Lauren Booth – Is anything being done for survivors

			I've just spent several days in Islam here, one of the worst hit regions of the Turkish part of the
appalling earthquake. And I've been really surprised to read some of the criticism of the Turkish
response to what is catastrophe on an epic scale. The World Health Organization is calling this the
worst natural disaster in 100 years. So I want to look at today what is the Turkish response? And
what I've seen with my own eyes, kindly note, no one is paying me for this. I am not supported by
anyone. And my views are based purely on what I've seen with my own eyes. People I've spoken to
firsthand testimony and the organization's on the ground. Okay, let's get going. Officials in Turkey
		

			say that 113 Arrest warrants have been issued in connection with the construction of buildings that
collapsed in the earthquake. Turkish police have now taken at least 12 people into custody,
including building contractors to I was in a stadium in Isela here, which had quickly been turned
into a displacement camp. I met the families there and I spoke to them. I was speaking mostly to the
organizers. And it was so cold, it's basic. And it's it's grim. This earthquake has affected 10
provinces in Turkey, home to more than 13 point 4 million people. And that area produces 10% of the
gross domestic product, the GDP of turkey here. So in numbers, this is a huge impact that is
		

			resonating. Right across the country. There had been gas leaks. Can you imagine what is under the
ground right now what is the situation with the water pipes with the gas pipes with the electricity
lines, everything is smashed at a level that we can't see in the days after the earthquake. There
weren't gas explosions in the hair tie region. So the gas has been turned off. People are they're
cold, they can go back to their homes if they haven't been damaged. But there's there's no heating.
There's no hot water. It's a real hardship on them. And we must understand where that anger and
frustration comes from the Turkish Government has sent so far 70,000 police officers 60,000 John
		

			Dhanraj units, even 1000 postcards have been sent to the area. And on top of that a further 131,000
personnel to help with the relief operation 79 helicopters have been sent to the region and we used
to applaud them when you see them going backwards and forwards because you're like Allahu Akbar,
inshallah somebody has been taken from the rubble, there is now a pledge by the government to
totally demolish 10 affected cities and rebuild them within a year I'm hearing on the ground, it's
actually going to be two years. I mean, even that is a huge ask. And it's very quick, but that's the
pledge that the people are going to be latching on to, and that's been made for three months state
		

			of emergency has been declared. And with this, people's debts are going to be delayed. The central
bank of Turkey has said there'll be a suspension of loan repayments and tax has been suspended for
businesses in the local region. That is huge. It's a huge lifting of some of the worries afflicting
people right now as families in Turkey are struggling to find their relatives and to make sense of
what's going on. The schools have been completely closed for two weeks, and there's been a
suspension on schools in the affected 10 provinces. Families who can't return home because of the
earthquake will receive one year free rent free flights on Turkish Airlines to evacuate or reunite
		

			families pledged and 10,000. Turkish Lira financial aid for families. And let's remember the places
that were slowest in joining this effort are the most critical. The United Nations waited days
before getting involved. And the US was one of the last countries to actually send support. So we
support the people, the bravery and the struggle and we must continue to help them may Allah bless
them. And we remember the people of Syria as well Don't believe everything you see in the
mainstream. There is a political agenda there. And I'm just here to bring a bird's eye view and a
different way of looking at things in sha Allah Salaam Alaikum