Izmir Women's Platform (IKP) made a press statement in front of Türkan Saylan Cultural Center about the death of 5 siblings who died in a fire caused by an overturned electric stove in Selçuk district on November 11. 

 

“Poverty killed them, not fire. We will ask for the account of the children whose lives were stolen from them” banner was unfurled at the statement and slogans such as ‘Jin jiyan azadî’, ‘AKP take your hand off children’, ‘Budget for children not for war’ and ‘Murder not accident, poverty not fire’ were chanted. Peoples' Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) Izmir MP Burcugül Çubuk and many women attended the statement. 

 

Nuray Öztürk reminded the statement made by AKP Group Spokesperson Özlem Zengin after the fire and reacted. “Özlem Zengin targeted the grieving mother, just like in femicides. Not enough, she continued to hide the results of her pro-capitalist policies and blame the family by lashing out at those who asked about the cause of the deaths and asked for an explanation, saying 'You are attributing everything to money' and 'there are other reasons underneath, I will explain them to you in the back',” Nuray Öztürk said.

 

'YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE'

 

Nuray Öztürk drew attention to violations of children's rights and emphasized that the lack of a policy towards children leads to death. Öztürk addressed the government and said: “You are responsible for the death order created.” 

 

Emphasizing that the cause of children's deaths is deep poverty, Öztürk asked the following questions to AKP's Zengin: 

 

“*Are you not ashamed to call the desperation of a mother who still has to go to the scrap yard to buy food while receiving social assistance a 'lifestyle'? 

 

* Why did these children die if they were under the follow-up of the relevant institutions including the ministry? 

 

* Laws, legislation and international human rights conventions say to do what is necessary for the protection of children, for example, why didn't you implement the 'Shelter Measure' article in the Child Protection Law?  

 

* Didn't you realize that the house you visited 18 times was uninhabitable and that the children and the mother should not be in this house?

 

* Why didn't you provide the mother with a home where she and her children can stay in a healthy way?" 

 

The statement ended with slogans.