Protest continues against expropriations for earthquake reconstruction in Hatay

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Residents of the Dikmece neighborhood in Antakya, Hatay, one of the most severely hit provinces from the February earthquakes, have been protesting against the expropriation of their agricultural lands for five days.

A Dikmece resident, contacted by bianet, said there were no construction machines or law enforcement forces present in the neighborhood yesterday.

In an act of resistance near the expropriated agricultural lands, the residents of Dikmece have set up a protest tent and firmly declared, "We will not give our agricultural lands, our livelihood which is our olive groves, to anyone. Today, we have set up our resistance tent. We call on everyone to support our resistance."

Furthermore, representatives from Hatay Bar Association and the Human Rights Association (İHD) paid a visit to the residents of Dikmece.

During the visit, the IHD team listened to the citizens for their specific reporting work, while the lawyers provided information about the legal process.

Background

Despite expert warnings, significant expropriation of land has taken place in Hatay for reconstruction following the devastating earthquakes on February 6.

Gülderen and Dikmece, located 10 km from Antakya's city center, were chosen for the construction due to the suitability of the soil. However, earthquake victims oppose the expropriation of their agricultural lands and olive groves, which constitute their main source of livelihood.

On April 14, 61 parcels in Gülderen Neighborhood were expropriated by a presidential decree, while the company that won the tender for Dikmece by the Housing Development Administration of Turkey (TOKİ) initiated its activities in the region by the end of April.

Sarıdağlar İnşaat, which won the tender for 1,415 housing units, infrastructure, and environmental arrangements in Dikmece, is known for obtaining numerous public contacts.

To express their opposition to their lands being taken away, the residents of Dikmece held a protest rally on May 22.

Perihan Koca, a Green Left Party MP, brought the hasty expropriations for earthquake housing in various parts of Hatay to the parliamentary agenda in June and asked, "Are the Arab Alevis in Dikmece being forcibly displaced?"

On July 29, citizens protested the entry of construction machines into some agricultural lands in Dikmece and were responded to by gendarmerie forces.

In response to the situation, Dikmece residents announced that they initiated a vigil on July 30, which continues to this day. (VC/VK)