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VAN QUAKE HIGHLIGHTS RIFTS, SPURS GLOBAL RELIEF EFFORT
By: Nanore Barsoumian
http://www.armenianweekly.com/2011/11/01/van-quake-highlights-rifts-spurs-global-relief-effort/
Tue, Nov 1 2011
The 7.2-magnitude earthquake that shook Van and its surroundings
in eastern Turkey left at least 600 dead and 4,150 injured, by the
latest count. A week after the Oct. 23 disaster, focus has shifted
from rescue to relief efforts, with dozens of countries offering,
among them Armenia.
Firefighters from Istanbul and soldiers search for Tahir Ormanoglu,
a teacher, 27, believed to be trapped beneath, as hopes of finding
more survivors were dimming in Ercis, Van, Turkey, Oct. 29,. (AP /
Burhan Ozbilici) Reportedly to test its own ability to respond to such
disasters, Turkey was initially unwilling to accept aid, except from
neighbors Azerbaijan and Iran. Two days into rescue efforts, however,
Turkey said it would allow in goods and relief workers from countries
near and far, including Israel and Armenia. Now, tents, prefabricated
homes, and containers are high on the list of necessities. On Oct. 27,
Turkey sent an official aid request to Armenia, which had offered to
send rescue workers to Van within hours of the quake.
While on official visit to Moscow, Armenian President Serge Sarkisian
expressed his condolences to Turkish President Abdullah Gul, adding
that "a specialized group of the Armenian rescuers stands ready to
arrive at the epicenter and instantly to proceed with the rescue
works."
In the meantime, hopes to find survivors have almost entirely
diminished. The last survivor was a teenage boy rescued from a pile of
rubble early on Fri., Oct. 28, after 108 hours of being trapped. Tens
of thousands have been left homeless, and sheltering the survivors
is of prime concern, especially with the brutal Caucasus winter at
the country's doorstep.
Forty tons of supplies aboard an II-76 plane flew in from Yerevan
on Oct. 28. A member of the Armenian rescue team, Gagik Kostandyan,
told reporters gathered at the Erzurum airport that the cargo included
111 tents, 4,345 blankets, 36 beds, and 474 sleeping bags. "We are
ready to offer every kind of support if needed. We would like the
two countries to enjoy good relations. This is a humanitarian aid. We
are two neighboring countries," Kostandyan was quoted as saying.
The Turkish Red Crescent says it has distributed over 7,500 tents,
22,000 blankets, and food and water. Meanwhile, Israel dropped off
prefabricated housing units and, most recently, the U.S. pledged to
send in shelters.
The earthquake affected Turkey's predominantly Kurdish-populated
region, where days before Kurdish rebels had targeted Turkish troops,
killing 24. The government responded by sending 10,000 troops and
air reinforcements into the south and over the border into Iraq,
reportedly killing over 270 militants.
The earthquake caused the worst harm in the town of Ercis, some 56
miles north of Van. Thousands of buildings were damaged. Observers
say the situation could have been much worse if the quake had hit
midweek, when students were in classes, or after-hours when most
people stay indoors.
The area is home to neglected Armenian ruins, which are in dire need
of maintenance and repair. Measuring the harm to those historical
sites may never come. Perhaps the exception is Akhtamar island's
10th-century Armenian Church of the Holy Cross, which suffered a
cracked dome. Experts were waiting for the aftershocks to end before
conducting an overall assessment of the damage to the recently
renovated church, which serves as a museum.
Soon after news of the earthquake hit, government officials were quick
to accuse the pro-Kurdish Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) of failing
to respond to the crisis. The pro-government newspaper, Today's Zaman,
also ran stories alleging that the BDP used discriminatory methods
in distributing aid.
On-air and online racist remarks towards those affected by the quake
have angered many. The comments criticize the predominantly Kurdish
survivors for expecting aid from the very authorities the PKK is
waging a battle against. Reports emerged of "aid" packages being sent
containing sticks, stones, and Turkish flags.
All this came while a wave of arrests swept Istanbul on Oct. 28.
Authorities raided BDP offices and arrested dozens of Kurdish and
human rights activist.
Perhaps unaware of these reports, Gul highlighted the "unshakable
fraternity" of the nation during the "golden jubilee" of Hurriyet Daily
News. "Our citizens in the province of Van hit by the earthquake will
see that they are not lonely. We are a nation that binds together in
rainy days. We are friends in foul weather. This demonstrates that
the fraternity among our nation is unshakable!" Gul said, as reported
on the presidential website.
By: Nanore Barsoumian
http://www.armenianweekly.com/2011/11/01/van-quake-highlights-rifts-spurs-global-relief-effort/
Tue, Nov 1 2011
The 7.2-magnitude earthquake that shook Van and its surroundings
in eastern Turkey left at least 600 dead and 4,150 injured, by the
latest count. A week after the Oct. 23 disaster, focus has shifted
from rescue to relief efforts, with dozens of countries offering,
among them Armenia.
Firefighters from Istanbul and soldiers search for Tahir Ormanoglu,
a teacher, 27, believed to be trapped beneath, as hopes of finding
more survivors were dimming in Ercis, Van, Turkey, Oct. 29,. (AP /
Burhan Ozbilici) Reportedly to test its own ability to respond to such
disasters, Turkey was initially unwilling to accept aid, except from
neighbors Azerbaijan and Iran. Two days into rescue efforts, however,
Turkey said it would allow in goods and relief workers from countries
near and far, including Israel and Armenia. Now, tents, prefabricated
homes, and containers are high on the list of necessities. On Oct. 27,
Turkey sent an official aid request to Armenia, which had offered to
send rescue workers to Van within hours of the quake.
While on official visit to Moscow, Armenian President Serge Sarkisian
expressed his condolences to Turkish President Abdullah Gul, adding
that "a specialized group of the Armenian rescuers stands ready to
arrive at the epicenter and instantly to proceed with the rescue
works."
In the meantime, hopes to find survivors have almost entirely
diminished. The last survivor was a teenage boy rescued from a pile of
rubble early on Fri., Oct. 28, after 108 hours of being trapped. Tens
of thousands have been left homeless, and sheltering the survivors
is of prime concern, especially with the brutal Caucasus winter at
the country's doorstep.
Forty tons of supplies aboard an II-76 plane flew in from Yerevan
on Oct. 28. A member of the Armenian rescue team, Gagik Kostandyan,
told reporters gathered at the Erzurum airport that the cargo included
111 tents, 4,345 blankets, 36 beds, and 474 sleeping bags. "We are
ready to offer every kind of support if needed. We would like the
two countries to enjoy good relations. This is a humanitarian aid. We
are two neighboring countries," Kostandyan was quoted as saying.
The Turkish Red Crescent says it has distributed over 7,500 tents,
22,000 blankets, and food and water. Meanwhile, Israel dropped off
prefabricated housing units and, most recently, the U.S. pledged to
send in shelters.
The earthquake affected Turkey's predominantly Kurdish-populated
region, where days before Kurdish rebels had targeted Turkish troops,
killing 24. The government responded by sending 10,000 troops and
air reinforcements into the south and over the border into Iraq,
reportedly killing over 270 militants.
The earthquake caused the worst harm in the town of Ercis, some 56
miles north of Van. Thousands of buildings were damaged. Observers
say the situation could have been much worse if the quake had hit
midweek, when students were in classes, or after-hours when most
people stay indoors.
The area is home to neglected Armenian ruins, which are in dire need
of maintenance and repair. Measuring the harm to those historical
sites may never come. Perhaps the exception is Akhtamar island's
10th-century Armenian Church of the Holy Cross, which suffered a
cracked dome. Experts were waiting for the aftershocks to end before
conducting an overall assessment of the damage to the recently
renovated church, which serves as a museum.
Soon after news of the earthquake hit, government officials were quick
to accuse the pro-Kurdish Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) of failing
to respond to the crisis. The pro-government newspaper, Today's Zaman,
also ran stories alleging that the BDP used discriminatory methods
in distributing aid.
On-air and online racist remarks towards those affected by the quake
have angered many. The comments criticize the predominantly Kurdish
survivors for expecting aid from the very authorities the PKK is
waging a battle against. Reports emerged of "aid" packages being sent
containing sticks, stones, and Turkish flags.
All this came while a wave of arrests swept Istanbul on Oct. 28.
Authorities raided BDP offices and arrested dozens of Kurdish and
human rights activist.
Perhaps unaware of these reports, Gul highlighted the "unshakable
fraternity" of the nation during the "golden jubilee" of Hurriyet Daily
News. "Our citizens in the province of Van hit by the earthquake will
see that they are not lonely. We are a nation that binds together in
rainy days. We are friends in foul weather. This demonstrates that
the fraternity among our nation is unshakable!" Gul said, as reported
on the presidential website.