ISTANBUL - Journalists, who went to the region to announce what happened in the earthquake area in Hatay, drew attention to the obstacles that started with the state of emergency and said: "We will continue to be the voice of the people no matter what happens."

 

In Hatay, one of the cities affected by the two earthquakes, the epicenter of which is Pazarcık district of Maraş, journalists who follow the news stories are targeted by the pro-government media. On the one hand, journalists who capture the destruction in the city and reflect the grievances of the people, on the other hand, are targeted by the attack of pro-government media.

 

Journalist Büşra Cebeci, who went to Hatay on the first day of the earthquake, spoke with Volkan Pekal and Pınar Gayip about their observations in the city.

 

Sharing that they left Istanbul by road with the earthquake, Journalist Gayip said: "We observed that hundreds of people were also on their way to the earthquake area, but that there was no official who could direct them for help. We asked the earthquake victims in Defne district. They asked how they can live again due to the magnitude of the victimization they experienced.

 

GAYİP: THERE WAS NO RESCUE AND SEARCH TEAM 

 

 

Journalist Pınar Gayip

 

Stating that Hatay is now a ghost town, Gayip said: “The houses have been completely demolished. Some of the surviving houses do not exist. There are still bodies under the rubble. Until the fifth day, there were voices from under the rubble, but there was no official who could rescue them. The Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), revolutionary and socialist institutions and organizations came to the city. The revolutionaries responded to the call of the people. They formed a search and rescue team. Since they did not have any equipment, they excavated with bare hands in public. They pulled some earthquake victims out of the rubble. There were messages sent by those under the rubble. They said 'get us out of here'; however, after the declaration of the state of emergency, soldiers gathered in the city. AFAD teams arrived. The purpose of the state of emergency is to prevent the truth from being heard, to intimidate people and leave them to their fate. We faced obstacles in continuing our work as journalists. We try to report the news immediately. For this reason, our news site ETHA has been blocked. Our reporter here, Elif Bayburt, was targeted by pro-government media reporters. The government does not want the facts to be revealed and the events to be seen.``

 

 

Journalist Volkan Pekal

 

Journalist Pekal said: "The work in the city was carried out by volunteers. The soldiers and police came to the area days later. Search and rescue efforts had to be carried out; however, the state was too late in this regard. On the fifth day of the earthquake, we saw Kızılay in Defne. We saw it on the field for the first time. Citizens say 'there is no state'. The government is responsible for all these events. There is a collapsed state mechanism. People have now given up hope on the state. There is no search and rescue work in places where there is no sound. Journalists are also  prevented but We will continue to be the voice of the people no matter what happens."

 

CEBECİ: THE HUMAN DRAMA IS LIVED

 

Journalist Büşra Cebeci

 

Journalist Cebeci said: "There is literally a human drama happening here. There were no search and rescue efforts on the first day and the citizens pulled their relatives out of the rubble with their hands and nails. It was with the power of the press and social media that people from different countries of the world came here. The government also has an effect on the earthquake causing so much destruction. For example, a building built a year and a half ago was demolished. While it should have been made with 24 irons, it was made with 12 irons. The building had crumbled. We are talking about a building with 80 flats. We are talking about an apartment with at least 400 people. It is said that there were 50 people who came out of the rubble of this building alive and dead. Where is the rest? The government had great deficiencies and mistakes both before and after the earthquake. The state also came late. Those rescued from the rubble in Hatay are devastated. There are still places where aid does not reach.”