Demolitions Continue In The “Gypsy” Neighborhood Of Istanbul

Demolitions continue in the Sulukule neighborhood of the Roma People in Istanbul. The members of the Sulukule Platform say that they are demolishing the buildings without taking precautions, while people and children are around. The people cannot even call for an ambulance.

Bia news center - İstanbul
28-08-2008

There was demolition in the Sulukule district of Istanbul today. Sulukule is where Roma People (who are commonly known as Gypsies, but some Roma consider the term pejorative) have been in Istanbul for centuries. The Fatih municipality in İstanbul has been trying to remove them as part of its Urban Transformation Project. Today it was the turn of the Neslişah and Hatice Sultan neighborhoods; the demolition in these neighborhoods lasted until the evening.

“Five-Story building came down; the one next to it collapsed”

Viki Ciprut from the Sulukule Platform says that the demolition done without any notices and necessary precautions cause much damage.

“Demolishing a five-story building resulted in the collapse of the building next to it. Those who used to live there have no idea what they are going to do.”

“They hid the demolition from the media”

Ciprut says that the municipality stops the work of demolishing when the media comes, and they resume it after they leave.

“They did not take any precautions, they demolished it and left”

Neşe Ozan from the Sulukule Platform says they demolished ten buildings in three streets.

“Kuruçınar Street is covered with rubble. The electricity and telephones are gone. They did their work without taking any precautions, when there were people and children around. If an emergency comes up, we are unable to call for an ambulance.”

“They did not take into consideration the Sulukule Report”

In spite of the June 11, 2008, report of the Human Rights Committee of the Governorship that utilities, water, food and health services need to be given to the area, nobody sends any aid to the area, says Ciprut.

“What we experienced here today shows that they did not take into consideration the report at all.” (CU/EZÖ/TB)

Gypsy band Gogol Bordello supports Sulukule

Wednesday, June 25, 2008

ISTANBUL – Turkish Daily News

A Gypsy punk band touring Turkey broke away from its formal schedule yesterday to stage a surprise appearance at Sulukule, the embattled Istanbul neighborhood that is the oldest Roma settlement in the world.Gogol Bordello, a band originally from Ukraine but including members from a host of countries, visited Sulukule in a show of support against an urban transformation project underway that is blamed for ignoring the current Roma inhabitants of the area and threatening them with homelessness.

Sulukule is being demolished since February. Fatih Municipality continues the transformation project despite the objections of many. Sulukule Platform, an organization working to save the quarter, contacted the band long before it arrived in Turkey. One of the platform's representatives Neşe Ozan said Gogol Bordello's members and their families had once been in the same situation as Sulukule residents. “The band is here to show Roma people they are not alone and they want to support the act to save the gypsy culture and the district.”

Gogol Bordello's soloist Eugene Hutz, in the Sunday concert, said, “The incidents happening in Sulukule happen in many places around the world. Do people want more McDonalds' and hotel chains? Or is it more logical to protect a country's culture and historical structures? The choice is yours.”

There were many people, including locals, journalists, tourists and municipality authorities waiting in Sulukule for the world famous band yesterday.

One of them, a 55-year-old woman, born and raised in Sulukule, Gülsüm, a little chubby and talkative, has even attended TV shows to save her homeland. “I won't leave my house no matter what the municipality offers me, I don't even want a palace,” she said. According to her, Roma people won't be able to assimilate if they move to another place.

Austrian Astrid Heubrandtner was among the audience waiting to see Gogol Bordello. Heubrandtner came to Istanbul in January to shoot a documentary film about Sulukule. “Istanbul is one of the most interesting cities in the world, but having Sulukule as one of its districts makes it even more attractive,” she said and added, “I think people should feel proud of having a district like Sulukule.”

Soloist Hutz complained that nobody really knows what is happening in Sulukule. “I spoke to many people about the district during my trips to Turkey and I understood that people don't know much about the history of the district,” said Hutz. According to the band members, the right move would be “to protect” not “to destroy.” Hutz stated that it is sad to decide upon annihilating a historic place and culture.

Sulukule Mayor İsmail Altıntoprak emphasized that there should be a carnival organized to promote Sulukule's culture and music. “This way the gypsy culture can be promoted to the whole world and we can protect the population,” said Altıntoprak. Gogol Bordello promised to take part in the carnival as long as such an event is achievable.

Who is the band?

Formed in 1999 Gogol Bordello comes from New York's Lower East Side. The band is known for its theatrical shows, inspired by gypsy music. The core members are immigrants from eastern Europe. The band's name comes from Nikolai Gogol, who "smuggled" Ukrainian culture into Russian society. The band released its first single in 1999, followed by four albums so far. Last weekend was the band's third visit to Turkey, where it is admired and has a number of fans.

100 Gypsy Shakened Istanbul

By Ozi on Thursday, December 13 2007, 22:10

Istanbul is accustomed to host amazing concerts and festivals, but this one was differend and really enormous. Budapest Gypsy (Cigan) Symphony Orchestra is welcomed by artlovers in Istanbul. Gypsy Orchestra is consist of 90 violonists, 10 clarinetists, 6 cymbaloms. This enormous orchestra shaken TIM Art Center with a fantastic concert.

Throughout 2 hours concert, hundreds of artlovers listened enormous orchestra with fascinated ears and amazed eyes. Istanbul artlovers were lucky because they have been first audiences listened the new repetoire of Symphony Orchestra. They have prepared onother surprise too for Istanbul. Gypsie artists terminated first Istanbul concert with ‘Yaverim’ a unique composition from Turkish Art Music. After last concert on 16. december, Budapest Gypsy Symphony Orchestra will launch new concerts in other metropoles of Europe .

Belly Dancers in Istanbul Bulldozed to Make Capital of Culture

By Seda Sezer

Dec. 5 (Bloomberg) -- Sukru Punduk says his family has lived in Sulukule, Istanbul's Gypsy quarter, for six centuries and he won't be driven out by laptop-carrying, stroller-pushing yuppies.

The city plans to bulldoze Sulukule to make way for 620 townhouses as part of its effort to spruce up the area by 2010, when Istanbul will be the European Capital of Culture.

Punduk, a tom-tom player whose home is on the demolition list, is leading the fight against the redevelopment project. He says it will destroy a community that's produced some of Turkey's best-loved musicians and belly dancers, and price the city's Gypsies, also known as Roma, out of their historic home.

``I've seen the models they've made for the new housing,'' says Punduk, 38. ``There are little model people carrying laptops or pushing prams, but no women in headscarves, no horse- carriages, no one playing the tom-tom. The Gypsies don't exist.''

On the streets of Sulukule, the scent of lentils from a soup canteen mixes with the aroma of horse dung and hashish. Children, one carrying a one-legged baby doll, play in the rubble of some of the 20 houses that have already been knocked down.

Other homes in the enclave, surrounded by 5th-century Byzantine walls on the European side of Istanbul, were abandoned by owners who accepted compensation from the city. They now house chickens and the horse-drawn carriages used to ferry tourists on sightseeing excursions. Black numbers on the walls mark another 600 slated for demolition early next year.

(MORE)

‘Gypsy Fire' burns in photos by Onan, Aydın

A photography exhibition titled "Roma in İstanbul: Gypsy Fire," depicting the daily lives and tragedies of the Roma in İstanbul's Sulukule and Dolapdere districts, is on display at the Tütün Deposu (Tobacco Warehouse) in Tophane, one of the venues of the ongoing ULISphotoFEST ‘07.
The exhibit, which features documentary-style photographs by Timurtaş Onan and Yunus Emre Aydın, runs through July 4.