Earthquake reconstruction in Hatay: Government 'expropriating olive groves instead of using public lands'

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Residents of the Dikmece Neighborhood in Hatay, southern Turkey, visited the parliament today as part of their efforts against the expropriation of their lands for earthquake reconstruction.

Dikmece is located in the Antakya district, where the massive earthquakes in February left about one of every two homes destroyed or severely damaged. The residents of Dikmece are opposing the government's plans to expropriate their agricultural lands and olive groves for reconstruction efforts, citing the availability of public lands that are suitable for construction.

Prior to their visit to the parliament, the residents participated in a protest organized by labor and professional organizations in Çankaya, Ankara.

During the demonstration, Hasan Özgün, the Hatay Provincial Spokesperson of the Social Freedom Party (TÖP), emphasized, "They want to take our century-old olive trees away from us. We say no to that."

He pointed out that while the rush for expropriation was justified for post-earthquake reconstruction, there were treasury lands just one kilometer away from Dikmece with solid rock foundations. Özgün stated, "Moreover, the soil is solid rock. Instead of developing on treasury lands, they are eyeing our olive groves and villages. We will resist to the end."

Meetings with opposition parties

Following the protest, the residents of Dikmece went to the parliament to attend the group meetings of the Green Left Party and the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) and to hold meetings with delegations from both parties.

Speaking during the meeting with the Green Left Party, Dikmece resident Ali Esmer clarified that they were not against the state building public housing. He stated, "However, there are thousands of acres of treasury land available. They should consider these areas first. Expropriating 80% of a village is oppression."

Another resident, Cafer Tümer, noted that 95% of the lands subject to "urgent expropriation" in Dikmece were home to century-old olive groves.

In the Green Left Party's meeting, party co-spokesperson Çiğdem Kılıçgün-Uçar highlighted the violation of the Olive Grove Protection Law in Dikmece. She emphasized the need for prompt earthquake housing construction and its free distribution to earthquake survivors. Kılıçgün-Uçar underscored the importance of communication with the public during these processes to prevent favoritism toward certain companies. "We did not allow and will not allow the cutting down of olive groves, which are the livelihood of our people," she stated.

Background

Following the major destruction caused by the February 6 earthquakes, a significant number of lands were expropriated for the rapid construction of earthquake housing in Hatay. While Gülderen and Dikmece, located 10 km from Antakya center, were preferred due to their terrain structure, the area contains agricultural lands, particularly olive groves. The earthquake survivors oppose the expropriation of their livelihoods.

On April 14, a presidential decree expropriated 61 parcels in Gülderen Neighborhood, while the company awarded the Dikmece tender by the Housing Development Administration of Turkey (TOKİ) began its operations at the end of April.

Sarıdağlar Construction, which won the bid for 1,415 housing units, infrastructure, and environmental planning in Dikmece, is known for obtaining multiple public contracts.

Residents of Dikmece, who protested the confiscation of their lands, organized a demonstration on May 22.

Perihan Koca, a Green Left Party Deputy from Mersin, brought the issue of rushed expropriations for earthquake housing in various parts of Hatay to the Parliament in June, asking, "Are the Arab Alevis in Dikmece being forcibly relocated?"

On July 29, some agricultural lands in Dikmece were entered by heavy machinery, leading to a reaction from residents who faced intervention by the gendarmerie.

Dikmece residents announced their initiation of a vigil protest on July 30. (VC/VK)