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Türkiye and our lack of compassion syndrome

Türkiye and our lack of compassion syndrome

 



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In the Qur’an, the end of the world is brought about by a terrifying earthquake that will shed light – and reveal the final judgment – all the sins and virtues of the human race. In search of omens, people throughout history have interpreted devastating earthquakes as harbingers of cosmic justice. Turkey has just come out of one of these bouts of magical thinking — which, unfortunately, could have consequences in real life.

Perhaps 60,000 people perished in southern Turkey and northern Syria after the double seismic disaster of February 6, 2023, more than 50,000 on the Turkish side alone. Even as the victims were rescued, pundits drew analogies to an earlier disaster, which hit the north of the country on August 17, 1999, and claimed about 18,000 lives. The government’s incompetent response at the time gave impetus to the rise of a new political force, the Justice and Development Party, which emerged victorious in the 2002 general elections. It has ruled the country ever since. Its leader: Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the country’s current president.

And wouldn’t it be poetic justice – the thinking has gone, not only among Erdogan’s domestic opposition but also among critics abroad – if the catastrophe of 2023 exposed Erdogan’s shortcomings and led to his defeat in the elections? Indeed, the president and the AKP have been dogged by reports of languid delays in bailouts and widespread anger over building standards that have apparently led to the collapse of countless buildings.

But political earthquakes don’t happen along geological fault lines – or from apocryphal accounts of hindsight. The AK Party’s superior campaign organization has done a lot to offset the outrage over the earthquake. The rest is the insignificance of the opposition. Despite a faltering economy and great international scorn, Erdogan scored a win in the runoff last weekend. History did not repeat itself.

However, the material damage caused by the February earthquakes is still there. Far from the urban ruins, the impact on the countryside still needs to be fully assessed. Agricultural exports make up about half of the region’s income. The devastated region took over 15% of the country’s agricultural land, 20% of crop production and 15% of livestock. More than 200,000 agricultural companies are registered there.

At the end of April, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization said it had received only $2 million of the $112 million (over three years) it had requested in an appeal to Turkey. And while large farming conglomerates will recover faster, small farmers will find it more difficult to find funds to repair collapsed sheds, damaged equipment, and access to pesticides and seeds. Supply chain disruptions may not appear until later. The region was still experiencing sudden tremors in March – which is when farming usually begins.

Compassion deficiency syndrome often occurs shortly after the adrenaline has dissipated in an emergency situation. Aid workers are exhausted. Donors no longer react enthusiastically; Contributions are slow to trickle; News coverage is moving forward. The political role played by the February earthquakes – focusing attention on the suffering – now feels like a plot point that didn’t quite work out and had to be written out of the drama. Indeed, the anti-Erdogan opposition found it incomprehensible — if not repugnant — that people in the earthquake-hit region voted overwhelmingly for him in the run-off. There were celebrations in the streets of one of the quake-devastated cities at the news of his victory.

But politics need not conflict with philanthropy — or philanthropy. Without another serious warning, a more focused approach to helping is advisable. Most of the aid from NGOs seems to focus on the immediate harm – lack of shelter and child care and hunger. Ankara has also provided assistance, but long- and medium-term assistance to keep businesses recovering is not entirely part of the programme. And while large agribusinesses will recover relatively quickly, small farmers may be overlooked.

Business interests can align with an agenda. One startup — Prototip: Raki, which makes artisanal versions of raki, the traditional grape-and-anise-based liqueur — organized a chef-packed culinary conference in London in mid-June to drum up financial interest and flair for farming in Turkey. Foodies—who are always on the lookout for the next tasty thing—will respond. Proceeds will go to farmers in the earthquake zone, the southernmost of the country’s grape-growing regions. Yes, it also helps promote the Prototip brand. Doing good should not prevent doing good.

More from Bloomberg Opinion:

Hiroshima is the only place you must visit in Japan: Howard Chua-Eoan

Turkey’s Erdogan on the Verge of a Third Decade in Power: Bobby Ghosh

Your nation is its story, for better or for worse: Andreas Kluth

This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.

Howard Chua Iwan served as International Editor of Bloomberg Opinion until April 2023. Former News Director of Time magazine, he now writes about the relationship between culture and business.

More stories like this are available at bloomberg.com/opinion

Sources

1/ https://Google.com/

2/ https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2023/06/02/turkey-s-elections-are-over-but-it-still-hasn-t-recovered-from-the-earthquakes/8e21b034-00fd-11ee-9eb0-6c94dcb16fcf_story.html

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