Quake-victim former footballer: Presidential Communications Directorate lied to me

Former Beşiktaş and Galatasaray footballer Gökhan Zan, who lived through the Feb. 6 earthquakes in southern Hatay province, has said that two officials from the Presidential Communications Directorate called him and promised to bring help for rescue efforts. “They lied to me. Whatever we asked for did not come. They said the crane was on the way, but it didn't come,” Zan said.

Tuesday March 14 2023 03:49 pm

Duvar English

Former footballer and Hatayspor coach Gökhan Zan on March 14 said that the Presidential Communications Directorate officials lied to him by promising bringing help for rescue efforts in the first day of Feb. 6 quakes.

Former Beşiktaş and Galatasaray defender Zan, who lived through the Feb. 6 earthquakes in southern Hatay province, told broadcaster Halk TV that “Two officials from the Presidential Communications Directorate called me. They lied to me. Whatever we asked for did not come. They said the crane was on the way, but it didn't come.”

Zan said there are still problems in quake-hit provinces even on the 37th day of the quakes.

“There are still people who can't take a shower. First we need to eliminate the hygiene problem. We did not take a shower for 9-10 days. There are those who have not taken a shower for 37 days,” Zan said.

“These people were people who had houses and jobs until the quake. Can you imagine, in 1.5-2 minutes you have no family, no home, no friends. You don't have a neighborhood, your city, your culture, your future is gone. These people are still begging for tents. I am ashamed of my humanity, this period, this century,” he added.

Zan is known for explaining the extent of damage of earthquakes in Hatay province in the early days.

Turkey’s southeastern region was struck by two major earthquakes on Feb. 6, one at a magnitude of 7.7 and the other at 7.6. The first one’s epicenter was Kahramanmaraş’s Pazarcık district, whereas the second one was the Elbistan district.

Criticisms mount on the Turkish government for inadequate and late response to the earthquake disaster.

Erdoğan himself asked for the “blessing” of earthquake-hit citizens, admitting that the government had failed to respond adequately in the “first couple of days.”