Earthquake in Turkey and Some Consequences of the Earthquake

News:

On February 6, 2023, at 04:17 in the morning, Turkey was shaken by two earthquakes, first with a magnitude of 7.7 and just 9 hours later with a magnitude of 7.6, centered in Kahraman Maraş and affecting 10 surrounding provinces.

Comment:

These two huge earthquakes caused a massive destruction and loss of life, especially in Kahraman Maraş, Adıyaman and Hatay. The post-earthquake assessments revealed that as of February 21, 41.156 people lost their lives, 105.505 people are injured and 105.794 buildings collapsed or are heavily damaged.

1- Turkey is an earthquake-prone country. All 10 provinces affected by the earthquake are located on or near the East Anatolian Fault. There have been many earthquakes in this region before. Even before the earthquakes occurred, earthquake experts have repeatedly expressed the possibility of new earthquakes in the region.

In 2007, a very comprehensive earthquake regulation was issued, but the devastating consequences of the earthquake showed that this regulation was not implemented in the field, the most of the new buildings were not built in accordance with the earthquake regulation, and the old buildings were not checked according to this regulation.

During the inspections of buildings that collapsed or that were severely damaged and in uninhabitable state after the earthquake, it was observed that the ground surveys of these buildings were not carried out correctly, that the ratio of iron and concrete in the foundations of the buildings and in the load-bearing columns of the buildings was less than it should have been, that quality materials and labor were not used in the buildings, and that there were no shock absorbers and insulators that should be present in buildings in earthquake-prone areas.

One of the devastating consequences of the earthquake is that the capitalist mentality based solely on maximizing power, rulership, interest and profit has caused more devastation than the earthquake, both in some parts of our society and in the state and state institutions, and that the disruptive effect of capitalism has caused a major collapse in the society and the state.

2- This Ummah, which was split by the imperialist kuffar, separated by borders, played off against each other, tried to be alienated from Islam through various methods of persecution and oppression, and tried to cause to forget that it is a great Ummah, united with the pain of the earthquake, remembered its brotherhood, which was tried to cause to forget, and mobilized for its earthquake-stricken brothers and sisters.

With its spirit of sacrifice, compassion and solidarity in the aftermath of the earthquake, it showed what a great and auspicious Ummah it is and brought down and disappointed the imperialist kuffar and the servant rulers who serve them.

Despite all their efforts, the imperialist kuffar have not been able to reach the Islam hidden in the heart of this Ummah and have not been able to remove Islam from the heart of this Ummah.

Another consequence of the earthquake is that this Ummah is a great hope for the mankind living in the darkness of capitalism and it is this Ummah that should lead the mankind.

3- The fact that the Muslim Ummah has had a leadership problem for more than 100 years and the need for a good leadership, has become even more visible with the devastating consequences of the earthquake.

Irresponsible and incompetent rulers who do not care and appreciate the Ummah's life and property, who do not take the necessary measures and precautions for the Ummah's life and property, who cause the Ummah to suffer, who do not worry about the Ummah's problems, who put their personal interests ahead of the Ummah's interests, who do not fulfill their responsibilities towards the Ummah, are not worthy of this Ummah.

The Muslim Ummah needs a leadership that will pave the way for it and fight against difficulties before it.

The Muslim Ummah needs a leadership that will look after the interests of the people without pursuing its personal interests.

The Muslim Ummah needs a courageous leadership that is not afraid when everyone else is afraid.

The Muslim Ummah needs a leadership that can bear hope when everyone else has lost hope.

The Muslim Ummah needs a leadership that will never bow down to the enemy.

The Muslim Ummah needs a leadership that will sacrifice itself for its people when necessary.

The Muslim Ummah needs a leadership that will unify the fragmentation and unite the disunity.

The Muslim Ummah needs a leadership that does not surrender to circumstances and events.

The Muslim Ummah needs a leadership that prioritizes the life of the Ummah over its own life.

The Muslim Ummah needs a leadership that does not sleep on a full stomach when the Ummah is hungry.

The Muslim Ummah needs a leadership that forbids itself to laugh when the Ummah is crying.

There is no doubt that Hizb ut Tahrir, the dutiful child and the distinguished party of the Muslim Ummah, which possesses all these leadership qualities and has been concerned about the problems of the Muslim Ummah since its establishment, is the one who is qualified and worthy of the leadership of the Muslim Ummah.

Written for the Central Media Office of Hizb-ut Tahrir By
Remzi Özer – Wilayah Turkey