The lowest class cannot be transformed with the project

Armchairs, washing machines, blankets and broken sinks are among the rubble. The air is chilly as warm tea brews on stoves in the open field on the hillside where a demolition occurred earlier in the morning. Children are playing with broken bricks and plastic bottles filled with muddy water; their eyes look frozen even when they are close to the fire. Fathers, collapsed on the ground, are silently crying as tears stream down mothers’ faces.

The scene is from the Ayazma neighborhood in Küçükçekmece, Istanbul. Ayazma has just last week lived through its third demolition since its inclusion in the "Urban Transformation Project." Homeowners were given houses in Bezirganbahçe, a development supported by the Housing Development Administration of Turkey, or TOKI. But some tenants who were discharged by homeowners have started living in shacks.

The demolition started early on the hill. One of those affected by the demolitions is a bride-to-be, Mensure Acar, 21, one of nine children, whose father is sick. One sibling is taking care of the family and had to leave school at Grade 7. Acar’s voice sounded bitter but resigned.

"Where are we going to hold the wedding? Hereabouts?" she asked, pointing to the rubble. "We were going to hold the wedding last year but there was a demolition Nov. 29. Furniture was broken and everything. We postponed the wedding to fix the stuff, but just after we cleared up, they demolished again. My wedding chest was broken. There was mud all over the bed and sheets. They were heartless, they emptied a trashcan over it."

The demolition took longer on the lower part of the hill. Adil Olgaç, a shack resident who watched the demolition, used to work in the textile industry and was paid minimum wage. He said there was an evaluation in 2004 and written contracts were handed out to everyone guaranteeing housing, but in 2005 they could not find their names in the draw.

"They told us at the municipality that we were too late. They said, 'The squeaking wheel gets the grease.' We moved into shacks so our landlord could have the house. Last year on Nov. 29, they demolished our shack for a second time. My little daughter has suffered trauma. How can you throw these children out on the street? I am a member of the AKP; I was. They fooled us in the name of Allah. I, as someone who served in the military, only want the right to shelter. They tell us to love it or leave it. How can I love it like this?"

Mehmet Selim from Mardin, observed the operation with sadness, responding to comments that they are not from Ayazma and are latecomers who moved into the shacks, said "Look, I planted that walnut tree with my own hands. We have been here for years. They are talking about terrorism. If this is not terror, then what is?"

Ömer Akvaranlı is a porter from Erzurum and a father of six. "I pay my taxes. I did not rob anybody’s bank. I did not invade anyone’s rights. I did not want anything but my home. They are talking about women’s rights, children’s rights and the right to education. Is that it?" he said. Kekoşin Aksoy, 18, was taken by force as he resisted the demolition. He used to work at a furniture workshop so his brothers and sister could get an education.

"This is the third time they have demolished (our house). What do they want from us?" he said, while hugging a neighbor and crying. He added, "They do not want us anyway because we are Kurdish."

Barış Turan is an electrician who has been living in Ayazma since 1997. He offered shelter to neighbors because his house was still standing. He then went to the municipality in person. "They do not let you see the mayor. His executive assistant saw me. Without giving me a chance to speak, he said they would pay me a year’s worth of housing benefits and told me to bring our landlords and our contracts."

’We are not helpless, but...’

Aziz Yeniay, mayor of Küçükçekmece, said tenants who have not obtained houses yet will be paid housing benefits until the houses become ready in a year’s time. Yeniay said the project includes 1,800 families, 1,300 of which have been relocated from squats to social houses. He said he could not understand the obstinacy of the people.

Yeniay said, "Right now, there are 18 families who are displaced. They came here, built tents and demanded houses. We had ascertained there were nearly 130 tenants. We told them that homeowners came first and they would obtain houses later." Yeniay said the municipality made both written and oral contracts.

"Within the scope of this project, 1,300 families were relocated to Bezirganbahçe. The rest will benefit from collective housing at Kayabaşı, the bid for which was held 10 days ago." Yeniay said. "We told the tent dwellers we could not let them live in tents and that we would pay them housing benefits. They insisted they wanted to stay. There is no infrastructure, the water and electricity are illegal and it is not safe." Yeniay said.