From Grenfell to Grand Kartal Hotel
The magnitude of the disaster left one with a terrible sense of grief, and then anger. "How could this happen?" And then "someone must pay for this." I had had such feelings before in the UK in 2017.
A high-rise block of flats, Grenfell, burned down in London killing almost the same amount of people as in Bolu. Different circumstances but with the same feelings.
The subsequent Independent public inquiry is still ongoing, with the families of the victims taking centre stage. At present only one council leader and some local officials have resigned, though it is predicted there will be arrests in relation to corporate manslaughter charges connected to the outside cladding in particular, when the report’s recommendations are published in 2026, almost 9 years after the disaster. As of yet, no one has been tried or prosecuted.
Here, there appears to be another layer of suffering… There is sense that disasters are befalling the country on an almost weekly basis, and nothing is happening to stop them. It is as if this is the new identity of the people, removing any positive characteristic from their personality. This is compounded by the cost of living crisis and the anniversary of the earthquake looming and it being the winter season.
Nothing can be done about natural disasters, except learning to react to them . As for preventable disasters, finding someone to blame instantly rarely gets to the root cause. I hope an independent enquiry is commissioned with regard to Bolu. It will take longer but the outcome maybe more satisfactory in changing practices and finding organisations and people who should be held responsible.
My heart, as ever, is with my adopted country and people who I dearly love.
Thoughts are with the families of the victims at this difficult time, may Allah have mercy on them. (DRM/VK)