TURKEY: Erdoğan asks already burdened civil foundations for money as crowds gather outside post offices to collect government aid

ANKARA – This week, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan launched a campaign to raise money from civil organizations for those suffering from the novel coronavirus COVID-19 epidemic. For this fundraising campaign, religious, cultural, and minority rights foundations in the country received a letter asking for their support and participation in a campaign initiated by the president.

This matter has been raised by Syriac MP Tuma Çelik (HDP) to the Minister of Tourism, who asked if this fundraising is compulsory. Çelik argued that the letter seems more like an order than a call for voluntary donations and that it is incumbent on the government to step in an assist the people of Turkey, not rely on already overburdened civil organizations already doing what they can to help people.

As countries around the world look for ways to mitigate the economic damage caused by the coronavirus pandemic, the Turkish state, like many others, in Europe and elsewhere, has been slow to act.

Now that the government has instituted limited measures to help prevent the spread of COVID-19, the Turkish economy is sinking. There has been little in the way of governmental support, however. Where other countries have announced huge stimulus packages to help their citizens weather the economic storm, the Turkish government has taken more limited action.

In stark contrast to recommendations to stay at home when possible and maintain social distancing when in public, a recent plan to distribute $ 150 to 2 million needy families has resulted in huge crowds outside of local post offices who were to distribute the payments.

İstanbul Esenyurt’taki PTT şubesindeki yardım dağıtımı sırasında sosyal mesafe kuralına uyulmadı https://t.co/7nQa8zppRi pic.twitter.com/h2FMkW45JF

— BBC News Türkçe (@bbcturkce) April 2, 2020