Unemployed Father Stranded in Batman: ‘My Ill Wife and 6 Children are Alone’

* Photo: Bus services in Batman, Siirt, Elazığ provinces suspended - AA

Click to read the article in Turkish

Fahrettin Özdemir is the father of six and until he was dismissed from his job amid coronavirus outbreak and the ensuing "stay home" calls, he had been working as an ironer at a textile factory in İstanbul.

Stranded in Turkey's eastern province of Batman, where he went to visit his parents, Özdemir cannot return to İstanbul.

Özdemir says that his wife has cancer: "I am stuck in Batman and my children in İstanbul. My wife has to care for 6 children alone. I am unemployed and we are praying for ourselves, trusting only in the God."

It was around three weeks ago that he was dismissed from the textile company where he had been working as an ironer. It was the first days of the quarantine and the ensuing calls on people to "stay home."

He was working uninsured and on a daily wage

In the afternoon on a Saturday, Özdemir was told, "Things are going bad, the situation of the market is uncertain." With this remarks, he was dismissed from his job. Özdemir, the father of six, tells the following to bianet:

"My wife has cancer. My youngest child is 2.5 years old and the oldest is 15. The youngest one has a kidney disease, takes medicine regularly. Four of them go to school. I was working uninsured and on a daily wage. Say, I will take my wife to the hospital... My daily wage is cut if I don't go. It has been three weeks now and there is no word from where I worked."

In the meantime, he went to Dargeçit in Turkey's southeastern province of Mardin to visit his 75-year-old father and mother:

"My father is seriously ill. He cannot even walk out the door, let alone a quarantine... As my brother is a soldier in Hakkari, I went there to support them. I had been dismissed anyway..."

Having stayed with his parents for a week, Özdemir left them to return to İstanbul. On his way back, he first dropped by the nearby province of Batman to see distant relatives. However, with the quarantine and social distance bans getting stricter, he cannot return home despite his all efforts:

'I even asked couriers if they had room in their vehicles'

"As busses do not depart from Mardin and as there are more firms in Batman, I came here. I went to the immigration authority in Batman and got a permission. I found a ticket for a bus that would go to İstanbul through Diyarbakır. It was supposed to depart at 7 p.m. on Sunday. But, they called at 5 p.m. and said 'Don't come.' Why? The Governor's Office didn't allow it.

"I want to reach my children. I am stuck in Batman. I don't know what to do. I go to the immigration authority everyday, I am trying hard. I even asked courier companies, I asked them if they had room for me in their vehicles, I asked if I was allowed to go with them.

"I call the police, they say that there are no developments. The immigration authority allows it, but firms do not make their busses go. There is a limit of 20 passengers and they do not set off, fearing that they will lose money."

'OK, let's say we stay home, but...'

Fahrettin Özdemir say that the state's 1,000 lira aid has reached his house. However, they cannot yet pay their three-month rent of 1,800 lira:

"My wife was already unable to leave home as she is chronically ill. Now, a curfew has also been imposed on the kids. I am constantly thinking about my family in İstanbul. The teacher of the children sent them books, the principal supported them. I thank them.

"But my hands are tied. I am stuck here. My wife is caring for 6 children despite being sick. May the God give patience to both of us.

"And, to top it all, I don't have a job anymore. They tell us to stay home. OK, let's say that we stay home. But, what will we eat and drink? How will we make ends meet? We are opening our hands and praying for ourselves, trusting only in the God." (AÖ/SD)