In Gaziantep, 46-year-old Ali Kılıç Kaya, married and father of three children, applied to the Gaziantep Governorship and requested euthanasia due to the economic and psychological difficulties he experienced.
Stating that he was trying to support his family with minimum wage, the citizen stated that the desperation and exhaustion he experienced made him unable to continue his life.
Stating that their house is rented and their three children are studying, Kaya said that he is the only person working at home. In his letter, the citizen stated that he had been experiencing intense anxiety, sadness and stress for a long time due to economic conditions, and that this situation also led to health problems over time.
“I HAVE NOT HAD A LIFE BEHIND HUMAN Dignity”
Stating that "I did not have a life worthy of human dignity in this world," Kaya explained the helplessness he experienced as a father with the following words:
"Dear governor, I am 46 years old, married and the father of 3 children. Our house is rented and my 3 children go to school. I am the only person working at home for minimum wage.
No matter how hard I tried to struggle under the weight of current living conditions, I was stuck in a state of spiritual and physical helplessness and exhaustion.
It also took away my power to hold on to the last life full of anxiety, sadness and stress that lives with us at every moment of my life. This situation started to turn into an illness for me day by day.
I did not have a life worthy of human dignity in this world. I experienced the depths of a father's despair. Sometimes you have to live for your loved ones, not for yourself. I lost that war too.
"With my own consent, I request help from our great state to die by euthanasia."
MOVED TO THE ASSEMBLY AGENDA
EMEP Gaziantep Deputy Sevda Karaca submitted a parliamentary question to the Presidency of the Turkish Grand National Assembly, requesting an answer from Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz regarding the grave incident.
Labor Party (EMEP) Gaziantep Deputy Sevda Karaca stated that a father of three children trying to make ends meet with the minimum wage in Gaziantep could not make ends meet, and brought his request to the Gaziantep Governorship for help for euthanasia to the agenda of the Turkish Grand National Assembly.
Karaca emphasized that in the motion he submitted to Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz for an answer, the father clearly stated that he could not lead a life worthy of human dignity under the current economic conditions.
"MTP PROMISES POVERTY AND OPPRESSION"
Underlining that poverty drives workers to the point of ending their lives, Karaca stated that the announced Medium Term Program (MTP) is one of the indicators of this situation. Claiming that the program has been "updated in favor of capital", Karaca argued that this program "promises more poverty and oppression" to employees.
Karaca stated that in the announced program, citizens are encouraged to give birth to at least 3 children, and that all responsibility for the children is placed only on the parents.
Drawing attention to the needs of school-age children, Karaca said, "In the announced program, there is not a single word that shows that the state has taken responsibility in response to a father who cannot meet the basic needs of school-age children. On the contrary, it repeats the court decisions that admit that providing children with a free healthy meal in schools is not a priority of the state."
Karaca also touched upon the fact that the burden of child care is left on families, especially women, and pointed out that there is no plan in the MTP that will reduce the child care burden on female employees and include women in secure employment.
Karaca asked for answers to the following questions:
"-Isn't this situation experienced by the worker in Gaziantep, who had to submit a euthanasia petition to the Governorship because he could not support himself with his 3 children on the minimum wage, a failure of the economic programs implemented by your government?
-The Medium Term Program (MTP), which pushes workers into such deep despair that they demand euthanasia instead of living humanely, was prepared to take into account the interests of which capital groups instead of protecting the poor people and children?
-While there are calls for having at least 3 children, what is your plan for families who cannot meet the basic needs of their children due to deepening poverty?
-What is the reason for not allocating a share from the public budget to ensure that school-age children have access to at least one free, healthy meal in schools? Why is there no plan on this issue in the OVP?
-Why is there no concrete policy within the scope of the MTP that will take the care burden off women, increase public nursery facilities and provide secure employment for women?
"How many citizens have committed suicide or committed suicide in the last 5 years in Turkey, especially in Gaziantep, due to financial difficulties and deep poverty?"
