Ron Margulies Archive | ETOL Main Page
From Socialist Worker, Issue 2766, 6 August 2021.
Copyright © Socialist Worker.
Copied with thanks from the Socialist Worker Archive.
Marked up by Einde O’Callaghan for the Encyclopaedia of Trotskyism On-Line (ETOL).
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Wildfires raging across European countries are part of a worldwide climate catastrophe. Our rulers are content to call the fires a ‘natural disaster’ – but their drive for profit is the real cause, say socialists in affected areas |
As wildfires began to spread through Turkey’s forests at the end of July, the first incredible thing that happened was several government spokesmen blaming the Kurdistan Workers’ Party of arson.
“The terrorists are trying to sabotage the tourism industry,” they cried. But a historical high of 49 Celsius had been recorded in southern Turkey the day before the fires began.
The second incredible thing was discovered as the fires raged along the country’s southwestern Aegean coast – where some of Turkey’s popular tourist resorts are. Only two fire-fighting aircraft existed, and that these had not been serviced as necessary.
The geographical features of the areas on fire made them difficult to reach by road. This made it vital to have air support.
In many places, no support arrived. Whole villages, holiday resorts and hotels which could have been saved with the proper preparation and equipment had to be abandoned. Thousands of people had to be evacuated by sea.
As the corruption and negligence that led to the aircraft scandal was exposed, the government added insult to injury by refusing aircraft and equipment from Greece, Israel and others. “We are a great nation. We do not need help from others” was their stupid and nationalistic argument.
They quickly had to eat humble pie though, as the fires gathered speed and began to threaten bigger towns and a coal-powered hydroelectric power plant.
The scandals and government ineptitude that the fires exposed are unlikely to be forgotten quickly.
Despite government attempts to censor TV news and images of the fires, everyone in the country has seen, on social media or in real life, people begging for government help and action.
Everyone has seen that the help that came was too little too late. Thousands have lost their homes, farms and livelihood. Eight people have died fighting the flames.
One journalist put it perfectly, “The state was buried under the ashes.”
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Last updated: 22 July 2023