A visual account of the earthquake-stricken areas of Kermanshah and the class division of the containers / Javad Lal Mohammad
This is not a complete sentence, so it cannot be translated accurately. Please provide a complete sentence for translation.Javad Lal Mohammad
Oh my homeland! I am tired, where is the end of your story?
The Kermanshah earthquake had a short history but a long list of achievements; I am amazed whether it was the ruins of homes or the collapse of the pride, personality, and dignity of human beings? In the cold days and repeated and unexpected rains of February, on the roads leading to Sarpol-e Zahab, women could be seen eagerly – but with despair and exhaustion – chasing after trucks and seeking help from the people, and scenes that are better left unspoken and words left unspoken…
The spring days in these regions witness the birth of 360 newborns, whose lips are full of smiles and their mothers’ eyes are filled with tears of joy.
The governor says we must transfer these infants from tents to containers as soon as possible, and the representative of the parliament complains about the insufficient distribution of containers. Apparently, 60% of the people in the area still live in tents.
A responsible person from one of the active campaigns in the area says: “Some people who have better relationships, get more and bigger containers. Every day, we deal with one or two of these ‘tr’ containers.”
In this unfortunate city, containers are expensive and companies are making a huge profit from this situation. They sell a 3 million toman container for 7-6 million; and the people, who are forced because their work is closed and they are unemployed, have no choice but to sell their belongings at any price. Those who do not have anything, buy from some kind-hearted intermediaries for a minimum of 500 thousand and a maximum of 1 million tomans, until they are completely drained. There are also those who have taken 3 or 4 containers with various excuses and connections, and have sold them, but are still living in tents and sometimes we witness their family members being taken advantage of. This is just a small example of the exploitation. Those who have freedom and dignity, either wear black or put a seal on their lips, they suffer in silence until someone comes to their aid and gives them their rights from the container site.
One of the greatest and caring activists in the region says: “Life in earthquake-stricken areas is tumultuous. People are forced to experience a new way of life. Heavy traffic in the city, the destruction of homes and new responsibilities that are exhausting, are among these experiences. Distrust in the government and politicians has disrupted the human relationships in this land and the most heartbreaking thing is that the main pillar of social relationships, which is trust, has fallen to the ground more than homes.”
120 days have passed since the natural disaster, but the government still hasn’t been able to provide proper compensation for the people. According to the Crisis Management Council’s decision, tenants whose homes have been completely destroyed are supposed to receive five million tomans in aid, but they are not given any trailers. The unequal treatment of the Housing Foundation towards the tenants has caused representatives to speak out. Paying rent to the landlords is uncertain, and receiving the promised five million tomans is conditional. Everyone is passing the responsibility to each other, while the request for housing from benefactors remains unanswered, even though there are equipped camps with a capacity of 1000 people in the Kermanshah province. The tenants prefer to stay in tents, hoping for promises that only exist on paper.
This tendency towards inequality and class conflict has become so intense by the government that even earthquake victims among their fellow citizens are seeking to define themselves as superior or inferior and are cautious not to receive equal help from those below them.
The recent double earthquake in Kermanshah may be the second largest earthquake in the history of the province; however, it was destructive and the National Geographic in its report named it not the most severe, but the deadliest earthquake of 2017. The earthquake destroyed nearly 27,000 residential units, displaced 17,000 families, and caused 1800 billion tomans in damages. Prior to this, in Azar month of 1336, Kermanshah was also shaken by an earthquake. It measured over 7 on the Richter scale and claimed the lives of 2000 people in the city of Sahneh; however, no one committed suicide. The earthquake victims were quickly organized.
Abad Kashavarz has been the camp manager of Bangor (Bilal) Bridge for three years. The camp, which was one of the most standardized camps in the country in 1350, had a capacity of 20,000 people and has recorded and documented its services during three border crises in 1352 and 1357 for Kurdish refugees and from 1370 to 1373. He writes, “Bangor is a city of untold wounds. My hands and feet became numb and crippled when I found out that due to ignorance and personal interests, this camp has been handed over to private ownership and has been converted into a garden. This camp could have been the best place for housing and caring for the earthquake victims at this moment.”
On the bridge of Zehab, the tents are placed side by side without any distance. The sound of arguments can be heard; one person has taken a container and wants to settle, but is unable to do so. The municipality’s executive unit is collecting non-local tents. It is rumored that they have come to receive aid from other cities. A rescue car arrives. People are pouring in. The distribution of parachutes has not yet been completed. One of the sewage wells has overflowed and it is not clear who should be responsible for the 1200 installed wells and the non-standard disaster. Mr. Esmaeili, a member of the Kermanshah community, says, “So where are those 4,000 civil engineers who had announced their readiness? Why wasn’t this capacity utilized?”
The children have gone to Gilan Gharb, following the story of a young girl whose face and back were burned with boiling water in a fit of anger from her father. Her teacher has hung himself and I am left wondering why these people are not crying? Why are they not worried? Why are they still in shock from the beginning of the earthquake? The emotions of the people are wounded from the systematic errors. The suicide rates have increased. The cold of winter has taken the lives of some children. The officials of the region are scattered and confused. The road in some areas has collapsed and the golden insurances are not responding. In a frenzy, instead of men, it is the women who are contacting and begging for help from the benefactors to provide them with containers and necessities for life. The people’s aid is dwindling and the calls from the earthquake victims remain unanswered. Women have more psychological problems than men; according to statistics, ninety percent of those who have suffered from psychological
The people have gone and the NGOs are not helping. Neither the Holy Shrine nor the Foundation for the Oppressed are doing anything. There is no news from the Relief Committee or the Welfare Organization. The village of Thalath Baba Jani has a population of 20,000 and there are only 20 skilled and efficient workers there. It is not clear who has distributed shrouds among the earthquake victims. The people’s minds are in chaos and the Red Crescent has requested help from volunteer doctors and psychiatrists. Everyone is looking for tents and civil activists are worried that these areas will become ghost towns tomorrow. The experience of Bam and Varzagan has shown that tents become permanent homes for these people.
Here, rationality and prudence have given way to recklessness and shirking responsibility. Despite all the crises, the crisis headquarters is just a superficial name and title, and I am left wondering why no one resigns.
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Earthquake Kermanshah Javad Lal Mohammad Paragraph peace line