During the protest organized by retirees in front of the Constitutional Court (AYM) in Ankara, a retired citizen attempted suicide after saying "I am retired. I cannot make ends meet. My daughter-in-law is unemployed, my son-in-law is unemployed."
Retired police officer Ali Şekeroğlu, father of two children, who was hospitalized with serious injuries, could not be saved despite all the interventions.
Following the incident, many politicians and non-governmental organizations reacted to what happened and the economic conditions to which retirees were exposed.
İYİ Party Group Deputy Chairman Turhan Çömez, who visited Şekeroğlu in the hospital where he was treated, reacted to the living conditions of retirees with the following statements:
"The retiree is crying out. He is struggling to survive below the hunger line. Where in the world has there been a country that gives money to its retirees half the hunger limit? We have millions of retirees trying to hold on to life with 23 thousand liras. At a time when 28-year-old teenagers in Türkiye are playing with fortunes worth hundreds of billions of liras and living a luxurious and gaudy life with private planes worth 1 billion and yachts worth 750 million liras; he has saved his pennies and pennies." "It is a grave situation that our retirees are seeking their rights on the streets at a time when these gangs, who covet the labor of our people, live in debauchery."
"NO PERSON'S DESPERATION SHOULD GROW ENOUGH TO GIVE UP ON HIS LIFE"
Ankara Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Mansur Yavaş stated that he was sorry for what happened and made the following statement regarding the situation:
"I am very sorry... The fact that one of our retirees ended his life during the protest in Ankara where our retirees expressed their financial difficulties and demands for rights is the end of the conversation. No person's desperation should grow to the point of giving up on his life. May God have mercy on retired police officer Ali Şekeroğlu, and I wish patience to his family, relatives and loved ones."
"I INVITE THE GOVERNMENT TO MIND AND CONSCIENCE"
İYİ Party Chairman Müsavat Dervişoğlu included the following in his post:
"If a retiree who has served his state for years kills himself in search of rights, we are at a loss! May God have mercy on retired police officer Ali Şekeroğlu and offer my condolences to his relatives. I also call on the government, which does not see the problems our retirees are experiencing, to reason and conscience."
"SHAME ON YOU"
NEW Party Ankara Deputy Gamze Şengel Taşçıer also pointed out that the government's policies are responsible for what happened and gave the following reaction:
"The AKP government has not only reduced the income of retirees by reducing their purchasing power. It has also eroded people's confidence in life, their sense of the future and the opportunity to live honorably. Retirees, whom the government has been making to tighten their belts for 3 years, have now come to the point where they are "squeezing themselves".
This result was created by the income and distribution policies followed for years. These did not happen spontaneously. There are those who make the decisions. There are those who make the choices. Those who pay the price are millions of retirees.
That's why it's heartbreaking that a retiree attempted suicide in front of the Constitutional Court today. Because retirees have been told "be patient" for three years. For three years, sacrifice has always been expected from retirees, workers and those with fixed incomes.
What the palace regime saw as savings accumulated as poverty, debt and despair in people's lives. What happened before the Constitutional Court today shows that the social cost of these policies has become too heavy to be described in numbers. Shame on you."
"THIS PLAGUE IS ON EVERYONE OF US"
NEW Party Group Deputy Chairman Murat Emir also expressed his reaction to the incident as follows:
"Don't forget this name: Ali Şekeroğlu. He is a retired police officer, father of two children. He only had the Turkish flag on his back, he was in front of the Constitutional Court today; he is no longer with us. While his 25-year-old children took the funds and money and were protected, those who gave their lives to this country were sentenced to death. This blame is on all of you!"
"THE PENSIONERS' STRUGGLE FOR HONOR IS ALL OF US!"
From the LEFT Party: "Those who condemn retirees to death will definitely be held accountable!" The reaction statement under the title included the following:
"Today, one of the retirees who met in front of the Constitutional Court for their rights attempted suicide due to his despair. “Not for money, but for HONOR!” Never forget this saying. On the one hand, a handful of minorities who have added to their wealth through various profiteers, and on the other hand, millions of retirees who have worked a lifetime and today are condemned to hunger, poverty and misery... The struggle for HONOR of the retirees who have worked a lifetime to walk with their heads held high and with dignity belongs to ALL OF US!”
"IT IS CAPITAL AND THE PALACE ORDER THAT DRIVED RETIRED ALI TO SUICIDE!"
EMEP Party Chairman Seyit Aslan also reacted to the events as follows:
"It is the capital and the Palace order that drove retiree Ali to suicide! During the protest held in front of the Constitutional Court by retirees, who were condemned to live on salaries half the hunger limit, demanding a progressive increase in their pensions, a retired police officer, father of two children, tried to end his life with his service pistol. This is not an ordinary suicide attempt.
A retiree condemned to poverty was dragged to suicide step by step by the Palace order. What happened in front of the Constitutional Court building was designed by the government and happened in plain sight. Responsible for poverty that drives retirees to suicide; It is the capitalist order itself that turns the country into a paradise for capital and hell for workers.
Those who drive retirees to suicide are the ones who condemn retirees to starvation while transferring trillions to loan sharks under the name of interest payments. Those who drive retirees to suicide are the ones who transfer billions of dollars to gangs of five and pro-contractors under the name of "guarantee payments" while imprisoning retirees in cooped-up hotel rooms.
Those who push retirees to suicide are the ones who increase the interest burden on retirees, who can only survive with debt, while pouring cheap loans into the capital. We call out to all workers, laborers and retirees who feel alone and helpless in this situation! You are not alone, we are not alone! We can change this system of exploitation by uniting! We must unite immediately to change this order!”
"THIS IS THE POINT TO WHICH RETIRED PEOPLE ARE BROUGHT IN OUR COUNTRY!"
The following reaction came from the Union of Chambers of Turkish Engineers and Architects regarding the incident:
"A retired citizen of ours, who participated in the protest held in front of the Constitutional Court in Ankara demanding a pay raise, attempted suicide by shouting that he could not make ends meet. This is the point where retirees have been brought in our country!
While the anti-labor and anti-people economic policies implemented by the political power for years put the entire burden of the economic crisis on the shoulders of workers and retirees; It has left millions of our citizens alone with hunger, poverty and livelihood concerns.
These policies, which liquidate the social state concept and use public resources in line with the interests of capital instead of the needs of society, are unacceptable. Millions of our citizens who have worked for this country for years; cannot be condemned to wages below the hunger line, poverty and anxiety about making ends meet.
An income that retirees can live on decently is not a blessing of the social security system, but a reward for years of effort. Humane life is a civil right! Our retirees are not condemned to hunger and poverty; "We will not give up the fight for an equal and fair country where labor is rewarded."
