Turkish President asks for forgiveness over earthquake rescue delays

In a bid to quell rising anger over the handling of last month's deadly earthquakes, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan this week paid a visit to the south-eastern city of Adiyaman. He apologised and pledged a massive housing reconstruction project for survivors.

Ranime, 60, has been waiting for news for three days of his son (40) buried with his wife in Adiyaman. © Cerise Sudry-Le Dû/RFI

In the aftermath of the 6 February deadly quakes, images across social media show survivors calling out: "Where is the state?" and "Where is help?"

Anger and criticism have been growing over what many say was a slow response by the government and emergency services.

"It was mayhem," said Zeynep Alemdar, a political scientist at Istanbul's Okan University, describing the government's quake response.

"We are trying to get our heads around the enormity of the calamity," Alemdar told RFI.

"There are still places where they need tents. There are people who are still on the streets. All of us are just sad. We cannot believe that there are more than 40,000 dead and probably more will follow.

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"This is a calamity that is caused partly by the unaccountability, the corruption, the cronyism, and the way that these buildings are built," added Alemdar.

With the government's response under fire in Istanbul, people mobilised to collect food, water, and urgently needed clothes, which were sent to the quake region within the first day. 

The main opposition CHP party coordinated the operation through its mayors in Turkey's largest cities like Istanbul and sent search and rescue teams.

Out of touch

"The president seemed to me that he didn't quite grasp the magnitude of the catastrophe," claimed Soli Ozel of Istanbul's Kadir Has University, suggesting that the opposition's speedy reaction made Erdogan appear out of touch.

"And the fact that everything emanates from the presidential palace meant that nobody could take initiatives, and saving face and rejecting blame seemed far more important than actually getting things done and saving lives.

It also showed that the opposition is capable of getting things done contrary to claims by the government," added Ozel.

During a visit to the quake region, Erdogan acknowledged initial shortcomings but hit out at criticism of the government and the Red Crescent, Turkey's equivalent to the Red Cross.

"When one comes out and asks: 'Where is Red Crescent? We haven't seen tents or food from them' ... You are immoral. You are dishonorable and you are despicable," the Turkish leader said, earning fresh condemnation across social media.

With presidential elections on the horizon, Erdogan recalibrated his language during a visit to the devastated city of Adiyaman, asking for forgiveness and for the people to move on in a united fashion.

This handout photograph taken and released by the Turkish Presidental press service on February 27, 2023 shows Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (C-R) and the head of the nationalist MHP party Devlet Bahceli (C-L) posing for a photograph with rescue team members at Turkey's Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency (AFAD) coordination centre in Adiyaman following the February 6 earthquake. © AFP / TURKISH PRESIDENTIAL PRESS SERVICE

"Due to the devastating effect of the tremors and the bad weather, we were not able to work the way we wanted in Adiyaman for the first few days. I apologize for this," said Erdogan.

Erdogan is also vowing to build more than 200,000 homes within a year for quake survivors.

But the opposition claims the president is incapable of building safe homes, given so many buildings collapsed during the quakes, widely blamed on shoddy construction and lax regulations, most of which were built during his years in office. 

Country at a crossroads

With the upcoming elections set to be held in the shadow of the Turkish republic's worst humanitarian crisis, the country is at a crossroads like no other.

"It's actually like a mirror where you see the hideous parts of your face," said Analyst Sezin Oney of the news portal Politikyol. "You understand that you cannot continue on like this anymore.

"You either have to change it, or you're going to be going under the rubble yourself one way or the other," added Oney.

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"I think these elections will also be a referendum, not just about changing the system, but about the whole psychology and whole makeup of the country, the whole character of the country, and which direction to go."

Even before the disaster, the Turkish president was struggling in the polls with nearly 100 percent inflation.

But Erodgan is now calling for unity, claiming only he and his centralised rule can meet the challenge. 

As the opposition sees it, the magnitude of the disaster is a result of Erdogan's more than 20 years of mismanagement and corruption.

Turkey is no stranger to acrimonious elections but analysts this year predict an unusually bitter one.