The Turkish Red Crescent aid organization came under fire from the opposition and Turkish media on Sunday for selling, not donating, tents for survivors of the February 6 earthquake that devastated southeastern Turkey. .
According to the daily
Cumhuriyet
which revealed this affair, the organization sold 2050 tents intended for survivors to the charitable NGO Ahbap for 46 million Turkish liras (2.4 million dollars).
These tents have been transported and installed in the regions affected by the earthquake, the NGO said on Twitter on Sunday.
Shelters “at cost”
Turkish Red Crescent President Kerem Kinik confirmed on Twitter that Kizilay Cadir, a subsidiary of his organization responsible for producing the tents, provided Ahbap with shelter "at cost
"
.
"
The Red Crescent's cooperation with Ahbap is moral, reasonable and ethical
," he said.
But his statements did not stop the outcry in the media and on social networks.
“
Turkey's biggest charity, the Red Crescent, sold tents instead of giving them free to those in need as people begged for them three days after the quake.
It's a scandal
”, estimated the journalist of Cumhuriyet at the origin of the revelation of the sale, Murat Agirel.
The Turkish government has been accused of not distributing enough tents, humanitarian aid and deploying sufficient relief teams in several localities in the days following the earthquake.
NGOs including the charity Ahbap and volunteers have lent a hand to fill the gaps.
Read alsoEarthquake in Turkey: the ordeal of Kahramanmaras today populated by dead and homeless
The resignation of the president demanded
Endowed with the status of an association, the Turkish Red Crescent works closely with the Turkish authorities and benefits from numerous official donation campaigns.
Several opposition figures have called for the president's resignation.
“
Shame on you!
“, hammered on Twitter Meral Aksener, the president of the formation Iyi Party (nationalist).
This week, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan accused critics of the Red Crescent of being "
dishonest and vile
".
He drew criticism from the leader of the main opposition party, Kemal Kilicdaroglu, who tweeted: “
Erdogan, you were insulting the earthquake victims about the Turkish Crescent.
But yes, what were you saying?
".
