ROMA NEARLY CLEARED OUT OF SULUKULE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ISTANBUL 000184 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: OSCE PGOV PHUM TU SUBJECT: ROMA NEARLY CLEARED OUT OF SULUKULE REF: A. 08 ISTANBUL 435 ¶B. 08 ANKARA 1643 ISTANBUL 00000184 001.2 OF 002 ¶1. (SBU)SUMMARY: Only about 10-15 houses remain in Sulukule, the primarily Roma community in the Istanbul district of Fatih. For over two years, houses in Sulukule have been demolished to make way for a redevelopment project that aims to replace the substandard housing with modern upscale townhouses to meet Istanbul,s growing demand. The Municipality provided subsidized housing to the displaced families, yet nearly all of them sold their stake in the new development and returned to the area. Critics called the project a human rights violation against the Roma. However, market forces appear to be a prime culprit as demand for housing in Istanbul far outstrips available supply in centrally located areas such as Sulukule. END SUMMARY ¶2. (U) The Municipality of Fatih has nearly completed its demolition of the primarily Roma neighborhood of Sulukule. According to Hacer Foggo, from the Sulukule Platform -- a neighborhood and Roma advocacy group -- only about 10-15 houses remain from only 600 homes just two years ago. The latest wave of demolitions, which occurred between May 13 - 14, forced nearly 20 families from their home to the streets. Foggo said the Sulukule Platform provided tents to eight of these families for temporary housing. The Municipality aims to replace the substandard housing with high-end faux Ottoman townhomes; far out of the price range of the original residents (reftel A). Critics say this redevelopment will sever the ties the Roma had with Sulukule. Some historians state the Roma,s connection to Sulukule goes back nearly one thousand years, well before the fall of Constantinople. Sukru Punduk, the head of the Sulukule Platform accused the Municipality of conducting human rights violations by targeting the Roma community under the guise of redevelopment. ¶3. (SBU) Mustafa Demir, the Mayor of Fatih, told us the Municipality provided generous subsidies to the residents of Sulukule (reftel A). Qualifying families were given preferential rates in government housing in the newly developed suburb of Tasoluk, 40 kilometers away. Over 400 families qualified for the reduced rent; however most of them quickly sold their housing rights, according to Foggo. Even with the housing discount, most people would not be able to afford monthly payments, choosing instead to sell their interest for about 5,000 USD. Generally, these families returned to neighborhoods surrounding Sulukule; either opting to rent cheap housing similar to what they had in Sululkule or they moved in with relatives. Members of the Sulukule Platform welcomed the Municipality,s goal to provide upgraded housing to the residents, yet the standard high rise apartment living clashed with the Roma culture. Residents of Sulukule told us they make bad neighbors in a high rise building since &we stay up late, play music, drink, and dance8. Low rise homes with yards for gardens, livestock, and communal space are more appropriate for the Roma lifestyle, they argued. ¶4. (SBU) There are also accusations that the Municipality manipulated the process to benefit those who are close to the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP). According to Punduk and press reporting, many AKP officials acquired parcels from the original owners under the threat of expropriation. Allegedly, these new property owners include Ismet Buyukkilic, under investigation in Germany for illegal use of donated funds in the Lighthouse Scandal (reftel B). Other people who allegedly benefited from this process are: the son of an AKP deputy from Kayseri, the AKP deputy mayor from the Istanbul district of Gungoren, and a former AKP party leader of Fatih. ¶5. (SBU) COMMENT: The Roma are being squeezed out of Sulukule, but market forces appear to be the prime culprit as the insatiable demand for real estate grows. The Roma,s lack of political clout make them an easy target, but it is not uncommon in any city for low income residents to be pushed out due to gentrification. The Municipality did provide additional financial assistance for the relocation of the residents of Sulukule; above the normal aid provided to low-income Turks moving into subsidized housing. However, the Municipality took a patronizing approach to the Roma, failing to consider the unique desires of the ISTANBUL 00000184 002.2 OF 002 community. The abrupt transition to a bedroom community, far away from known sources of income and generally incompatible to their existing lifestyle was doomed to fail. Predictably, many Roma cashed in their subsidies and returned to the area, thus creating a greater strain on the existing poor housing stock. The entire area has experienced massive jumps in property values and it is only a matter of time until market pressures will again push the Roma out of historic Fatih, regardless of the fact that the Roma are part of that history. OUDKIRK