed. I need permission to enter my own home today. This place is under occupation. If the entrances are still open tomorrow, I’ll bring my tent and reside here. We will not bow down to this if we know we will die. This is my place. It is my identity, honor, and dignity. Even if they handed me 4 trillion dollars, I would not give up this place. I was even contemplating burying myself in my house’s courtyard.”