TIP's Freedom March continues highlighting neglect of Hatay after the major earthquakes

Freedom March, started by the TIP (Workers' Party of Turkey), continues to echo the voices of the unheard as it enters its third day, highlighting the government's neglect and apathy toward the devastated city of Hatay (Antioch). This region endured the devastating Maras earthquakes earlier this year.

The aftermath of the Feb. 6 quakes, which shattered the lives and homes of many and caused unprecedented destruction across 11 provinces, still lingers. Hatay's scars are raw and deep, marked by the highest loss of life and destruction, a suffering compounded by the government's indifference.

TIP leader Erkan Baş, who led the march, raised a poignant question - why wasn't Hatay declared a "special disaster area"? In an impassioned speech before the march continued Bas highlighted the complete lack of special funds and targeted aid for the devastated city.

"In a tragic irony, instead of emergency relief and reconstruction, 18 pastures, forest areas, and olive groves in Hatay have been expropriated for development," Bas revealed. He criticized the government's short-sighted vision, which sidelined holistic human welfare and agricultural livelihoods amid an urgent housing and shelter crisis.

The plundering of olive groves, a lifeline for many locals, was also highlighted by Bas as a blatant abuse of the earthquake's aftermath for financial gain. Earlier warnings from the TMMOB-affiliated Chambers of Engineers backed up this disturbing revelation.