The solidarity and struggle of the working class is greater than the destruction of the earthquake: How the SEP worked during the earthquake

Two earthquakes of 7.7 and 7.6 points, which started on February 6, had painful consequences in Turkey. The greedy bosses and the AKP government that protects them caused the death of tens of thousands. Building contractors who stole materials, cut columns, sold living tombs to the public instead of houses. With the zoning amnesty in 2018, AKP opened up space to the hundreds of thousands of building contractors. According to official figures, 40 thousand people lost their lives in this earthquake. Contrary to the "strong state" image of the ruling class, we have witnessed the inadequacy of state institutions that have been emptied for years. In the most critical 48 hours, very limited aid arrived in the earthquake area. The people, on the other hand, spontaneously became vigilant and started a solidarity mobilization. But it is clear that spontaneous solidarity is not sufficient because it is uncoordinated. That's why an organized and coordinated solidarity campaign is important. From the first moment of the earthquake, the SEP started an organized and coordinated solidarity mobilization.

On the first day of the earthquake, the SEP revolutionaries set out to the area from Ankara, Istanbul, Izmir and Urfa.

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Behind the "front", SEP members began to raise funds. In Mamak, which is a workers' quarter in Ankara, in Kızılay, in Urfa, and in Izmir, Istanbul, and the labor unions. The comrades collected the items on the list of urgent needs in the earthquake area with the papers and posters they prepared and sent them to the region. On the second day of the earthquake, SEP leader Güneş Gümüş set off from Ankara to Antep. First, SEP Volunteers, who set up tents, distributed food, clothing and other needs in Antep Nurdağı, moved to Adıyaman region, where the destruction was greater, 2 days later.