They are our sacred responsibilities

January - February - March 2011 / Issue: 44

Remnants of Cast Lead in Gaza (4)

Defne is en route to Pakistan (42)

They are our sacred responsibilities

HUMANITARIAN RELIEF

January - February - March 2011

Issue: 44

Owner on behalf ofIHH Humanitarian Relief Foundation

Av. F. Bülent YILDIRIM

Executive Editor

Murat YILMAZ

Editor

Amine TUNA ERTÜRK

Editorial Board

Ahmet Emin DAĞ

F. Zehra BAYRAK

H. Zehra ÖZTÜRK

Osman ATALAY

Zeliha SAĞLAM

Translation

Zenith

Corrector

Ümmühan ÖZKAN

Design

ARTWORKS

Printing

Kelebek Matbaacılık

Tel: +90 (212) 771 54 54

Address

Büyük Karaman Caddesi

Taylasan Sokak No: 3

Fatih - İSTANBUL / TURKEY

Tel: +90 (212) 631 21 21

Faks: +90 (212) 621 70 51

info@ihh.org.tr

www.ihh.org.tr

Dear readers,

There are no boundaries for charity. The Qurban Organization which has been

run by IHH for the past 19 years has been carried out with great enthusiasm

in 125 world countries and regions and 61 Turkish provinces. The shares of

the sacrificial animals donated by our volunteers to IHH were distributed after

the slaughter, and the meat was brought to those in need, one by one. Holiday

clothing brought happiness to orphans; in addition, reports were drawn up

about what needed to be undertaken in different regions, according to need.

Visits were made to schools, orphanages, nursing homes and NGOs. With

our Ramadan projects and through our Qurban efforts goodness once more

spanned the continents.

From the date of its establishment until today, IHH Humanitarian Relief

Foundation has been running aid work in areas where war, occupation, natural

disasters and poverty reign. One of these regions is Palestine, a region that

has remained on the world agenda since it’s under occupation for more than

60 years. Ever since Israel began its occupation of Palestine in 1948, attacks

against the people of the region have been taking place in a number of forms.

Two years ago, the attack on Gaza was one in which innocent Palestinian

civilians were targeted with weapons of mass destruction, the use of which is

illegal; this created a grave human tragedy. This attack has been recorded in

history as “Operation Cast Lead.” In the “Agenda” section of our quarterly, you

can read what has been going on in Gaza over the past two years and what

IHH has been doing during this process.

And the children… The children in whose faces we see the traces of war,

the innocent victims of destruction. Since 1992 IHH has concerned itself with

orphaned children in the regions where it is active, periodically distributing aid.

Through the “Sponsor Family System”, which came into being in 2007, until this

year 16,000 orphaned children have been taken under our care with regular

donations. In our “Spotlight” section, you can read about what we have been

doing for the orphans in different countries, activities made possible through

your support, our respected volunteers. The work that has been carried out

over the past three months and our projects, waiting to go into action, are also

discussed here.

With the hope that we can come together with good works...

EDITORIAL

04

The activities of IHH in Palestine

following Operation Cast

Lead

35

8,000 teens attended IHH’s

science and technology courses in

Afghanistan

28ACTIVITIESThe Qurban: Sharing the blessing of

worship

07

SPOTLIGHT

IHH orphan

activities

12

SPOTLIGHTThe traumatic

effects of losing a parent

22

SPOTLIGHT - The countries and regions, IHH holds orphan activities (14) / Sponsor Family System (17) / The roses of an orphanage (18) / Sponsor Family System registration process (24) / The Orphanage Activities of IHH (26) / ACTIVITIES - Your kindness has reached our orphans (32) / 189 water wells in 10 months (34) / Pakistan is having a new lease of life (38) / Support for the victims of the disaster in Indonesia (43) / 43,681 people say “hello” to a beam of light (44) / Playground

AGENDARemnants

of Cast Lead in Gaza

62

68

52Rehabilitation

center for Palestinian refugees

and disabled children in Lebanon

36Emergency aid for Gorajde and

Shkodra IN THE FIELDThe gates of

mercy in Pankisi

58

FOCUS

The role of

NGOs against

policies

that cause

humanitarian

crises

Our first Eid

in Poland

46

The stationery needs of

193 refugee students have

been met

for Chechen children (45) / Food aid to MeskhetianTurks and East Turkistan refugees (45) / Martyr Fahri Yaldız Mosque opens for worship (47) / Mavi Marmara case at the International Criminal Court (48) / IHH directors and volunteers gathered in Kuzuluk (49) / IHH hosted visitors to the MUSIAD Fair (49) FUTURE PROJECTS IN BRIEF - (50) / VOLUNTEER ACTIVITIES - (54) / FOCUS - The role of NGOs against policies that cause humanitarian crises (58) / IN THE FIELD - The place where the sun first rises, Kamchatka (65) / Mavi Marmara in cartoons (71)

Remnants of Cast Lead in Gaza4 AGENDA

Ahmet Emin DağAhmet Emin Dağ

At the current time, despite all the violence, the Palestinian people have managed to prevent the Israelis from achieving the goals of the embargo. They have shown no sign of being intimidated nor have they taken a step backwards.

After a 38-year occupation Israel withdrew from the Gaza Strip; in the next three years over 3,000

Palestinians were massacred. In addition to the psychological, economic and social destruction, 1.5 million Gazans suffered due to the deadly embargo that has been enforced since the elections in 2006; Israel’s military operation at the end of 2008 resulted in the death of over 1,500 civilians. The massacre that took place during the operation, conducted out of a thirst for revenge against the Gazan public, took hundreds of lives and, thanks to the live broadcasts that the entire world watched openly, displayed the Israeli operating logic. After suffering a military and tactical defeat in these attacks, Israel went on to launch

a systematic propaganda in an effort to remove the effect of the shock that had been dealt to its reputation in global public opinion. Israel is not pleased with the presence of a power in the region that can counterbalance its own, so it not only exaggerates the Iranian danger (!), bringing it onto the world agenda, but at the same time has turned Palestinian lands into a region to be feared, claiming that they are an extension of the Iranian state. As a result, based on a thesis that has been contrived with the US, the EU and the UN that there are a large number of enemies in the region, the occupying administration has increased its own troops in the region, thus tightening the embargo that has been imposed on the unarmed Palestinian

public, who it depicts as an obstacle to peace.The aim of the embargo is simple; to punish the Palestinian public for supporting the resistance, to cut off support that is coming from outside by breaking off their ties with the world, and to force 1.5 million to accept the conditions imposed on them through isolation.At the current time, despite all the violence, the Palestinian people have managed to prevent the Israelis from achieving the goals of the embargo. They have shown no sign of being intimidated nor have they taken a step backwards. In the face of this honorable stance the people of the world have united in support of the Palestinians. After Operation Cast Lead, countless campaigns,

Remnants of Cast Lead in Gaza

Remnants of Cast Lead in Gaza AGENDA 5

•

demonstrations, visits and statements

of support, the voice of the world’s conscience has begun

to echo for Gaza. The place where this conscientious voice has reverberated loudest is the humanitarian aid flotilla. Conscientious world activists had previously made seven attempts to reach Gaza by sea, refusing to acknowledge Israel’s illegally enforced embargo; in the middle of 2010 they set sail from Turkey in support of the people of Gaza. The fact that the resistance was able to withstand and protect their presence at the negotiation table, despite a number of embargoes and attacks over the course of 4 years, including 22 days of active

warfare, further infuriated the occupiers; this time they turned their violence against the activists who came from all over the world in support of the Palestinian cause. One of the most important reasons why the Palestinian people remained on their feet and did not taken any steps backward, despite a variety of attempts by Israel to browbeat them, was the support that the world was showing for them.The occupying administration had twice before directly targeted and seized two small aid ships; this time they nearly half of its military force into the Mediterranean Sea against a humanitarian aid flotilla consisting of 700 volunteers, thus seeking their revenge against the conscience of the world which had set out to help the Palestinian people.

In the 10 years that have passed since the Aqsa Intifadah, the Palestinian people have paid a great price, with over 7,000 civilian losses, 13,000 prisoners taken and thousands maimed throughout the 63-year history of the occupation, they have demonstrated incredible self-sacrifice.The latest stage of this tragedy, which we have been able to watch onscreen for the past 15 years thanks to developments in media technologies, and the injustices in Gaza have all gone to demonstrate how meaningless the rhetoric of the regional peace discourse has become.

Remnants of Cast Lead in Gaza

Remnants of Cast Lead in Gaza6 AGENDA

The majority of Palestinians have given up hope that the 1991 Madrid and 1993 Oslo processes, which were presented to them as keys to peace, will be effective. Following these agreements, in which promises that they would be granted a state in five years were undersigned, countless more attempts and agreements were conducted; every single one has fallen into the pages of history without implementation due to Israel’s “security concerns”.

The events that have taken place in Gaza have demonstrated that neither the Palestinian public nor the thousands of people of conscience whose hearts beat along with them would support any attempt that would mean the continuation of this fictitious process. If true peace is desired for the region, then Israel must abandon its barbaric policies of occupation that have long since breached the borders of Palestine.

The activities of IHH in Palestine following Operation Cast Lead AGENDA 7

The activities of IHH in Palestine following Operation Cast Lead

Thousands in Palestine have lost

their lives and thousands more

have been wounded as a result of

the occupation that has been continuing

since 1948. Today, nearly 6 million

Palestinians are living in different regions

of the world. Due to the occupation that

has been continuing for 63 years, the

Palestinians’ growing need for periodic

emergency aid became even greater after

the Intifadah movements of 1987 and

2000. With the deadly embargo that has

been in place since 2006 life has almost

come to a stop in Gaza. The occupant

state of Israel has also brought life to

an impasse in the refugee camps of

Lebanon, Syria, Jordan and Gaza. IHH

continues to stand with the Palestinians

who are in difficult situations due to

unjust and unlawful practices.

IHH has been carrying out efforts in every

field to support the Palestinian people

after Israel’s Operation Cast Lead; these

range from emergency aid to the region to

medical, educational and social aid.

Operation Cast Lead

During the Israeli attacks that began

on December 27,2008 and lasted 22

days, nearly 1,500 people – half of them

women and children – were killed and

thousands were injured. The region

suffered great destruction and

the infrastructure in the region was greatly

damaged; as a result of the destruction

of hospitals, schools and government

buildings, billions of dollars in material

damage was inflicted. These attacks

made aid work in the region even more

critical. With the support of its volunteers,

over the last two years IHH Humanitarian

Relief Foundation has carried out the

following projects:

The occupant state of Israel has brought life to an impasse in the refugee camps of Lebanon, Syria, Jordan and Gaza. IHH continues to stand with the Palestinians who are in difficult situations due to unjust and unlawful practices…

The activities of IHH in Palestine following Operation Cast Lead8 AGENDA

Emergency aid• Regular food aid was distributed to 3,000 impoverished families. (April-May-June 2010)

• Financial aid to 80 families that were victims of a flood in the Mughragha region, as well as blankets and food aid were distributed to 300 families. (January-February 2010)

• Emergency food aid was provided to 8,905 families. (October 2009-December 2009) (May 2009-June 2009)

• Food aid for one year was provided to 200 families. (February 2009-February 2010)

• Emergency food aid was distributed to 5,000 families living in Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon.

(January 2009-February 2009)

• Following Operation Cast Lead, 200,000 TL in emergency aid was distributed to the families of the dead and wounded in Gaza. (January 2009)

• Aid comprising 450,000 TL in medical supplies was distributed. (January 2009)

• Tents, blankets, clothing and cash aid were distributed to 600 families. (December 2008)

Medical aid• 73,934 doses of medicine and an ESWL kidney stone fragmenting machine were transported with the Viva Palestina Convoy. (December 2009-January 2010)

• Necessary materials were secured for the Gynecological Hospital in Beit Hanun. (November 2009)

• An ultrasound machine was procured for the Haifa Medical Center in addition to a machine that fragments kidney stones. (De-cember 2009); (November 2009)

• Work began to renovate the Bayt al-Maqdis Health Clinic in Lebanon’s Nahru’l Barid Refugee Camp. (July 2009-Ongoing)

• 31 injured Palestinians were treated in Egypt. (July 2009)

GÜNDEM 9The activities of IHH in Palestine following Operation Cast Lead AGENDA

Orphan aid• Eid clothing was distributed to 3,000 orphans. (August 2010)

• Joint programs were organized in cooperation with the Gaza Social Works Ministry to help boost the morale of orphans. (March 2009); (March 2010)

• 9,701 orphans were supported through the Sponsor Family Effort in 2010.

• Eid clothing was distributed to 1,280 orphans in Palestinian refugee camps in Gaza and Lebanon. (November 2009)

• Eid clothing was distributed to 1,350 orphans, while stationery supplies were distributed to 1,700 orphans. (September 2009)

• Eid clothing was distributed to 160 orphans and stationery supplies were distributed to 200 orphans at the Palestine Refugee Camp in Lebanon. (September 2009)

• Gifts of Eid clothing were distributed to a total of 500 orphans in Palestine, Lebanon and Jordan. (December 2008)

• Gifts of Eid clothing were distributed to a total of 185 orphans on Eid al-Adha at the Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon, Jordan and Syria. (December 2008)

Ramadan and Eid al-Adha aid• On Eid al-Adha, shares of sacrificial meat were distributed to 35,112 people in Palestine. (November 2010)

• Hot meals were distributed to 3,600 needy families in Gaza throughout the month of Ramadan. (August 2010)

• Shares of sacrificial meat were brought to 41,664 people in Palestine on Eid al-Adha. (November 2009)

• Ramadan provision packages were distributed to 12,000 families in Gaza and 1,750 families in Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon and Syria. (September 2009)

• Meals to break the fast were distributed to nearly 15,000 people in Gaza. (September 2009)

• Ramadan aid was distributed in Palestinian refugee camps in Jordan, Syria and Lebanon.

• An iftar (meal to break the fast) program was organized for 4,500 people, with orphans and their families also taking part. (September 2009)

The activities of IHH in Palestine following Operation Cast Lead10 AGENDA

Social aid• Saplings were donated to farmers in Gaza. (August 2010)

• A bakery was established to provide free service to the needy in Gaza. (August 2010)

• 100,000 euros in aid was donated to the effort to deepen the harbor at Gaza, and organization of the port area was carried out. (March 2010)

• 59 vehicles of various models, which had set out with the Viva Palestina Convoy, reached Gaza. (December 2009-January 2010)

• 47 containers of food and cleaning supplies and 158 generators of varying strength were donated to Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon. (July 2009-December 2009)

• 10 containers of food and cleaning supplies were sent to Palestinian refugee camps in Syria. (July 2009-December 2009)

• A water motor was procured for the Gaza Municipality’s water well. (September 2009)

• Financial aid and household furniture (bed frames, mattresses, rugs, couches, interior fixtures, etc.) were donated to 1,500 needy couples that were preparing to marry in Palestinian refugee camps in Syria. (July 2009)

• A bulldozer was purchased for the Gaza Jabalia Municipality. (May 2009)

• Fuel for heating stoves was distributed in the Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon. (February 2009)

• A water well was dug at the Handanun Palestinian Refugee Camp in Syria; a water depot was built at the Spena Palestinian Refugee Camp. (February 2009)

The activities of IHH in Palestine following Operation Cast Lead AGENDA 11

Educational aid• $1 million in aid was donated to Gaza Islam University for the parts of the institution that had been damaged. (November 2009-Ongoing)

• The Han Yunis Women’s Education Center, Tal al-Hawa Women’s Education Center, Rafah Women’s Education Center and Tal al-Hawa Computer and Cultural Centers were opened and their annual operation expenses met. (2009-Ongoing)

• Repairs were carried out at the Daru’l Arkam School; the expenses for three computer labs and half of the teachers’ salaries were covered; in addition, the annual fees for orphaned students at the school were covered. (June 2009-June 2010)

• Psychological rehabilitative support was provided for 300 students. (March 2010)

• Financial aid was secured for 900 female high school students. (December 2009)

• A needlework course was opened at the Spena Palestinian Refugee Camp in Syria. (November 2009)

• The educational workshop at Gaza Technology University was renovated; the damaged engineering department at Gaza Islam University was reconstructed. (September-October 2009)

• The fees for 243 students at Gaza Islam University and Gaza Technology University were paid. (September – February 2009)

• Stationery supplies were distributed to 3,500 needy students. (September 2009)

• Stationery supplies were distributed to 200 needy students in Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon. (September 2009)

• A hifdh (Qur’anic memorization) course was opened in the Rafah region. (September 2009)

• Support was secured for summer schools at Palestinian refugee camps in Gaza and Lebanon. (June 2009)

• Support was provided for repair work at Daru’l Arkam School. (March 2009)

• Computer education centers were opened in Gaza’s Tel Islam, Jabalia and Rafah regions. (March 2009)

• A needlework course was opened at Syria’s Handanun Palestinian Refugee Camp. (March 2009)

• A needlework course for women was opened in Gaza’s Jabalia, Han Yunis, Rafah, Tel Islam and Nasir regions. (February 2009)

12 SPOTLIGHT IHH orphan activities

Orphaned children are the group that is most vulnerable to the dangers found in crisis areas, such as war, occupation, chronic poverty and natural disasters. Malevolent people and organizations, particularly human traffickers, pose a significant threat to these children. It is estimated that approximately

2.5 million children are kidnapped and sold each year in the world, while 90 million children live on the streets, vulnerable to every form of abuse.

While more than two million children in Africa are orphaned every year, we know that five million children have been orphaned in Iraq due to war and occupation. As IHH Humanitarian Relief Foundation, over the last three years we have been supporting orphans who are vulnerable to every form of danger, with the Sponsor Family System.

Our activities, which started in 1992, increased with the Sponsor Family System, which began in 2007. By 2010, we included 16,000 children from 27 countries, including Turkey, in our continuous support program. We are waiting for your support for the expansion of our activities concerning orphans, and we thank you for the interest you will show to orphans.

Orphaned childrenThe orphan, who is supported by IHH, is a child who lost one of his/her parents due to war, natural disaster, disease, accident, etc., domestic or abroad, and who stays with a relative or in an orphanage.

IHH Humanitarian Relief Foundation

orphan activities

• There are 143 million orphans, and 400 million unprotected children in the world.

• Every day, 38,493 children are excluded from orphanages and state child-welfare programs. In 2010, the number of children who could not benefit from these programs was over 14 million.

• About 15 million children lose their mother, father, or both because of AIDS. Every day, 6,000 children are orphaned due to AIDS.

• Every year, thousands of children are orphaned due to wars. 5 million children were orphaned due to the occupation in Iraq.

• There are 85 million orphans in Asia, 43 million in Africa, and 12.4 million in Latin America.

• If all orphans were in a single country, this country would be the eighth largest populated country in the world.

IHH orphan activities 13

Orphan activity zonesa. War zones and refugee campsb. Natural disaster zonesc. Chronic hunger and poverty zones

Orphan activity areasa. Accommodationb. Foodc. Clothingd. Healthe. Education

The purpose and goals of the orphan activities of IHH

The main objective of our orphan activities is to help prepare

children for life in the best possible way by supporting them

until they can provide for themselves.

IHH acts with the purpose of reaching orphans before human

traffickers and organ mafias, and providing them with safe shelter,

before taking them to their relatives or the authorities, while

providing emergency assistance to people stricken by disasters. Our

foundation considers it very important that orphan and unprotected

children live in their own land, primarily with their relatives, without

breaking ties with their own culture.

SPOTLIGHT

14

T he orphan supporting activities which have been started in 1992 took another dimension by the Sponsor Family System in 2007. The countries and regions where the regular and periodical activities are being held as follows:

1. Afghanistan

2. Albania

3. Arakan

4. Bangladesh

5. Burkina Faso

6. Chad

7. Chechenia

8. Equador

9. Ethiopia

10. Ghana

11. Haiti

12. Indonesia - Aceh

13. Iraq

14. Kosova

15. Kyrgyzstan

16. Lebanon

17. Macedonia

18. Pakistan

19. Palestine

20. Phillippines - Moro

21. Sierra Leone

22. Somalia

23. Sri Lanka

24. Sudan

25. Tanzania- Zanzibar

26. Turkey

27. Yemen

The countries and regions in regular activities

The countries and regions in periodical activities

SPOTLIGHT The countries and regions, IHH holds orphan activities

15

1. Adana

2. Adıyaman

3. Ağrı

4. Ankara

5. Batman

6. Bursa

7. Diyarbakır

8. Erzurum

9. Erzincan

10. Gaziantep

11. Hakkâri

12. İstanbul

13. Kahramanmaraş

14. Kayseri

15. Kocaeli

16. Konya

17. Sakarya

18. Sivas

19. Uşak

The Turkish provinces in regular activities

The Turkish provinces in periodical activities

SPOTLIGHTThe countries and regions, IHH holds orphan activities

16

Orphan support centersIHH is organizing many activities to support orphans materially and spiritually with volunteers from all over Turkey. As part of this, every item that is delivered to the Orphan Support Center in Başakşehir, Istanbul is used to support the benefit of orphans.

Volunteers undertake activities, such as sewing, embroidery, jewelry design, etc., in these centers, as well as preparing homemade food and conducting seminars in order to become more effective in fulfilling social responsibilities and to learn about different cultures.

The items produced for orphans sometimes are sent directly to the orphans, and sometimes they are sold in fund-raising events that are organized for the benefit of orphans; the money collected is used in orphan-support activities.

Awareness activitiesIHH organizes symposiums, seminars and academic meetings about the situations that children who have been orphaned for various reasons have to face.

Orphan meetingsIHH organizes orphan meetings with the participation of orphans in regions and countries in which it is active in order to raise the awareness of the Turkish public about the activities that are being carried out in various regions of the world to support orphans as well as to bring home the reality of orphanhood.

Orphan support activitiesSPOTLIGHT

17

A person who wants to support an orphan in one of the IHH Humanitarian

Relief Foundation activity zones can do so by filling out the Sponsor Family Application Form, and delivering it to the IHH Orphan Unit.

The monthly cost of sponsoring an orphan is 35 or $50. The applicant who has applied to participate in the Sponsor Family System, transfers the amount to the foundation with the declaration on the application form (in person, by credit card, bank account, etc.) during the sponsorship (at least a year). The orphan information form, which contains the name, age, country of origin, and a photograph, is delivered to the sponsor family via mail or e-mail following the initial payment. Sponsor families can access information about the orphan they support at www.ihh.org/yetimlerim. A year after the initial period of sponsorship, sponsor families can access a progress report on the orphan they sponsor at www.ihh.org.tr/yetimlerim.

The Orphan Fund

All donations for orphans, with the exception of the Sponsor Family System and project sponsorship, is evaluated under the Orphan Fund. Accordingly, regardless of the amount, any donation for orphans that is made outside the Sponsor Family System or project sponsorship is included in the Orphan Fund pool, and used for orphanage renovations, building libraries and dormitories in orphanages, providing Eid clothing, health services, and orphan projects, such as social events for orphans.

Sponsor Family SystemThe words of a volunteer

My name is Sezgin Bulut, and I have been providing psychological consultation for orphans and their mothers as a volunteer with IHH for about a year.

One of the first, and most important, things we learn in this profession is that the information in a textbook is not applicable to everyone, because every case is shaped according to particular circumstances. I take great pleasure in applying the experiences I have had in my profession so far as a volunteer with IHH. I have a family that I care for under the umbrella of IHH. I have been seeing them since December 2009. Initially, only the children participated, but eventually the mother joined in as well, and we see each other once a month, on a regular basis. Together, we have made significant progress in working with the family.

Sponsor Family System SPOTLIGHT

The roses of an orphanageThe past is never spoken of in this garden. Everyone is aware of their daily responsibilities; they are cheerful and lively... Joy is still there, even though much has changed with the passing months. Even if they look back to the past, they do it without anyone realizing…

Ayşe ADLI

18 The roses of an orphanage SPOTLIGHT

Every job has an internship, and why should orphanhood not have one? If you are in a place surrounded by orphans, it is not possible to feel

otherwise. Living side by side with them, we learn the meaning of sorrow, grief, happiness, and love, even if we cannot speak the same language…

Sometimes, the less you know about something, the more easily it is to speak about it. As you learn more information, you realize that you have lost the means to discuss this matter. I had much to say about Aceh and the orphans in the first few days and weeks; this was the reason I was there. Now, I feel words are inadequate. Standing next to me there is a passing life, and hundreds of windows opening onto it. Each presents a different view. Whose eyes will I look through, to whom will I listen? I will tell you what I have seen... They wear shawls on their shoulders, woven with tranquility, faith and patience. Who knows what goes on in their tiny hearts under these covers?

For me, Aceh is the land of orphans; relief and peace, the jungle, the river, the ocean, the grey sea, the blue sky, the green palm forests. And most of all, it means the sound of children. The sound of children who are looking for a riverbed to flow through like water, in this unique place where fathers and mothers have set sail to distant lands early in their lives.

According to research carried out by the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) and the Governorate of Aceh, there are 60,000 identified orphans among Aceh’s population of 4,600,000. 35,000 of those are victims of the tsunami, and the rest are victims of the civil war, which lasted for approximately 30 years.

Istanbul Dormitory is an orphanage that was built in Banda Aceh, after the tsunami on 26 December 2004, a catastrophe

that took hundreds of thousands of lives. A hundred orphan girls between the ages of nine and 22 stay in this complex, which was built by IHH Humanitarian Relief Foundation, in early 2005. The complex is in Blang Bintang (Star Field), which is a 15-minute drive from Banda Aceh. At first glance this place is reminiscent of a small resort, surrounded by rice fields and palm forests. Dormitory buildings, a library, conference rooms, a dining hall, mosque, clinic, dwellings, guesthouses... Looking at the physical and spiritual conditions they are staying in one could say that the children are the most fortunate orphans of Aceh.

The past is never spoken of in this garden. Everyone is aware of their daily responsibilities; they are cheerful and lively... Joy is still there, even though much has changed with the passing months. Even if they look back to the past, they do it without anyone realizing. Their looks turn to the future when they are outside. It is quite difficult to ask questions out of concern of hurting them, especially if you are not able to talk to them and look into their eyes. There are very few who can speak English. Every sentence needs to be translated by someone else. This forces both parties to remain silent. It is not the voices that speak, but the hands, faces, and eyes.

From time to time I think I am more upset about their lives than they are. The pain they carry in their tiny bodies... I collect information about them piece by piece, desperately.

One day, we pass the most beautiful coast of Banda Aceh, in Lhoknga’da. The huge cement plant, next to the mountain, is one of the largest industrial investments of the city. Dina’s father worked there. Dina is one of the most heart-breaking cases. Dina Afiyattunnisa turned 13 on November 5th. I learned not to judge the children according to their age, although this is difficult. She is like a monument of serenity and faith. Quiet, deep... There is a smile on her face, which

19The roses of an orphanage SPOTLIGHT

cannot conceal her sorrow, even when she is happiest. She is the oldest of three sisters.

She does not like talking. She forms short sentences, talking about herself. One night, in the garden, we speak as we watch the stars, lying on the Ferris wheel: “Whenever I have a problem or feel unhappy, I look at them, and I am happy again,” she says. Later, I learn that her younger sister’s name is Bintang (Star). She named her. Now, she looks as if she is looking for her among the stars. Dina was nine when she lost her entire family. Her closest relative is her uncle-in-law, who lives in Jakarta, which is three days from Aceh. Her former house is half an hour from the orphanage. She has never returned since she started staying here. She does not say so, but the events reveal that she cannot endure going there.

The location for the public picnic that is organized once a month is chosen: Lhoknga. All the children get in the cars with joy. I notice the absence of three good friends, while everyone is enjoying the sea: Dina, Dona, and Nopi. Nobody knows where they are. In the evening, Dina is one of the first to go the mosque, as usual. When asked, “Where were you?” she gives an answer that is difficult to bear. “I used to live there, sister. I lost all my family there, how can I have fun in Lhoknga...” It is obvious that her friends chose to stay behind so as not to leave her alone.

Vildan was the first orphan of the Istanbul Dormitory. Hundreds have come and gone through this gate since she came here, in March 2005. She knows more about the people here than the employees. She came from Calang, West Aceh. She is so sure of the beauty of her village that she

does not even look at the scenery in Banda Aceh. Vildan is a fisherman’s daughter. She helped her father carry fish to the market, and helped her mother salt the ones that were not sold. She knows much about the different types of fish. She is the most joyous person in the orphanage. She likes neither sorrow nor tears. Sorrow visits her from time to time as well, but does not stay long. She misses her younger sibling the most.

After losing their parents, the family scattered like the beads of a broken strand of prayer beads. Her oldest brother is 19 years old. He is the only one left in the village. He lives in a single room, because they do not have a house. Her other older brother is a college student. Two of her younger siblings live in the orphanage. Her aunt is looking after the youngest, an eight-year-old. When Vildan misses the village she was born and grew up in she visits her aunt and sometimes her uncle on holidays.

You need to go away with them in order to learn what they have lived through in their short lives. On the way to Calang Vildan tells us that she was closer to her grandmother than her parents. She lost her on the same day that she lost her parents, 26 December 2004. They were woken up by the earthquake. Her father set sail after deciding that the danger was over. After a short while, hearing a humming sound, they realized the waves were coming in. Her mother and grandmother quickly sent the children to the mountain. “While I was running, I turned back and saw my grandmother watching us at the door,” she says briefly. She realized that she could not get away from the waves. The wave carried her to a tree. Finally, she managed to grab hold of a tree

20 The roses of an orphanage SPOTLIGHT

trunk. The next day, a ship from the ocean picked her and her siblings up from the hill they were on. She lost her house and her family. When people ask her she says that she does not have a house.

Wherever you look, you see an orphan. The first thing you notice here is the orphans. It is hard not to be surprised seeing this many orphaned children. It seems as if only parents died.The waters did not touch the children...

Aceh is not easy to understand - it is a chaotic place. On the one hand, it is wild and cannot be contained, and on the other hand, it is sad and skittish, like a bird with a broken wing. Siti Ainal is 13 years old. She is in every group game, in every little gang. Her mother is alive. I learn from her sponsor family in Turkey that the tsunami left her with a big scar. A large piece of wood got stuck in her leg while waves dragged her. She received medical aid after being rescued, but the scar is still there. She says in her letter that she is very embarrassed, and cannot show it to anyone.

There is a lot happening early in the morning. After morning prayers the garden turns into a festival ground, but it becomes desolate after the shuttles leave at seven o’clock. The rooms and corridors that ring with the voices of the children in the evening become empty. Teddy bears and dolls on beds, photographs of the most longed friends or relatives on the cabinets. Poems, lyrics, posters, motivational quotes on the walls. Three sides of the bed of Yüsnidar, who is preparing to attend university, are covered with notes saying: “you can do it doctor!” Her objective is to go to medical school. Pipit is in the last year of high school. Her

diary, notebooks, and the walls of her room are covered with drawings. She wants to be a fashion designer. Her biggest dream is to study abroad.

Dina wants to be a computer engineer. She already knows a lot about Japanese culture and language. She is preparing to go to Japan. Suwaybe’s dream is to be a student at al-Ahzar University, in Egypt. They are the ones closest to their dreams among the orphans from Aceh, thanks to support they get from Turkey. And they completely aware of this fact. They write to their sponsor families. All letters start with the same sentence: “I miss you so much, do you miss me?”

Hesti is 11 years old. She is from Melaboh. She lost her father, and her mother lives in their village. In her last letter, she attached a poem addressed to her father. Her feelings retain their warmth, even after a couple amateur translation attempts, and no other words are necessary...

Dad: Since you went away I’ve been very mournful... I thought no one would be like you. Now, I am very happy ... Because there is someone I can love, like I love you... Like my father... He is far away from me But, I feel very close to him. He has met all my school expenses so far…

• This pictures were drawn by the orphans

from IHH dormitory in Aceh.

21The roses of an orphanage SPOTLIGHT

The traumatic effects of losing a parent

A person suffers greatly from the loss of a loved one, no matter what their age. The death of a parent is a phenomenon that is difficult for all of us to bear. Clearly

this pain will be even more difficult to deal with if the person is of a young age. The loss of a parent is experienced differently at various ages, and, therefore, causes different results.

For a child, the loss of a loved is a psychological injury, a trauma, and is an unavoidable circumstance. Losing both a mother and father can cause a very different and devastating effect. In this case, a very difficult and important task falls upon the relatives of the family and grandparents, if they are still alive. However, the issue that will be examined here is, how a mother or father, who has lost his/her partner, should treat their child, how they should explain the situation, and how they should tend the child’s wounds.

Children, who have different perceptions at different ages, may not experience deeply the loss of their father in their first four to five years, as at this time they were closer to their mother. However, it still causes grief for the child if they lose someone to whom they have become accustomed, a person with whom the child spends time, and who he/she calls “father,” even if the concept has not yet been firmly established in their mind. A child of school age suffers more from the loss of his/her father, someone whom he/she loves and trusts.

How to explain the loss of a parent to a child

A mother or father who loses his/her partner will, of course, experience great pain, and, in addition to this pain, this parent

will have to take on the role of both mother and father. This is a difficult responsibility and requires considerable organization of the personality. In case of such an event, the child suffers and becomes upset and shaken. However, it is possible to acquire a great life experience for the future in terms of personal development.

We recommend that parents not hide facts that children can endure. Of course, it is difficult to accept death, especially for a child. This leaves the surviving parent an important task. He/she has to explain death to the child in an understandable fashion and give the child an acceptable concept of “death.”

A mother who lost her husband tells us how she explained the situation to her child: “I did not know how to explain the situation to my son after losing my husband. Then I found a way, and told my son: ‘Look my son, your father is on a long journey. He will not return, but we will meet with him in the future.’ After that he never asked me where his father was, and he was relieved.”

Feeling like, “my father is dead, he no longer exists,” wounds the child psychologically. The concept: “This is life, a man is born, lives, and dies. We all will die one day,” damages the spirit of the child. The child has to be given a concept of death, as stated above.

The behavior of the person who will explain the situation is very important for the child who is going to face this truth for the first time. If the person explaining is calm, then the child understands that he/she has to accept this calmly, and takes the parent as a model. Therefore, it is helpful to know how important the style

The traumatic effects of losing a parent 22

(Prof. Dr. Nevzat TARHAN, İDER Human Values and Mental Health Foundation Chairman-Psychiatrist)

SPOTLIGHT

of narration and how to implement the same is for the child to accept death calmly.

Things to be done after a death

Love is a food, like water and bread, and it is a psychological necessity. The most vital necessity of a child is love and feeling secure. These needs of the child who has lost one of their parents should be met. The child should not be allowed to feel as if, “I am not going to be loved as before, I will now face danger,” after losing a parent. The needs of a child regarding love and trust must be met.

It is important when meeting the needs of love and trust of the child that certain boundaries not be crossed. The child might have experienced great pain, however they should be given good and correct ethical norms to follow and should be raised to be an upstanding person, while the concept of discipline should be ever-present.

A person will internalize the concepts of “good and bad” and “right and wrong” according to the way they are impressed upon their mind. For this reason, a child should be taught the characteristics of a good person, while being given love and care.

It is difficult to act as both the mother and father to a child and carry the entire burden of life alone. The mother or father may feel tense and unhappy due to the weight of these concerns for the future. If a person is anxious or tense, he/she may not be able to establish healthy, emotional communication with the child.

The child will notice this and will feel insecure thinking they are no longer loved. Here, again, arises the need for a good connection. No matter how heavy the burden of life is, one should ignore all the problems and deal with the child, just focusing on him/her. A high-quality and continuous exchange of feelings will help the child overcome this period.

The importance of avoiding “I wish”

It is difficult for a child to lose a parent, and it can have long-term consequences. For the

people who have to live with orphans, the most powerful tool, the most effective weapon,

the most solid shelter, and the most basic need is to establish a balance of compassion

and discipline. It is better to be solution-oriented, instead of problem-oriented, and to strive

towards a solution in any situation. “I wish” is the most negative phrase to affect human life.

The first step taken towards finding a solution is to accept inevitable events. Someone who

can say “Everybody has some trials in life. I was meant to experience this, and I will. I will not

look back from now on,” will be able to take a step towards the solution, and become a good

model for the child who observes their every behavior, recording it in his/her mind. We should

not forget that difficult periods in our life and problems are an important factor for character

development. What is important is taking the right experience from these periods

A child takes part of his/her personality traits from the mother, and some from the father. 30 to 40 percent of one’s personality is genetically per-determined, while 60 to 70 percent arises from learning from a role model. As is well known, a father is an important role model for a boy, and a mother is for a girl. The loss of a child’s role model is significant in terms of sexual identity. A child, who has lost his/her father, will take the mother as a role model, and will have difficulty in the establishment of a sexual identity.

The child who has lost their role model is in need of a new role model, such as an uncle for a boy, or an aunt for a girl. There are some cases where mothers get married again in order to provide a new father role model. It is important to consider the pros and cons of such a marriage. It is not right to get married without thinking. It is better to understand the importance of a child’s sexual development, act consciously about it, and get support from relatives as much as possible instead.

The loss of a child’s role model

The traumatic effects of losing a parent 23SPOTLIGHT

Sponsor Family System registration process24

The monthly cost to sponsor an orphan is €35 or $50. An applicant who wants to support an orphan in any of the regions in which IHH Humanitarian Relief Foundation is active can fill out the Sponsor Family Application Form via the internet, telephone, or at the foundation, and deliver it to the IHH Orphan Unit.

1

SPOTLIGHT

Sponsor Family System registration process

Sponsor Family System registration process 25

2

3

The orphan information form, which contains the name, age, country of origin, and a photograph, is delivered to the sponsor family via mail or e-mail following the initial pay-ment. Sponsor families can access information about their supported orphan at www.ihh.org/yetimlerim.

An applicant who has applied to participate in the Sponsor Family System transfers the amount to the foundation via the declaration on the application form (in person, by credit card, bank account, etc.) during the sponsorship (at least a year).

4 A year after the initial period of sponsorship, sponsor families can access a progress report on the orphan they are sponsoring at www.ihh.org.tr/yetimlerim.

SPOTLIGHT

The orphanage activities of IHH26

The orphanage activities of IHH

Some of the orphanages periodically supported • Taloqan Orphanage - Afghanistan• Ghazni Orphanage - Afghanistan• Tahar Province Center Orphanage - Afghanistan

• Laghman Province Orphanage - Afghanistan• Badakshan Fayzabad Orphanage - Afghanistan• Jalalabad (Nangarhar province) Imam Bukhari Orphanage - Afghanistan• La Main Tendre Orphanage - Haiti• Melisa’s Hope Orphanage - Haiti• Marin’s Orphanage - Haiti• Durban Orphanage - Mozambique• Tamirul Millat Orphanage - Bangladesh• Ibni Teymiyye Orphanage - Moro/Philippines• An’nur Complex – East Timor• Saad bin Ebi Waqas Orphanage - Guinea• Istanbul Kulliye Orphan Hafiz Center - Guinea• Daru’l-Eytam Val Masakin Orphanage - Patani

Some of the orphanages built

and still administered by IHH

• Rara Education Center - Pakistan

• Haripur Education City - Pakistan

• Msal Orphanage - Pakistan

• Istanbul Orphanage - Aceh/Indonesia

• Daru’l-Iman Orphanage - Bangladesh

(Arakan Refugee Camp)

• Orphan Center - Lebanon

• Togra Orphanage - Bangladesh

• Gence Orphanage - Azerbaijan

• Hacı Şerefoğlu Orphanage - Moro/

Philippines

Ongoing orphanage projects

that started being built in

2010

• Tanzania

• Afghanistan

• PataniSome of the renovated orphanages • Ibn-i Abbas Orphanage - Bangladesh

• Darülaceze Orphan Dormitory - Turkey

SPOTLIGHT

Between 2008 and 2010 IHH has built orphanages, renovated existing ones, and carried

out periodic aid activities for orphanages in different countries and regions of the world.

İHH Kurban Organizasyonu başlıyor DOSYA 27

ACTIVITIES

28 ACTIVITIES

From Kamchatka to Rwanda, Pakistan to Haiti, IHH Humanitarian Relief Foundation has exchanged Eid al-Adha greetings with 125 countries and regions in the world, as well as with 61 cities and two million people in Turkey. 44,076 shares of sacrificial animals

(Qurban), which were donated by the Turkish people, have been delivered to victims of war, invasion and natural disasters. Orphans, emigrants and people in need have been made happy and sharing has enriched the sacrifice, and kindness has exceeded the limits…

With the qurban, brothers and sisters have come closer. Orphanages, schools, hospitals, etc. that were established with the help of charitable Turkish people have been visited, and new feasibility projects have been determined.

The Qurban: Sharing the blessing of worship

Social aid

29

In Sava village we experience indescribably beautiful moments. Before entering the village we are surrounded by young people on motorcycles. We

advance to the village in a convoy. We soon become aware of a crowd, standing on both sides of the road. Men on one side of the road, women and children on the other; they stand in an orderly line. As we get out of our vehicles, they start to chant a melody. At first

it doesn’t sound familiar to us but in a moment we recognize it: Tala al badru alaina. From the beginning of the line, every hand is stretched out to greet us; while exchanging Eid greetings with every person in the crowd, I try hard to keep my tears from falling. Villagers act as if we are Muslim emigrants from Mecca and Madinah. They embrace every one of us. (Ümit Sönmez, Côte d’Ivoire)

The excitement of the Eid al-Adha is all around the world…

ACTIVITIESSocial aid

30

“Animals are sacrificed under the shadows of tanks and then delivered to orphans, the elderly and people in need. People who have lost their houses due to fires were visited first and we received their blessings.” (Yasin Uğraş, Kyrgyzstan)

“On the first day of the Eid, we were in Muzafferabad, Rara Orphanage with 92 orphans in their colorful clothes. The animals were sacrificed. Some of the orphans helped with the sacrifice while others were chanting. Everybody was excited and happy. After that we visited Kashmir and delivered aid to the flood region. We laid the foundations of houses for those people who had lost their houses in the flood. We joined the prisoners whose bail had been paid by IHH so that they could be at home with their families and we shared their happiness.” (Ayşe Olgun, Pakistan)

“IHH means hope here. Every one helped and left. The continual support of IHH refreshes the hopes of our sisters and brothers in Arakan.” (Halil İbrahim İzgi, Arakan)

ACTIVITIES Social aid

31ACTIVITIESSocial aid

32

Your kindness has reached our orphans

ACTIVITIES Social aid

I HH started carrying out voluntary organizations in 1992. Since this time, orphans who have

experienced wars, natural disasters or poverty have been supported with periodical or continuous aid to ensure a brighter future. The happiness of children is our happiness.

They are now university studentsIn our Aceh Orphanage Arini and Rina have been admitted to the International Islamic University of Malaysia. Starting from 2011, some of the orphans who have reached university age will come to Turkey from various countries to continue their education.

We were there at the Eid al-AdhaIn 15 different countries and regions, and 13 cities in Turkey, stationary and clothes were delivered to 3,000 orphans at the Eid al-Adha. The orphanages that have been opened with your support were visited and new projects for orphans were determined.

We met our Yemeni orphans The 3rd International Orphan Gathering took place between October 19 and 21 in Sanaa, the capital city of Yemen. More than 500 representatives and academics of NGOs, as well as the president of the IHH Humanitarian Relief Foundation, Bülent Yıldırım, members of the IHH Executive Board, Gülden Sönmez, Ömer Faruk Korkmaz, and Nübüvvet Akbay from the Orphan Project Coordination also participated in the symposium.After the representatives discussed the new approaches to orphan charity activities and career-training programs for orphans, the IHH

committee attended the graduation ceremony of 450 orphans who had successfully completed courses; in addition a mass wedding ceremony was held for 3000 orphans. The IHH committee visited some NGOs, including Dal al-Shafaqa, which provides shelter for 80 patients with cancer or kidney failure, the al-Rahma Orphanage in which 300 orphan girls are staying and the al-Haqq al-Aish school, which provides special education for mentally disabled children.The IHH committee also met with 50 Yemeni orphan and their families who are supported by the Sponsor Family System. The committee was provided with information about the current situation of orphans and their families in Sanaa.

33ACTIVITIESSocial aid

189 water wells in 10 months

34

Due to drought or contaminated water a number of diseases are spreading and claiming many lives in African countries. IHH Humanitarian Relief Foundation is supporting people by opening

water wells in 10 African countries where accessing clean drinking water is difficult. The water well projects that started in 2005 in African and Asian countries are rapidly being completed. Until today IHH has opened 1,418 water wells with your donations. In the first 10 months of 2010 another 189 water wells were opened. IHH has opened 13 water wells in Ethiopia, 49 in Somalia, 3 in Burkina Faso, 43 in Chad, 42 in Cameroon, 8 in Sudan, 3 in Guinea, 3 in Afghanistan and another 25 in Bangladesh.

ACTIVITIES Social aid

189 water wells in 10 months

8,000 teens attended IHH’s science and technology courses in AfghanistanThe lengthy war in Afghanistan

has interrupted education for many young people. In order

to support high-school students who are preparing for university entrance exams, IHH has set up free science and technology courses. Since the program began in January 2010, 7,793 students have benefited from the courses. In the Nergerhar and Takhar regions, 8,000 students in Jalalabad, Talukan, Hodja Bahauddin, Yengi Kala and Dashti Kala have registered for science and technology courses for the second semester. Faced with various problems due to the war, the students are trying to improve their educational prospects for the future. Interested students have the opportunity to take courses in the subjects of mathematics, physics, chemistry, geometry, English, and computers.

Educational support 35ACTIVITIES

36 Emergency aidACTIVITIES

Emergency aid for Gorajde and ShkodraEmergency aid for Gorajde and Shkodra

37

With the cold weather taking hold of the Balkans at the end of November, severe local rains caused flooding in thousands of houses and thousands of

hectares of land in Albania, Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia Herzegovina.

Albania experiencing the worst flooding in its history, especially in Shkodra; it was stated that 5,000 houses and 14,000 hectares of land were flooded. It has also been stated that approximately 15,000 people were evacuated from the disaster region to secure zones.

The relief effort and rescue work for the disaster victims continue with the support of neighboring countries, including Turkey. IHH Humanitarian Relief Foundation has started emergency aid support in Gorajde in Bosnia Herzegovina and Skhodra in Albania, regions that were severely affected. IHH teams delivered 7 tons of aid packages including bread, flour, pasta, clean drinking water, blanket, raincoats, boots, cleaning materials, stoves and firewood to the disaster victims. In addition, financial aid has been provided to five families in Gorajde whose houses were damaged by the floods.

Emergency aid ACTIVITIES

38

Pakistan is having a new lease of lifeIHH is continuing its efforts to assist the victims of the July floods in Pakistan, in which people lost their homes and jobs.

Emergency aidACTIVITIES

39

As part of the ongoing charity efforts in Pakistan, 20 orphan families in rural areas of the Muzaffargarh and Nowshera states have been given motor-taxis (rickshaws) to be used for transportation, and to earn a living. A ceremony was organized to hand over the keys of the motor-taxis, which are used as commercial vehicles,

to the families. Participating in the ceremony were the Nowshera governor and orphan families. The families expressed their thanks to the Turkish public for their constant support.

Rickshaws donated to the families of widows and orphaned children

IHH has provided livestock to families who lost their animals by flood disaster. In an effort

to bring a return to normality in Pakistan, 10 widows were given cattle by IHH.

Livestock aid to disaster victims

Emergency aid ACTIVITIES

40

Aid to a state hospital

IHH has helped to support the restoration of the Nowshera State Hospital in Pakistan.

The hospital’s operating room, ophthalmology and birth clinics, and the doors and windows

are being renovated by IHH. The cargo boat Defne set sail for Pakistan on December 31, 2010 with the medicine and medical supplies that the hospital requires.

IHH teams visited the state girls secondary school Diara Din Panah in the city of Muzaffargarh and distributed uniforms to the 1,104 students enrolled in the school. At the same time,

IHH continues to distribute school clothing aid to needy students

at other schools in the disaster region. IHH will distribute school uniforms to a total of 50 schools. The uniforms are being made in our workshop in Islamabad.

Students begin term in new uniforms

Farmers were hit hard by the flooding disaster, with their fields being entirely

destroyed. Seed and fertilizer aid has been distributed to farmers to reinvigorate agriculture. A total of $400,000 in seeds and

fertilizer has been distributed to the farmers, enabling them to work their fields again. 2,000 families in the Pakistani states of the Punjab and KPK were granted 250 kilograms of seed wheat and 5 bales of fertilizer

Destroyed fields by flooding will thrive again

Emergency aidACTIVITIES

41

IHH, which began efforts to aid victims who had lost their homes in the July flooding that was caused by monsoon rains in Pakistan, has worked in conjunction with a large number of charity benefactors.

A 20-home village has been established in the Pakistani city of Nowshera in memory of the Turkish Grand Unity Party (BBP)’s former leader Muhsin Yazıcıoğlu, who lost his life in a helicopter accident. Upon the completion of the construction the permanent residences were opened officially on Eid al-Adha.

Among the participants in the village’s opening were the BBP leader Yalçın Topçu and a delegation of party administrators, the Pakistani information minister and environment minister, and IHH Executive Board member, Hüseyin Oruç.

The delegation that visited the Muhsin Yazıcıoğlu Village was greeted with Turkish flags and flowers. In his speech, BBP head Topçu thanked IHH for organizing the construction of the houses, and gave the keys to the homes to those homeless Pakistani people. The BBP plans to establish four more villages in the region.

The construction of the İsmailağa Village, consisting of 25 houses, has been completed; these buildings were also donated to victims of the flood. Construction has also begun on a mosque in the village.

A village consisting of 35 houses was built in the city of D. I. Khan; the foundations were laid for the Bursa Village, consisting of 80 houses.

Villages are being established for flood victims

Emergency aid ACTIVITIES

42

Defne is en route to Pakistan

IHH – which sent 441,823

kilograms of aid supplies by

cargo plane and freight train to

Pakistan after the regional flooding –

is now bringing more aid to Pakistan

on the Defne, cargo ship. With

the support of our volunteers, who

began their efforts with the slogan

“81 18-wheelers from (Turkey’s) 81

provinces”, aid supplies have been

collected from different cities in

Anatolia to be brought to Pakistan on

board the Defne.

The Defne carrying nearly 1,000

tons of supplies worth to 8 million

TL to Pakistan; the materials –

including dry foods, textile, furniture,

construction and medical supplies,

water filtration devices, water motors,

agricultural tools, cleaning supplies,

kitchenware, stationery supplies,

tents, generators, etc. –set sail on

December 31, 2010 and will reach

Pakistan in January.

Emergency aidACTIVITIES

Support for the victims of the disaster in IndonesiaAs a result of the volcanic

eruption of the Gunung Merapi volcano in Yogyakarta city,

Indonesia, 28 people lost their lives. Because of the volcanic eruption, 14,000 people had to leave their homes. After the disaster in Indonesia, IHH started a relief effort in the

region. The relief teams first delivered emergency supplies to 100 families in the Purwibinangun refugee camp. In addition to blankets, clothes and cleaning materials, food packages, including chickpeas, milk, clean drinking water and canned meat, were distributed.

43Emergency aid ACTIVITIES

44 Health aid

43,681 people say “hello” to a beam of light

300 people in Sudan have regained their eye sight

With the Cataract Project that IHH has supported in Africa, 157,524 people have had eye screening tests in the last three years, with

43,681 individuals receiving operations to regain their sight. The operation, which costs 65 or $80, is financed with donations from Turkish volunteers.

12 million people throughout Africa have a problem with their eye sight; half of these are cataract patients. In the countries that are on the Sahara strip, like Niger, Chad, Mali, Burkina Faso and Ethiopia, there is approximately

one doctor to every 40,000 people; millions of people have never seen a doctor in their lives. In 2007 with your support IHH Humanitarian Relief Foundation started a campaign, with the slogan “If you see, they will see”; this project supported cataract operations in Africa, helping patients to see the light. 43,681 people have regained their eyesight with these operations in countries ranging from Benin, Ghana, Togo, Niger, Burkina Faso, Sudan and Ethiopia to Somalia. Dozens of ophthalmologists and nurses have gone to the region from Turkey to carry out the operations.

As a joint venture with the Islamic Development Bank and IHH, in the city of Wau, in the south of Sudan, health screenings and operations were carried

out. At the Ophthalmology Polyclinic of the Wau Teaching Hospital, 1,000 people were given eye examinations by the IHH health team. After the examinations, 300 cataract

patients were operated on. Protective glasses against harmful solar rays and medication were distributed.

The South Sudan Health Minister, Dr. Isaac Clent, thanked the health team who had carried out the operations and the Turkish benefactors.

ACTIVITIES

45

The Chechen refugees who sought refuge in Turkey are staying in camps in Fenerbahçe, Beykoz and Ümraniye in Istanbul and in the General Directorate of Agricultural

Enterprises’ camp in Yalova. Approximately 50 children from 26 families live at the camp in Yalova. IHH set up a playground for the children who are living under difficult circumstances at the camp. The children welcomed the swings and slide with delight.

Many families from East Turkistan, living in the Zeytinburnu district of

Istanbul, had to leave their country due to Chinese pressure and are trying to resume their lives in Istanbul. The Meskhetian Turks, who were deported by Stalin in 1944, were forcibly settled in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and

Uzbekistan. During Stalin’s purge of the Turks along the Black Sea coast the Meskhetian Turk families who were deported sought refuge in Turkey; a significant portion of these families reside in Yenibosna.

IHH provides temporary assistance to refugees who live in difficult conditions.

Food aid was provided to 100 East Turkistan families in Zeytinburnu and 150 Meskhetian Turk families in Yenibosna. The basic food aid packages, which consist of staples such as flour, sugar, pasta, oil, dried beans and breakfast food, contain enough to feed a family of four for two months.

Food aid to Meskhetian Turksand East Turkistan refugees

Domestic aid

300 people in Sudan have regained their eye sight

Playground for Chechen children

ACTIVITIES

46

Turkey acts both as a destination and a transition for people who have been forced to leave their

homeland for a number of reasons. But under international treaties the people who come to Turkey from countries other than Europe are not considered to be refugees. These people can receive temporary asylum in Turkey only until their status has been decided upon.

IHH Humanitarian Relief Foundation is helping the emigrants who are trying to adjust to Turkey and struggling

to survive to live in more humane conditions, providing them with periodical subsidies such as fuel, food and clothing.

As part of these benefits in the new academic year we distributed stationery to 88 Chechen refugee students who were living in camps around Beykoz, Ümraniye and Fenerbahçe in Istanbul, and 60 Chechen and 45 Meskhetian refugees who are residing in a number of places.

The stationery needs of 193 refugee students have been met

Domestic aidACTIVITIES

47

With the contributions of IHH, the mosque which Fahri Yaldız laid the foundations for in his home province of Adıyaman has

been completed; the foundations for this mosque were laid in the Başlı village by Fahri Yaldız before he set off on Mavi Marmara, where he was martyred on May 21, 2010, during an attack by Israeli military forces. The mosque is now open to the public.

The AK Party Erzurum member of parliament, Prof. İbrahim Kavas, the Adıyaman Mayor, M. Necip Büyükaslan, IHH Executive Board Member, Attoy Gülden Sönmez, Hafidh’ul Qur’an Shaykh Riyad al-Bustanji from the Palestinian al-Khalil, YADER President, Abdurrahman Gürbüzcan, and many other guests attended the opening.

Martyr Fahri Yaldız Mosque opens for worship

Domestic aid ACTIVITIES

Nine aid volunteers were

killed and over 50

more were wounded

as a result of the Israeli attack

on May 31, 2010 against Gaza

Flotilla conveying humanitarian

aid to Gaza. In September, the

United Nations published a report

documenting the illegality of the

attack. IHH Humanitarian Relief

Foundation, which is making

efforts in every field to secure

justice against the perpetrators

of the attack, has taken the Mavi

Marmara case to the International

Criminal Court. A delegation made

up of IHH administrators, Ahmet

Doğan, the father of the martyred

Furkan Doğan, as well as other

victims and lawyers, has presented

the case petition and file to the

chief prosecutor’s office of the

International Criminal Court in The

Hague.

Should the court agree to hear the

case, this will pave the way for the

trial of those who gave approval for

the attack on the Mavi Marmara,

including the Israeli Prime Minister,

Benjamin Netanyahu, the foreign

minister, Avigdor Lieberman, the

Defense Minister, Ehud Barak,

the Chief of General Staff, Gabi

Ashkenazi, and other responsible

individuals.

Mavi Marmara case at the International Criminal Court

48 Awareness raisingACTIVITIES

49

IHH directors and volunteers gathered in Kuzuluk

IHH hosted visitors to the MUSIAD Fair

Awareness raising

The Independent Industrialists and Businessmen’s Association (MUSIAD) was held at the World Trade Center

for the 13th time in October. 611 local and foreign firms, including the IHH Humanitarian Relief Foundation, attended the fair. At the IHH stall, information was given about the water wells sunk in Africa and other countries, organizations for orphans, cataract surgery in various regions of the world and the Eid al-Adha organizations. In addition, materials for the projects that were realized during Ramadan were presented to the visitors. A special section of the stall was allocated to the Mavi Marmara. The IHH stall aroused considerable interest among the visitors.

IHH Humanitarian Relief Foundation executives and

volunteers gathered in Kuzuluk for the annual evaluation

meeting. In the meeting, the activities carried out during

the year were discussed. Volunteers were thanked for their

contributions to the activities of the foundation. In particular,

the successful and devoted works of the women volunteers

were focused on. IHH volunteers from different countries

presented the activities they carried out in their regions.

Participants were informed about aid support to Pakistan

and the 2010 Eid al-Adha Organizations. At the end of the

meeting, an IHH Humanitarian Relief Foundation executive

made a speech and thanked all the volunteers.

ACTIVITIES

50 FUTURE PROJECTS IN BRIEF

ARAŞTIR-MA 51FUTURE PROJECTS IN BRIEF

In 1991, when the Soviet Union disintegrated, Kazakhstan, a country with a population of 16 million,

declared its independence. Three-quarters of the population of the nation, -- home to 131 different ethnic groups, -- is Muslim. In Kazakhstan, where various educational aid is provided as part of IHH’s social aid activities, a construction “project that is waiting to be brought to life includes the planned

construction of a student dormitory for secondary school-aged students is waiting to be implemented in the historic city of Taraz. The dormitory, which can house 60 students, is to be established upon a 1,000-square-meter plot of land and will present an opportunity for free boarding for needy and orphaned children. The three-story dormitory building will include a kitchen, dining hall, meeting room,

laundry facility, study hall, guest room, administrative offices, four classrooms and eight sleeping quarters. The dormitory building will provide boarding services for 32 students, as well as providing an opportunity for 24 day students to benefit from study, guidance and other activities. The 300,000 euro project is planned to be completed in nine months after the funds have been procured.

Kazakhstan Taraz student dormitory project

Project of village for Gazan orphans

A large percentage of the Palestinian people, who have been under

Israeli occupation since 1948, live in refugee camps in neighboring Arab lands or third countries. Palestinian lands are encircled by ever-expanding Jewish settlements and security walls. As for the Gaza Strip, it is in a state of complete isolation from the world due to the embargo that has been imposed on it since 2004. According to the

latest research, in Gaza – where 1,500 Palestinians were killed during Operation Cast Lead, which began in December 2008 and lasted 18 days – there are over 24,000 orphans. In Gaza, which has been one of the most important regions to which IHH has been conveying humanitarian aid since its establishment, a new project is to be realized; the establishment of an orphan village for 600 orphans. The orphan village will contain an orphanage and school building, as

well as a cultural center, masjid, workshops, health center, market, cafeteria, guest house, meeting room and recreational areas. At the present stage of the project, which is a first of its kind in Gaza, the necessary preparations have been completed for the construction of the meeting room and masjid. If funding is secured for the rest of the project, it will be completed within 12-15 months. The total project cost is 2,773,870 euros.

52

Rehabilitation center for Palestinian refugees and disabled children in Lebanon

Palestinians, who were driven from their lands in 1948 sought refuge in many countries;

one of the leading ones is Lebanon. Health services and educational opportunities are severely limited in the Lebanese refugee camps; here 450,000 Palestinian refugees have struggled to live for generations while

deprived of basic rights, like citizenship, employment and travel. It is the children who are the greatest victims in the camps. Over 15,000 refugees live at the Baddawi Refugee Camp, set up in north Lebanon in 1955. As part of an IHH project at the Baddawi Camp, there are plans to establish a center that will provide services for children

with physical and mental disabilities. The 400-square-meter rehabilitation center, which will include recreational, education and therapy rooms, will cost a total of 213,355 euros, including expenditures for land and construction, educational, recreational and therapy materials, as well as employment opportunities.

The wounds are being bound in Iraq, a country that underwent harrowing experiences during

the American invasion in 2003. In the country, where millions are homeless and 5 million children have been orphaned, humanitarian aid groups have an important duty to help the Iraqi people get back on their feet.

An occupational education center that aims to bring occupational skills to Iraqi women who are struggling to make ends meet after having lost their husbands is being brought to life in Baghdad. Courses in needlework, cooking, bridal gown sewing, toy making, hairdressing, computers and calligraphy will be taught at the

center, which will also include an administrative office and cafeteria. The total cost of the planned center, which is to provide education for 400 people annually, with a priority being given to widowed women and young orphan girls, is 102,055 euros.

Vocational education centers for Iraqi women

FUTURE PROJECTS IN BRIEF

53

Nyala, the capital of the Sudanese state of South Darfur, which is home

to 1.5 million people of different tribes, is a city receiving thousand of migrants due to the civil war that has continued for years. In this city, where the effects of the civil war are still felt, the state mechanisms are insufficient to meet the society’s economic, health and educational needs. IHH prioritizes projects that will produce long-term, lasting results in Africa, and is bringing to life a project for a new complex in Darfur which will include a school, masjid and ablutions hall. The 120-square-meter, two-story Abdülgani Aksüs Masjid was built in 2009 as part of the 950-square-meter complex. Construction of the school and ablutions section is planned to be completed within 8 months after funding has been secured. The project’s total cost, including the school building, bathrooms, ablutions section and walls to surround the complex, is $100,000.

Nepal Hilal School and Masjid project

Nepal is an Asian country of 29 million that shares borders with China and

India, which is home to over 60 ethnic groups; Muslims make up 8 percent of the population. In Nepal, one of the world’s poorest countries, Muslims live primarily in rural areas and earn their subsistence through agriculture. The country’s literacy rate is around 50 percent, and its educational system is insufficient, particularly in meeting the needs of minorities. In the city of Gassoki, which has a population of 88,000, - 80 percent of which is Muslim, there are plans to construct a masjid

and extra classrooms for the Hilal School, which provides services to Muslims. At the present time, at the 850-student-capacity Hilal School, 100 students receive their lessons outside the school building, in flimsy huts set up on the bare earth. The five supplementary 35-student classrooms will serve students in the eighth, ninth and tenth grades. The classrooms will cost 43,200 euros to build, while the masjid will cost 17,270 euros. It is hoped that the project will be completed within one year after the project’s funding has been secured.

School and masjid project in DarfurSchool and masjid project in Darfur

FUTURE PROJECTS IN BRIEF

Volunteer activities54

With the support of its volunteers, IHH has brought the joy of

Eid al-Adha to 125 countries and regions in this, its 19th year. Upon their return from these countries, as a result of their research in the field, IHH members have planned a number of projects and volunteers are now rolling up their sleeves to bring them about. While IHH volunteers carry out activities to realize the sustainable projects that have been planned in order to provide

solutions for those in need, they are also continuing work to increase awareness, including organizing conferences, photograph exhibitions, etc. IHH has organized nearly 100 different activities to raise funds in support of the efforts to help the victims of the flood which struck Pakistan in July. In addition, volunteers are participating in efforts that will support other IHH projects, including orphan care projects, water well constructions and cataract operations. In the three-month period that

has just finished, our young volunteers have followed the example of their elders, and have supported us in all our efforts. Presentations concerned with IHH and its activities have been given to groups of children of different ages who visited the foundation; in particular, detailed information was given about the Sponsor Family System, which is being run in 27 countries. Our young volunteers also donated their allowances to help with the Eid al-Adha Qurban project.

Thousands of hearts beat in goodwill

ACTIVITIES

55Volunteer activities ACTIVITIES

56 Volunteer ActivitiesACTIVITIES

Volunteers compete in good worksIHH volunteers sprung into action for the victims of the floods in Pakistan, arranging many events in Istanbul and various parts of Anatolia. Our volunteers in Tekirdağ, Erzurum, Van and Istanbul’s Kâğıthane, Beyoğlu, Bağcılar and Gaziosmanpaşa organized charity sales and fund-raising events, donating the proceeds to Pakistan.

The Çınar Association in Kartal organized fund-raising events for flood victims in Pakistan. Our volunteers from the Erzurum Azam-Der Association also held a charity sale, using the proceeds to buy a water purification device to send to Pakistan. Our Beyoğlu volunteers organized a bake-sale at the district bazaar in Fatih’s Çarşamba district; this lasted for six weeks.

Our volunteers in the Bakırköy, Kartal, Pendik and Üsküdar districts of Istanbul and our volunteers in Tokat sold tickets for a breakfast program to raise funds for the construction of houses in Pakistan. Volunteers from the Üsküdar YEK-DER Association also organized a fund-raising breakfast for the “Üsküdar Village” residential project in Pakistan.

Students from the Istanbul Devran Private Candlelight Social Aid Club donated 6,650 TL to IHH for Pakistan, using their own allowances and contributions from their parents.

Displaying an example of social responsibility, IHH Diyarbakır volunteers worked to aid people with disabilities in their region; in cooperation with the Disabled Persons’ Aid Association, 10 wheelchairs were

donated to citizens with disabilities who cannot afford to purchase a

wheelchair.

Support for students IHH Seydişehir volunteers created

sets of backpacks, notebooks, books,

pencils, erasers, protractors and

various stationery supplies and gave

them as gifts to needy children in

Konya’s Seydişehir villages and the

towns of Başkaraören, Ortakaraören,

Dikilitaş and Mesudiye.

Photographs tell the storyOur volunteers set up information stands in Tekirdağ, Erzurum, Van and Istanbul as part of IHH’s 2010 Eid al-Adha Qurban (sacrifice) Organization in Pakistan; they organized a photographic exhibition about the “flooding in Pakistan”.

For an informed futureIHH volunteers in Adapazarı,

Çanakkale, Bursa, Balıkesir, Tokat,

Yalova and Istanbul districts of

Sultanbeyli, Esenler, Fatih, Ümraniye,

Bakırköy, Bayrampaşa, Merter, Şişli,

Pendik, Kadıköy, Kartal, Kâğıthane

and Güngören and volunteers from

Esenler The Center for Education

and Culture, YEK-DER, Derya Öncü

Private High School and the İsar

Group held conferences and seminars

concerned with the efforts to help

flood victims in Pakistan, Eid al-Adha

fund-raising, and care for orphans, as

well as incident of the Mavi Marmara.

As part of the conferences and

presentations, students at BAYGEM,

Günışığı, Sultan Fatih Private High

School and Aydın University were

provided with information about the

importance of charity and the activities

run by IHH on five continents and in

125 countries and regions.

Holding orphans’ handsThis year, the Kayseri Humanitarian Relief Foundation organized its third drive for holiday clothing and shoes for orphans, giving the gift of holiday clothing, including trousers, shirts, T-shirts, sweaters, coats, skirts, shoes, boots and sneakers to 82 families and 125 orphans.

With the support of generous donations, the Bridge of Hearts Association in Diyarbakır and the Diyarbakır Humanitarian Relief Association met with 150 orphans at the historic Hasanpaşa Han. During the breakfast program, businessmen and orphans came together, and the children who participated in the program were given books and watches.

The aid sent by the truckloadVolunteers all across Turkey have begun working to help the victims of the flood in Pakistan, sending aid containers they have collected to Istanbul. The aid is to travel to Pakistan on board the cargo ship Defne; they set out on journey with

57Volunteer Activities ACTIVITIES

the slogan “81 containers from (Turkey’s) 81 provinces.” In addition to aid collected by our volunteers in Diyarbakır, Malatya and Kayseri, IHH Ankara and Ağrı volunteers gathered 200,000 TL in cash aid and four trucks loaded with aid materials were sent to Istanbul. Volunteers from Çorum sent 100,000 TL in provisions and a truckload of aid supplies consisting of clothing and home furnishings to our foundation. An aid campaign run by Şafak Yıldızı, Çağlayan Friendship and Solidarity and Gökkuşağı Family Associations, the Ensar Foundation and IHH volunteers filled a container with aid supplies for flood victims in Pakistan; this trailer was loaded onto the Defne. As a result of the incredible efforts of the İZYAD workers coupled with great interest from donors in İzmir a container full of dry goods, food products like flour and olives, blankets, rugs and clothing, worth nearly 400,000 TL was also sent to Istanbul. IHH volunteers in Nevşehir also supported our campaign with the project, “You send a blanket, too!”.

Drop by drop, a lake was formed In Zanzibar, Tanzania, a madrasah was opened thanks to funding secured by IHH volunteers from Erzurum. Following the opening of the madrasah, the women in Erzurum have now begun efforts to raise money to meet the educational costs of the students.

Through the donations of IHH volunteers in Yenibosna, the Mavi Marmara water well began to

operate in Chad, and donations from the Hilal Group enabled the opening of the Lady Khadijah water well in Somalia.

Craftsmen in Denizli’s Serinhisar district’s Yatağan Town organized a campaign following the flooding disaster in Pakistan, sending 3,000 kitchen implements to IHH for flood victims.

AYDER volunteers donated stationery and school supplies to orphaned and needy children ahead of the new school year. Distributing stationery supplies to 100 children living in various districts of Konya, AYDER also donated assorted school supplies to 50 orphaned and needy children in different regions.

Volunteers from IHH and the Konya Anatolian Humanitarian Aid Foundation donated shoes to needy students at the Seydişehir İmam-Hatip High School and Anadolu İmam Hatip High School.

Mass wedding ceremony in Palestinian refugee camp On Friday, October 1, 2010, a mass wedding ceremony was held for 600 Palestinian couples at the Yarmuk Palestinian Refugee Camp in the Syrian capital city of Damascus. Volunteers from IHH Humanitarian Relief Foundation in Konya, Adana and Kayseri attended.

58 FOCUS

The role of NGOs against policies that cause humanitarian crises

The role of NGOs against policies that cause humanitarian crises

Av. Gülden SÖNMEZ

It is a source of hope that NGOs, which are the voice of people, are active in the solutions to the problems that are caused by humanitarian crisis.

The great crises that humanity experiences, with the exception of natural disasters, are the

results of policies that are formed by man. Exponential increases in armament budgets every year and policies developed in parallel with this have taken on a new dimension that threatens all of humanity. Supporters of war and occupation, who constantly produce new arguments, develop active policies in this direction. After September 11th, human rights and freedoms have been sacrificed for “security concerns.” In this environment, important tasks fall upon all; it is the NGOs that speak out against policies that are aimed at curbing fundamental rights and freedoms based on the concept of the “war on terror.” Contrary to government policies which are in pursuit of a variety of interests, the issue of human rights and freedoms offers shelter for all in a civil society that acts on the basis of good faith and morals, no matter where they are in the world, and different ideological and faith-based groups come together for the same purpose to act in an organized manner. The implementation of human rights for all people on a just and moral axis will fundamentally change the number and profile of people in need around the world. With advances in communication, NGOs that conduct many large-scale and successful operations around the world can act like states if they work in cooperation. We can see that NGOs which are active in the international arena are effective in certain instances where states cannot get involved. Today, many states have become aware of the power of the NGOs that expose the human rights violations that occur within their

own borders to the entire world while seeking a solution with the support of the people. NGOs, in particular those working in the field of humanitarian aid, have acted as a lifeline for people

who have fallen victim to the great humanitarian crises of recent years. NGOs are effective in preventing the serious consequences people might otherwise have to face in major humanitarian crises that are caused by states, based on reasons such as sovereignty. The current situation requires the formation of a legal basis for the creation of a common language between NGOs and national and international institutions regarding state and international mechanisms. The increasingly effective role of NGOs within the United Nations system and the reports prepared by the UN agencies reveal many of the problems experienced in the field of human rights, thus forcing governments to find solutions for these matters. Governments are obliged to improve their practices and change domestic laws. Human beings have to act to support one another, as this is part of their nature. Throughout history, people in better conditions have supported people in difficult positions, or people in the

same position have supported one another. This solidarity manifests itself under different names and in different ways. Sometimes help is offered by individuals, sometimes by NGOs, sometimes by common platforms of people and organizations, and sometimes by states or mechanisms that have been created by the state.

FOCUS 59The role of NGOs against policies that cause humanitarian crises

60

We can see how these mechanisms act to supply humanitarian aid in situations in which crises arise, such as wars, natural disasters, epidemics, or chronic poverty.

IHH, which was established during the Bosnian War, achieved a first in Turkey; the activities organized by a group of volunteers transformed IHH from a national organization into an

international structure that delivers aid overseas. IHH has had a unique stance since its establishment and works with an understanding that can be described as “preventive medicine.” IHH’s mission can be described briefly as follows: “IHH is not only a relief foundation that provides aid to people in need, it is also a foundation that battles, within a legal framework, the policies that cause people to be in need of aid.” This is because the roots of the problems that require humanitarian

aid are generally political, with the exception of natural disasters, such as earthquakes, floods, etc. For example, it is well known that the conditions of Palestine and Iraq have been caused by the international policies of the United States, Israel, and the UK. In this case, efforts should be made to put an end to the occupation in Iraq, in addition to providing humanitarian aid. The cause of hunger and poverty

in Africa is a result of the colonial mentality that has been present on this continent. Humanitarian aid organizations, of course, should maintain their positions and remain outside political manipulations in relations to states, but this does not remove the necessity of affecting political processes that will eliminate the causes. There is no doubt of the vital importance of humanitarian aid organizations in wars, disasters, etc. However, permanent long-term projects

and the creation of conditions in which people can provide for themselves and sustain their own lives sometimes means improving the conditions of a society and sometimes a country. Therefore, it is best to assess all aspects of humanitarian activities and all methods must be implemented effectively. In addition, in the future, national and international mechanisms should develop policies to ease the

activities of humanitarian organizations and take preventative measures. The exemplary position of IHH, which has been continuously and successfully working in this area for many years, as well as the Gaza Humanitarian Aid Flotilla, which set sail for the sake of humanitarian aid and to put an end to the illegal embargo on Gaza, have been admired and are a source of inspiration for many national and international humanitarian aid organizations.

FOCUS The role of NGOs against policies that cause humanitarian crises

61

People from Africa, Latin America, Asia, and the Middle East support this movement. However, there have been significant campaigns against human rights and the humanitarian aid organizations that are involved in the crisis and which are demanding justice and freedom (with statements such as, “it supports terrorism, it is a radical group, and they support such and such organization,” etc...) by

the powers that be, whose interests have been adversely affected by such actions. In fact, this issue was taken up in the conclusion of the humanitarian assistance flotilla report of the UN Human Rights Council; the Council focused the attention of the international community on this issue. The report says: “The Mission had given thought to the position of humanitarian organizations who wish to intervene in situations of long-standing human crisis where the international community is

unwilling, for whatever reason, to take positive action. Too often they are accused of being meddlesome and at worst terrorists or enemy agents.”

It should not be forgotten that major humanitarian crises not only threaten one society, but all of humanity. For example, when US invaded Iraq, humanitarian problems in Iraq not only affected the region, but the

entire world. Many NGOs, from very different backgrounds and ideologies, came together to form one of the most important cooperative efforts in the world and history to prevent the invasion; significant efforts were made. As an aid organization IHH Humanitarian Relief Foundation organized meetings and activities and worked for the activation of the UN and other international mechanisms to prevent the invasion before more people became victims. IHH is carrying

out projects to change the situation with an awareness that the poverty and chronic problems in Africa stem from the mentality created by colonialism and the effect of colonial powers on local governments. Against a number of unlawful practices, such as the Israeli occupation of Palestine, the embargo, etc., IHH is delivering aid to Palestinian people in need, as well as working on an international scale to end

the Israeli policies which have led to humanitarian crises, in order to solve the problems of the Palestinian people, who are constantly in need of aid. The most important source of hope today is that NGOs, the voice of the people, will play a more decisive role in forming solutions to the problems that have been caused by the humanitarian crises illustrated above.

IHH achieved a first in Turkey; the activities organized by a group of volunteers transformed IHH from a national organization into one with an international structure that delivers aid overseas. Since its establishment,

IHH has adopted a unique stance, and works with an understanding that can be described as “preventive medicine.”

FOCUSThe role of NGOs against policies that cause humanitarian crises

62 IN THE FIELD

The gates of mercy in Pankisi Allah says: “My wrath is surpassed my mercy!”The sad-eyed orphan is a statue of mercy... N. F. Kısakürek

The gates of mercy in Pankisi

Mustafa ÖZTÜRK

63

Pankisi Gorge is located on the Georgian-Chechen border, 190 km northeast of

Tbilisi, in Georgia. 8,000 to 12,000 Chechens sought refuge in the region during war in Chechnya, and many Chechen refugees live in the 65 km long gorge.

We sacrificed the animals, the Qurbans, that had been entrusted to us in Georgia, where we were for the occasion of Eid, and we visited and donated Eid clothing and orphan allowances to the orphaned children of the valiant children of Caucasia, who fear nothing but Allah.

Every orphan we visit in Pankisi has a different story. Their stories are so touching that you do not know how to make sense of what you hear… We feel as if we have experienced the cruelty as we

listen to what the Russians did to the Chechens. There are tens of orphaned children in the region. Most of them are living with their grandmothers and grandfathers. Some of their fathers were martyred, some are lost in Russian prisons; some children have lost both parents and are staying with relatives, while others do not even know the fate of their parents...

Each family has losses. Losses that are awaited for with the hope that the loved ones will return one day. The things I see and hear here remind me of Aynuddin, who became a martyr in a plane crash in May, in Afghanistan. The Russians took his mother and father away when he was a little boy. He waited for years with the hope that they might return one day, but to no avail. No one came back, nor was there any news about them.

The gates of mercy in Pankisi IN THE FIELD

64

A woman holds my hand, talking to me in a grief-stricken voice.

This old woman, whose face is as wrinkly as a dried apple, is the grandmother of three orphans. It is obvious that she is forcing herself not to cry. She is holding her patience in her hand, squeezing it hard, in order to imprison the tears in her eyes. She looks at me in the way that only a patient, who knows he is going to die, looks at his image in a mirror. The old woman, who is perhaps in the winter of her life and has been left alone with three young grandchildren, finds peace knowing that someone will take care of the children after her. She cannot control her feelings anymore when we are leaving. She holds me by the hand, pulls me towards her, and hugs me. I cannot hold back my tears any longer...

Then, we set off for another house. It is truly dark now. We want to visit as many children as possible today.

We enter through another door. Another grandmother welcomes us. We see this old man, yet he is young, lying on a bed in the house. This is an old man, who raised heroes and valiant men, who became legends. This disease, which is eating away at his body, has caused his cheeks to droop, made his lips pale, thinned his neck, and shriveled his hands. It is obvious that he is in the grip of a relentless disease. Perhaps he is going to leave his little orphaned grandchild alone with the grandmother very soon. After celebrating their Eid, enquiring about their well-being, and delivering their orphan allowance, we head towards the house of another child.

We go to Ahmet’s house afterwards; Ahmet has not left our side all day long. Who is Ahmet? He is a clever boy who at this young age has learned Turkish from cartoons. He has never been to Turkey. “Ahmet” I say, “Where is your father?” “I don’t

know,” he says. The Russians took his father. Nobody knows where he is, or if he is still alive. The words become a lump in my throat. Silence covers everywhere. The children are changing, but the scenery remains almost the same. He is very happy that we came to his house. He is running around us. He serves us fruit, walnuts, and rolls.

Some of the children we visit have tears in their eyes, some have sad smiles on their faces, and some have a deep tranquility. Their demeanor says the same thing, even though I do not understand their language. Sometimes, they look very happy and do not seem to care, but they have deep wounds within them. Maybe we can help them with their financial problems, but they do not have a father who will pat their heads or a mother upon whose bosom they can sleep, inhaling her scent... We feel that all these children are gates of mercy for us when we leave.

The gates of mercy in Pankisi IN THE FIELD

65

KamçatkaSerkan NERGİS

We experience the happiness of performing the Eid prayer, shoulder to shoulder,

standing in line with our brothers, before all the other Muslims in the world.

The place where the sun first rises, Kamchatka

The place where the sun first rises, Kamchatka

For the 19th IHH Humanitarian Relief Foundation Qurban Organization, we went to the

most eastern point of the world, Kamchatka. Kamchatka is an autonomous region of Russia with a population of about 250,000. Here, the main economic activity is fishing. Because of the surrounding glaciers and volcanic mountains, there are no roads; transportation in Kamchatka is provided only by air and sea. The most important feature of Kamchatka is that the International Date Line passes between Kamchatka and

Alaska. The day for the world begins in Kamchatka. Here, the rising sun is considered to be the first rising sun for the day throughout the world. Despite being adjacent, Alaska is one whole day behind Kamchatka.

The volcanic mountains surrounding the city center of Kamchatka are an amazing sight. You can easily see the fumes rising from some of the mountains that are active volcanoes.

Here, the morning prayer is the first morning prayer in the world. We

learn from our brothers, who guide us, that there are nearly 20,000 Muslims in the region. Azeris, Meskhetian Turks, Uzbeks, Tatars, Tajiks, Dagestanis, Chechens... But there are no mosques in the region where Muslims can worship together; there’s only a small masjid, which is the ground floor of a building that has been provided by the autonomous government and which can only accommodate 40 people.

The autonomous government allocated a piece of land to Muslims to build a mosque, but even though

IN THE FIELD

the foundations have been laid, the building has not been able to be completed due to various reasons; in the end the land was taken back from the Muslims, and a huge sports complex was built on it. Instead, the Muslims were given the apartment on the ground floor of the building they are now using. The regional government allocated another piece of land to the Muslims in 2006 on which to build a mosque; this is on the busiest street of the city center, but they have been unable to make use of this land yet. Their greatest fear at the present time is that this land will also be taken from them, and they will be given a spot far away from the city center.

Preparations for Eid

We wake up with snow on the day before Eid. Here, when the snow begins to fall, you never know how long it will last. We have difficulty walking in the blizzard.

If you do not walk with the wind behind you, you can only see 50 meters ahead. Seeing the scenery after the snow, we understand why this place is referred to as the “land of

fire and ice”; this is a land of ice with dozens of volcanoes ready to erupt.

The same day, we leave for the Koryaki region, which is 150 km from the city center, to tend to the Qurbans that people from Turkey have donated to us. This region takes its name from the native people of Kamchatka, the Koryaks. The Koryaks gave their name to the region, but they do not live here; they live in the glacier area 700 km away from the city center, where the temperature can reach -60°C.

After taking care of the sacrifices in Koryaki at a farm left from the

Soviet era, we return on the same

icy road. We go back to our hotel early, because it gets dark at 16:00 here. In Kamchatka, it is winter for nine months of the year, and spring the other three months. While it gets dark at four o’clock in the afternoon in winter, there is sunlight for 20 hours during the spring. The sun sets at midnight and rises at four o’clock in the morning. The sea cools down even more in the spring, because of the melting glaciers.

We enter Eid first

As members of the IHH team we experienced the happiness of performing the Eid prayer on the first day of Eid, shoulder to shoulder, in the same line with our brothers, before all the other Muslims in the world.

We go to the only mosque in the region, where 20,000 Muslims live, for the Eid prayer. We see that the mosque is full. There are more people waiting outside than inside. They immediately open the first lines for us, because we are guests. I prefer to stay outside of the room to observe what is happening. I wonder

66

The people we talk to cannot hide their surprise at our presence here. They have never witnessed such activity before. In fact, some women asked the imam the price of the meat, thinking that we were selling it.

The place where the sun first rises, Kamchatka IN THE FIELD

how all these people will perform the prayer. It is not possible to move when people form the lines for the Eid prayer. The obligatory practice of prostrating with the person praying in front of one takes on significance here. When I look out the window after the prayer I see a huge crowd. When we leave the mosque, these brothers enter the mosque. I learn from our friends that the Eid prayer is performed in groups, because of the lack of space. I pray with the second group, as I was videotaping while the first group was praying. Even the imam does not remember how many people prayed that day.

We go to the farm in Koryaki for the sacrifice. Chechen and Meskhetian Turk brothers join us to help. There is more snow here, and it is incredibly cold. We make sacrifice in the snow, which reaches our knees. We can only complete the sacrifice on the first day, because the days are short and the meat has to be distributed the following day.

“Is the meat for sale?”

When we go to the mosque to distribute the meat on the second day, we find a table set up for us. We talk to our brothers and sisters before breakfast. Most of the people are elderly Tatar women who came for the meat.

Here, Tatars are poorer than the other ethnic groups. The people we talk to cannot hide their surprise at our presence here. They have never witnessed such an activity before. In fact, some women asked the imam the price of the meat, thinking that we were selling it.

All the Muslims we speak to talk

about the same thing, the mosque. They all pray that Kamchatka will have a mosque as soon as possible. An elderly Tatar woman says: “We miss the adhan,” and an Azeri woman says: “I want to hear the adhan once more before I die”; these statements make an impact on all present.

After the conversation, we distribute the meat in the mosque. The Muslims, who get their share, pray for us, as we have come from the other side of the world for them. We experience the happiness of delivering the sacrifices donated by Turkish people, and meeting with our brothers and sisters here. After completing our work on the third day in Kamchatka, we start our journey back. We look at the three volcanoes standing side by side once more before boarding the plane. Kamchatka may be the other end of the world, but IHH, which acts with the awareness that all Muslims are brothers and sisters, continues to build bridges of goodness around the world.

67The place where the sun first rises, Kamchatka IN THE FIELD

Our first Eid in Poland68

Among Poland’s 38 million people, 60 percent of which identifies itself as Catholic, there are approximately 1,000 Poles who have chosen Islam and 5,000 Muslim

Tatars. There are also 25,000 Muslims who came to this country from the Muslim world for education or trade, and have settled here.

Muslims in Poland live in the Bohoniki, Kruszyniany, Bialystok, Warsaw, Gdansk, and Gorzov Wielkopolski regions. Here the Muslims conduct activities via the Poland Islamic Religious Association, the Polish Union of Muslims, the Muslim Society for Propagation and Culture of Islam, the Warsaw Islamic Center, and the Bialystok Islamic Center; it is through these organizations that they try to preserve their faith and culture.

The Muslim Representatives of the Country: Tatars

Muslim Tatars, who migrated to Poland from Lithuania in the 14th century, have been trying to preserve their religion and culture for centuries. The Tatars, who comprise part of

the foundation of Poland, live in the city of Bialystok, which is close to Lithuania, and in the villages of Bohoniki and Kruszyniany.

The Polish Muslim Tatars, whom we met with for the occasion of the Eid, meet in happiness. The occasion has become a bitter-sweet occasion as they are only able to come together during the Eid, and because today it is only a custom for the elderly.

The Tatar elders in the country worry about future generations due to the weak bond they have with their brothers and sisters in the Muslim world, and in particular the younger population, which is moving away from their religion, traditions, and culture.

Eid

We go to the Bialystok Islamic Center to perform the Eid prayer. The ground floor of the two-story building acts a mosque. Early in the morning, people, the majority of whom

Our first Eid in Poland Osman ATALAY

IN THE FIELD

Our first Eid in Poland 69IN THE FIELD

are past middle age, start coming to the mosque with bags in their hands. They give each other candies, chocolates, cakes, sweets, and cookies they have brought from home. Then, we listen to the Imam’s Eid sermon. After that, we sing hymns and we perform the prayer. We start exchanging greetings. Everyone talks to one another. Tatars coming from different villages and towns find the chance to have a friendly chat. It is obvious that they cannot meet often. Living in scattered areas is one of the factors behind this.

“If only the young were here…”

We spot the absence of the young, although Eid is a great opportunity for our brothers and sisters to see one another. We learn that the young children of the country’s Muslims are forgetting their mother tongue and their religion, and we sadly witness this situation during our visit to Poland. This is the main cause of sadness amongst the Muslim elders in the country, especially Mufti Tomasz Miskiewicz.

Cemetery visit

After exchanging greetings, we go to the village of Bohoniki to visit the cemetery, together with Mufti Tomasz. The cemetery is well-maintained and clean. New and old graves stand side by side, and are adorned with flowers. The Ottoman script and Besmele lines are engraved carefully on the gravestones. Although there are not many Tatars visiting, the visitors make an effort to read the Qur’an for the spirits of the deceased, and to maintain the traditions.

Our sacrifices are completed and are distributed

After the visit to the cemetery, we go to the Tykocin region to sacrifice 10 cattle. We spend the first day sacrificing, and the second day we distribute part of the sacrifice at the Bialystok Islamic Center. On the third day of Eid, we go to the refugee camp in Bialystok, where 300 Chechens live. The majority of the camp consists of women and children, and we learn that the camp is under the control of the Polish government, where the daily needs of the refugees are met by the UN and the Polish state. It makes us happy to see that Muslim Tatars help their Chechen brothers and sisters a lot, showing them a genuine interest

The problems of Muslims in the country

During our visit, we try to understand

the problems of the country’s

Muslims and to find solutions. The

most significant problems are that the

Our first Eid in Poland70

Muslims live in scattered areas, there

are problems in communication,

they have weak ties with the Muslim

world, and, most importantly, they

are becoming more and more

assimilated. In addition, it

comes to our attention that

they lack a radio channel,

magazine or newspaper.

Although the fact that

some Islamic centers

have been constructed in

recent years is promising

for the future, it is obvious

that these centers, which

can only be maintained with

the support provided, are not

very efficient.

Muslims in Poland are comfortable

and free, they are treated equal to

other people. With the economic

recovery that began in 2004,

when Poland joined the EU, the

living standards of Muslim Tatars

increased. In order to preserve their

language, religion, customs, and

traditions, and in order to transfer

the same to their children, they

need material and spiritual

support, religious texts,

theological scholars, and

organized and academic

support.

Farewell for now

We leave with the greetings

and prayers of our Muslim

Tatar brothers, who have been

struggling for their survival for 600

years, to their Turkish brothers, till

we meet again for Iftar dinners in

Ramadan.

IN THE FIELD

MAVI MARMARA IN CARTOONS 71