October - November - December 2010 / Issue: 43

Hand in hand
for Pakistan
UN must act according to the report
they have produced (56)

The Qurban; sharing the blessing of worship (22)

 PAKISTAN
ROUTE
OUR RIAN
HUMANITAR
AID OUR LOAD

30 MILLION PAKISTANIS WAIT FOR

A FRIENDLY HAND
The aid ship that set out for Gaza is setting sail for Pakistan now.
Initially 3,000 tons of relief supplies are delievered to the country with your support.
 EDITORIAL
HUMANITARIAN
RELIEF

October - November - December 2010 With its great number of staff and volunteers, the IHH Humanitarian
Issue: 43 Relief Foundation continues to spread charitable acts all around the
globe. After the disastrous flood in Pakistan, IHH immediately moved to
Owner on behalf of the area to launch emergency work to ensure that the living conditions
IHH Humanitarian Relief Foundation of the people who had been affected by the flood be normalized; as a
Atty. F. Bülent YILDIRIM result, projects have been started for those who have lost their homes
Executive Editor and jobs.
=Murat YILMAZ
And the Qurban… This year the Qurban will be sent to 125 countries
Editor throughout the world and 61 cities in Turkey. As has been the case for
Amine TUNA ERTÜRK many years, this year we will bring the Qurban to people who have been
affected by war, natural disaster and poverty; IHH has provided these
Editorial Board
people with many projects that will allow them to work for a better future.
Ahmet Emin DAĞ
Detailed information about the Qurban can be found in the bulletin.
F. Zehra BAYRAK
H. Zehra ÖZTÜRK In September, the United Nations (UN) published its Investigatory
Osman ATALAY Report, which was prepared in connection with the attack on the flotilla
Zeliha SAĞLAM that was carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza on May 31, 2010 by the
Israeli army. In the report it is stated that the attack, which resulted in the
Translation
loss of 9 lives with more than 50 people being injured, was unjust and
Zenith contrary to both humanitarian rights and international law. In the Focus
Design section you will be able to find more details regarding the UN report.
ARTWORKS
In the bulletin you will find reports of our activities over the last 3 months,
Printing
including the opening of the Cevdet Kılıçlar Operating Theater in Sudan
Mavi Ofset
and the Faruk Aktaş School in Tanzania, as well as many other projects
Tel: +90 (212) 549 25 30 in Turkey and other countries.
Address
With the hope of bringing good things to all.
Büyük Karaman Caddesi
Taylasan Sokak No: 3
Fatih - ISTANBUL / TURKEY
Tel: +90 (212) 631 21 21
Fax: +90 (212) 621 70 51
info@ihh.org.tr
www.ihh.org.tr
 “Producing
Orphans are
permanent SPOTLIGHT
pleased by your
solutions for The Qurban;
presents
Pakistan” sharing the

12 38
blessing of
worship

22

04 16
Projects in
34
ACTIVITIES
AGENDA Pakistan can Charitable
Hand in be realized donations
hand for with your
Pakistan assistance

AGENDA - Charity campaign for Pakistan (10) / SPOTLIGHT - IHH Qurban Organization
starts (26) / In 125 countries and regions of the world (28) / From the past until today (30) /
ACTIVITIES - Support for the people of Gaza continues (41) / Operations in Haiti continue
(42) Emergency response in Osh and Jalalabad (42) / Equipment support for the Voice of
 CULTURE
A moderate
The Martyr resistance
Cevdet Kılıçlar FOCUS against
Operating UN must act missionary
Theater was according to the schools:
opened in the report they have Oral
Sudan produced education

46 56 70

44 48
67
Faruk Aktaş Domestic aid
School is
opened in AN ORPHAN’S
Tanzania STORY
Our sacred
responsibility,
Furkan

Africa radio station (43) / You can follow the activities of IHH online (43) / Domestic and
international support for IHH (50) / Support for the families of the martyrs (51) / Goodness
flows from the heart (52) / IN THE FIELD - Kyrgyzstan under the shadow of clashes (61) /
What would you do to uplift a wounded nation? (64)
 4 AGENDA Hand in hand for Pakistan

Hand in
hand for
Pakistan
With more than 30 million people being directly
affected by the flood, now, as the water slowly
recedes from the region, there is also a threat of
cholera. Almost 2 million people have lost their
homes and 5,000 villages have disappeared as a
result of the flood.

Ahmet Emin Dağ

 Hand in hand for Pakistan
A
fter the flooding rains
that hit Pakistan in mid-
July, 1,781 people died
and 2,966 were injured. Also
as a result of the calamity,
nearly half the agricultural land
was damaged, with more than
300,000 cattle and sheep being
lost.
The effects of the calamity
that hit such a vast area pose
a serious long-term threat of
famine for Pakistan.
With more than 30 million
people being directly affected
by the flood, now, as the water
slowly recedes from the region,
there is also a threat of cholera.
Almost 2 million people have
lost their homes and 5,000
villages have disappeared as a
result of the flood.
AGENDA 5
AS A RESULT OF THE CALAMITY
• 1,781 people have lost their lives and
2,966 were injured.
• 1,894,530 houses were completely
destroyed or have collapsed.
• 30 million people have been affected by
the flood.
• 4,911 schools have had to be used as
mass accommodation; the need for shelter
is still acute for people in the region that
was affected by the flood.
• 300,000 cattle and sheep have been lost.
• 3.2 million hectares of agricultural land,
agricultural equipment and stock that were
sheltered in barns have been destroyed.
The land is in grave danger of famine. The
people in the region will be in need of food
for at least the following 3 months.
• The infrastructure has collapsed and water
wells have been contaminated; there is
now a shortage of potable water.
• 7,820 school buildings have been
destroyed or seriously damaged, and are
no longer suitable for use.
• As the waters have receded, the
affected land in the low-lying areas and
the irrigation areas has become quite
hazardous for public health.
• Epidemic diseases have targeted children
in the affected region after the flood.
• 200,000 people have been reported as
suffering from diarrhea, while 263,000
people have suffered skin-related
problems, and 204,000 people have been
affected by respiratory illnesses. The
threat of epidemics is still serious in the
region.
• The lives of more than 1 million pregnant
women and newborn babies are
threatened by the disastrous environmental
conditions in the region.
• More than 1 million children aged under 3
are threatened by severe malnutrition.
6 AGENDA Hand in hand for Pakistan

IHH in the disaster region

As the flood destroyed the entire

drinking-water infrastructure and all
the water wells in the region, there is
an urgent need for restructuring the
availability of clean drinking water
and the provision of basic food stuffs.
IHH personnel started to distribute
clean water, food stuffs and hot meals
immediately after the disaster hit the
region. 5,000 people in the region have
been provided with hot meals by IHH.
In addition to canned and dried foods,
IHH has also ensured that families are
provided with support for their daily
food needs.

IHH’s food delivery, amounting to quite

a few tons, was sent from Turkey to
the region.

In the emergency response more

than 2.5 tons of medicine has been
delivered to patients and clinics in
the region. IHH’s health personnel,
under the guidance of the Pakistani
government, have started to survey
the health situation in the region. In
addition, studies have continued as to
what volunteer health staff needs to be
sent to the region from Turkey.

1,000 families have been sheltered in

3 schools and some other buildings, as
directed by the Pakistani government;
their daily needs for food, hygiene and
health matters are being met by IHH.

In addition to this support, 1 million

TL has been pledged to the families,
ensuring that more than 1,000 families
will be taken care for at least a year.

The preliminary studies of the first

phase have been carried out for 100
families and buildings have begun to
be constructed under the permanent-
housing project for those people who
Hand in hand for Pakistan AGENDA 7

(45, Nazakat Bibi

ique Fazal Rabbi
Muhammad Raf (29, Charsadda distric
rict) t)
Charsadda dist ly 29. We “I was with my mothe
s at ho m e wi th my family on Ju r in a one-room
“I wa tsunami was adobe house. My fathe
d an an no un ce ment that a huge r died 8 years
hear re warned to ago and my mother is
our homes; we we very ill.
heading towards 21.30 we left Our cottage was destr
ound. At around oyed by the
move to higher gr located high
ho us e an d se ttled in a mosque floodwaters. Before the
calamity I was
ou r managed to
e m ou nt ai n. Th e following day I selling simple househ
old goods and
on th completely
e, which had been cosmetics, traveling do
go to see my hous e to return to the earning some money
or to door, thus
flood. I used a tir to buy a loaf of
destroyed by the bread or two.
mosque.
and I brought Now everyone is desp
on the way back erately in need of
I found a corpse osque with
th m e. I sp en t 3 days in the m help and seeking shelt
er at the schools.
that wi my village.
ily an d so m e ot her people from I don’t know what we
will do in the
my fam to our relatives’ future. We have no fat
were transferred her, and now no
After 3 days we that had
e school buildings house either. My mothe
houses or to som army. Now I
r is ill and there
ai ne d st an di ng by the Pakistani is nothing I can to do
to take care of her.
rem arsadda.
in g wi th m y fa m ily in a camp at Ch I have no idea where
we can go after we
am liv andoning us in will be moved from the
to IHH for not ab school in which
We are thankful s reached us
spair. Your aid ha we have been tempo
rarily located.
this moment of de
just in time.
 8 AGENDA
have lost their homes. If climatic
conditions do not impede operations,
these houses will be ready for families
as permanent residences in 2 months’
time.
Hundreds of blankets and ready-made
garments have been delivered to the
people affected by the flood from our
clothing workshops that are located in
the region.
Needs
- Daily food needs are to be provided
for more than 20 million people who are
living under extreme
conditions.
- Babies and children
are to be provided with
sufficient and hygienic food, as there is
still a severe risk of infection.
- As contaminated drinking water is the
easiest way for epidemics to spread,
people will be provided with clean
potable water.
- As these flooded areas will soon be
transformed into swamps, the necessary
medicine and equipment must be sent
in time.
- Emergency shelter will be provided
for the more than 2 million people who
have lost their homes after the flood.
There is also a need for a great deal of
construction material, so that buildings
can be constructed as the flood waters
recede.
- As all the agricultural
land has been destroyed
there is also a great need
Hand in hand for Pakistan
for seeds, fertilizer and tractors in the
reconstruction phase which will occur
when the flood waters have receded.
IHH with permanent projects in
the region
Not only has IHH acted immediately to
carry out emergency tasks in the flood-
hit areas, but also permanent projects
have been undertaken to ensure that
people in the region can return to a
normal life.
The main undertaking is the construction
of permanent settlements for people
who have been hit by the flood and left
homeless. These permanent houses
can be constructed at a cost of $5,500.
In the first phase 100 houses have been
included in the project, while the total
target is 1,000 houses.
 Hand in hand for Pakistan AGENDA 9

To solve the potable-water problem,

The Flood-Affected Regions-August 2010
IHH has begun the construction of 10
purification plants. With the completion
CHINA
of these projects, 80 tons of potable
water will be provided daily; new
wells will also be constructed and the AFGHANISTAN
existing ones will be renovated. ® DAM
RIVER SLAMABAD
FLOOD AREAS
MODERATELY AFFECTED DISTRICTS

After any flood, one of the most SEVERELY AFFECTED DISTRICTS

PUNJAB
efficient ways to ensure a return to
normal is to provide working conditions
so that people can earn a living. Aid
will be sent, mainly in the form of cattle,
seeds and fertilizer, as the majority
of the population support themselves IRAN
BALOCHISTAN INDIA

with agriculture. Rickshaw-aid will be

offered to the majority of families, as SINDH
this is the main transportation vehicle
in rural areas.
INDIAN OCEAN
 10 AGENDA Charity campaign for Pakistan

Charity campaign
for Pakistan
The IHH Humanitarian Relief Foundation has continued its relief
operation for the people affected by the floods in Pakistan. In addition
to the emergency aid that has been sent by plane and train, a ship load
of emergency aid has been sent.
 Charity campaign for Pakistan AGENDA 11

T
he IHH Humanitarian and medication, costing a total
Relief Foundation has of 2,875,006 TL, was sent to
Aid material sent to the region
continued its relief Pakistan on September 12,
operation for the people affected 2010. Material Unit (kg)
by the floods in Pakistan. In
addition to the emergency aid Aid ship: A shipload of Construction materials 28,772 10,698
that has been sent by plane and materials, prepared by Prefabricated houses 304 64,179
train, a ship load of emergency volunteers from over 81 cities,
aid has been sent. will be sent to Pakistan. Cleaning materials 10,225 125,477

Fabric 1,448 28,413

Cargo plane: 34,950 In addition to these
kg (canned food, operations, IHH Textiles 174,597 89,516
milk powder, After the flood personnel Medication (300 box) 77,110 2,380
formula, disaster in the region, continue to
medicine, from August on, IHH provide hot Boots 32,846 83,689
foodstuffs has sent 5 million TL meals for Shoes / slippers 55,178 66,828
etc.) costing in cash and has also 5,000 flood
607,950 TL, sent material aid to victims; this Milk powder (25 kg) 640 16,000
was sent to the region. service began
Diaper 3,168 502
Pakistan on immediately after
August 30, 2010. the disaster. Food 72,624 125,466

Food & Medication 127,326 9,160

Cargo train: 406,873 kg of After the flood disaster in the
textiles, boots, shoes, slippers, region, from August on, IHH has Biscuits 18,090 10,050
construction materials, sent 5 million TL in cash and
Canned food 18,940 5,902
prefabricated houses, cleaning has also sent material aid to the
materials, textile fabrics, food region. Total 621,268 638,260
 12 AGENDA
“Producing permanent
solutions for Pakistan”
Interview: Yaşar Yeşil
I
HH has been working without
cessation to heal the wounds of
the Pakistani flood victims. The
emergency response that immediately
followed the tremor included a
cargo train carrying 407 tons of milk
powder, baby food, canned food and
medications. IHH has also sent a ship
with 3,000 tons of aid materials.
IHH Executive Board Member Yavuz
Dede shared his impressions about the
tragedy that was experienced in the
region after the disaster.
“Producing permanent solutions for Pakistan”
What are your impressions
after having visited the region
immediately after the flood in
Pakistan?
Pakistan is in general a poor country. A
small proportion of the population has
good or high standards of living. Most of
the population earns their living through
agriculture or livestock. As the region
that was affected by the flood consists
mostly of agricultural areas, the next
few years will be tough ones for the
Pakistani people. The flood came,
houses were destroyed, and nothing
was left on the land. After this people
will have great difficulties in finding
food, and drinking water resources have
been contaminated.
When we arrived in Pakistan the waters
were receding, but there was still mud
and debris everywhere. Most of the
people had been sent to relatively safe
places in the camps that had been set
up. This is the only place that most
people can stay now. When the water
has completely receded many will be
 “Producing permanent solutions for Pakistan”
able to return to their homes, but there
will be nothing to support them. They
have lost their houses, agricultural
lands, livestock, and food source; in
short, they have lost everything.
Food is the first urgent need in
Pakistan. In particular, there is a
need for milk powder and baby food
for children. The problem of meeting
the people’s need for food and water
must be solved immediately. We were
there on the second and third days of
Ramadan; at this time the first cholera
cases had already emerged.
AGENDA 13
Cholera swiftly spreads through
areas where there is no clean water.
Following cases of cholera some
children have died. The treatment
for cholera, which uses only basic
medications, costs no more than 5 TL.
However, these medications are not
available in Pakistan. It is very difficult
to move people to other places to
treat them in hospitals in the flood-hit
areas. As most of the hospitals have
also been badly affected by the flood,
treating cholera is very difficult.
Why has the flood caused such
trauma? There have been such
a great loss of life; do you think
that the necessary precautions
were not taken?
Some areas of the country could not
be informed of the imminent flood due
to problems with the infrastructure. An
enormous wall of water hit these areas,
 14 AGENDA
while other areas were hit by four times,
or even ten times, the amount of water,
a result of the heavy monsoon rains
that were well over the norm.
Could you tell us about the
operations of IHH in the area?
The flood struck the northern part of
the country. We started to distribute aid
in this region 3-4 days after the flood.
We were able to utilize our experience
from the 2005 earthquake in Pakistan.
We set up a soup kitchen to provide hot
meal for people. We distributed clothes,
which had been made in our local
workshops, set up in the region to teach
people a trade. We delivered these
products to the people affected by
the flood. Production continues in the
region. We have distributed foodstuffs
and clean water and we have expanded
this distribution to different locations.
This is only a first step. There is a great
need for many other projects in the
region.
Could you give us more
information on the scope of the
disaster?
Frankly, I am not sure if there has
ever been such a disaster anywhere
in the world. There was the Nergis
tornado in Myanmar and the Sidr
Hurricane in Bangladesh, but this
“Producing permanent solutions for Pakistan”
is something unique. There will be
enormous side effects in the next few
years. Settlements, wells, agricultural
lands and livestock have all been badly
affected. That is why aid should be
sent in greater amounts. The amount
has to exceed that sent after the 2005
earthquake. We are giving zakaat and
sadaka as charity, but we actually
should be giving twice or three times
the amount of zakaat and sadaka.
The Pakistani government will not be
able to recover from such a disaster
on its own. If there is not adequate aid,
the victims of the flood will die from
epidemic illnesses; in particular, the
children are at risk... In short, if we can
send more aid to the region more lives
will be saved.
Another important point here is that the
disaster could lead to civil unrest in the
region. The country is one that normally
has a very complicated domestic
situation. Add to this complex structure
a lack of basic human needs, and the
result will be more severe unrest in the
region.
It is obvious that when there
is a major disaster aid should
be consistent; in this regard
is it possible for IHH to ensure
continuity of support to the
region?
Insh’Allah. The support of people can
help us to achieve this aim. Our target
is to help as many people who are in
need as possible. We have begun our
plans accordingly. 28 carriages full of
450 tons of humanitarian aid, including
milk powder and baby formula, and a
cargo plane full of preserved food and
medications have reached the region.
In the near future Gazze I, a ship which
was part of the Gaza flotilla, will bring
3,000 tons of aid to the region. The
current situation means that Pakistan
will be in need of support for at least
another year. We are developing
projects that will help people to regain
their livelihoods. Examples of these are
projects to train people in a trade and
create housing for the homeless. These
are the urgent ones.
Are you targeting more
permanent solutions?
There are three phases to be
followed in disaster aid. The first is an
emergency response that helps people
to survive, including rescue operations
and providing shelter, food, water and
medical supplies. The second phase
 “Producing permanent solutions for Pakistan”
is project development, mid-range
projects, for victims, so that they can
normalize their lives.
The third phase includes long-term
projects that provide permanent
solutions to help people establish a
livelihood.
We have to go through these phases
in Pakistan. As a result, we have to
wait for the flood waters to recede and
for life to continue. There are people
in need of houses and work, as well
as seeds to grow crops. Hospitals and
schools have to be rebuilt.
How does IHH operate
in the region?
At the present time there are three
representatives who have established
a foundation, four health workers and
five volunteers, making a total of 12
people operating in the region. A team
of health workers, consisting of eight
people, is en route to the region. There
is a great need for health workers there.
You can send food and milk powder,
and you can help the people there, but
to treat the patients it is essential that
we have doctors, in particular doctors
specializing in internal medicine,
pediatrics and obstetrics.
Our target in this matter is to set up a
team of health workers who can stay
at least 15 days in the region. We will
provide all the logistics. We can send
in new teams when the others have to
return home.
Do you think that there is
adequate aid for Pakistan?
As you may know, we are operating in
120 different countries throughout the
world. After the disaster in Pakistan
we reached out to our partners with
AGENDA 15
whom we are operating in the region
to support us by sending doctors and
health staff. In this way we are trying to
increase the volume of aid to the region.
Doctors are coming from Indonesia,
and some aid is coming from Australia,
with doctors coming from England.
There is not enough publicity in the
world media to inform people about the
flood. Even in Turkey, it wasn’t until
after the fifteenth day of Ramadan when
the Prime Minister made a statement
on this matter that action began to be
seen.
Why is this the case?
One reason could be that every country
has its own agenda. Another reason
could be that the Pakistani government
failed to provide enough information
about the disaster. Sad but true, they
have failed to publicize the situation.
They should have immediately called
for help from the world. For example,
aid came from all around the world for
the Haitian earthquake; although the
case was more acute in Pakistan, the
response was not the same, due to
Pakistan’s failure to make the tragedy
public to the world.
What would you like
to say in summation?
When our neighbors are in need we
cannot sleep well. This is a maxim
uttered by Prophet Muhammad,
emphasizing that we must be united.
We should not forget this. Whatever
we offer in aid we should try to double
or triple it. The situation for our brothers
and sisters in Pakistan is unbearable. It
can be improved with our support and
our aid. We should not feel safe and
secure in our conscience if we abandon
those people to cope with this tragedy
by themselves.
16 FUTURE PROJECTS IN BRIEF
 FUTURE PROJECTS IN BRIEF 17

Projects in Pakistan
can be realized with
your assistance
IHH will construct houses for the Pakistani flood
victims: 1,894,530 houses were destroyed
or made uninhabitable during this disaster.
According to the amount collected, it is planned
that villages of 30, 50 or 100 houses will be
created. The villages will be named after the
major donors.

projects that
Some of the
are planned:
n
a) Constructio ady
hich have alre
Houses (w
d)
been starte
Schoo ls
ts
Health poin
aterials IHH has been working without
b) Housing m
sils cessation to provide help for the people
Kitchen uten
ishings who have been affected by the flood in
Home furn
aterials Pakistan. As the flood waters recede,
Cleaning m
worth the foundation has established many
c) Six months
ages projects in the villages so that lives
of food pack
can start to return to normal. These
d) Livestock
Bulls projects can be realized with your
Cattle valuable support.
sheep
Goats and
fertilizer Note: You can donate however
e) Seeds and
ication plants much you wish to support the
f) Water purif
(rickshaws)
g) Motor-taxis projects listed above.
18 FUTURE PROJECTS IN BRIEF

Permanent
village project
I
HH will construct
houses for the
Pakistani flood victims:
1,894,530 houses were
destroyed or made
uninhabitable during this
disaster. According to
the amount collected, it
is planned that villages of
30, 50 or 100 houses will
be created. The villages
will be named after the
major donors.
At the moment we
have established the
foundations for 100
houses in three different
areas of the region; the
houses measure 55
square meters, with two
rooms, one kitchen and a
bathroom/toilet. As soon
as the houses have been
completed the necessary
furniture and equipment
will also provided by
IHH with the donations
gathered for the region.
The cost of one house
with all its furniture is
$5,500. Our target is to
create 1,000 houses.

Livestock project
T
he flood was a great disaster a project for the people of this projects aim to provide cattle and
for Pakistan, as its economy region where the land was almost livestock so that lives can return
is based on agriculture and completely destroyed and has been to normal. The cost of cattle in this
livestock breeding. IHH has started made unsuitable for farming. The project is $1,000 and $275 for goats.
 FUTURE PROJECTS IN BRIEF 19

Water Seed and fertilizer

purification plants donations
P F
eople are now experiencing difficulties in using the
water-wells that were destroyed throughout the region
in the flood. IHH is planning to set up two water
purification bases to provide clean water for the region,
which was badly affected by disaster. One unit can purify up
to 8 tons of water daily and the cost of this equipment is $
5,570. The cost of another piece of equipment that has the
capacity to purify 100 tons of water daily is $ 4,200. There
is also a need for a solar system to produce energy, which
costs $16,000.
armers have been gravely affected by the disaster
created by the flood as most of the land is now
unsuitable for cultivation. We are planning to donate
seeds and fertilizer so that the area can once again turn to
agriculture. Farmers will be free to select one out of four
types of seed (kidney beans, wheat, lentil, or oil-producing
seeds – sunflower, soya, sesame, peanut etc.), and will
be given enough to seed one acre of land. The cost of the
seed and fertilizer is $100.

Motor-taxis
(rickshaw)
M
otor-taxis (rickshaw) are the normal
modes of transport in rural areas in
Pakistan; the existence of one such
vehicle can generate a substantial income
for a family. The cost of one rickshaw is
$1,300.
 20 FUTURE PROJECTS IN BRIEF

Applied
agriculture
project in
Burkina Faso

I
n Burkina Faso, one of the
poorest countries in Africa,
agriculture and husbandry are
carried out at primitive levels. In
2007 IHH purchased 40 acres
in the agricultural district of
Seba, 40 km from the capital
of Ouagadougou. The money
that can be raised from modern
techniques of cultivation will
be donated to the orphans and
needy people of the region. With
this project, modern agricultural
techniques will be taught to people
with applied methods so that they
can earn their living without being
dependent on others. The total
cost of the project is € 25,850.

Orphanages in
Bangladesh Arakan Refugee Camp
T
en of thousands of Arakanese
refugees have ended up in
Bangladesh after fleeing from
the military coup in Burma; at the
FUTURE PROJECTS IN BRIEF 21
present time these refugees have
no political rights or status. They are
kept in camps, and as they do not
have work permits they cannot earn
a living or make use of facilities like
hospitals, schools, or orphanages.
IHH is planning to build an orphanage
for Arakanese children who are at
present living in unsanitary conditions
in the camps. The foundations for the
orphanage will measure 350 square
meters, with 4 sleeping quarters,
one staffroom, a depot, a bathroom
and a toilet, as well as a kitchen
and serving units. There will also be
clean water storage. The cost for this
project is $80,000.
 22 SPOTLIGHT The Qurban; sharing the blessing of worship

The Qurban; sharing

the blessing of worship
We have opened the door onto new worlds. Feeling the need of
those waiting in hope, we have given whatever we can and tried to
bring it to where it has most been needed. We utter a prayer with
the Qurban and Allah transforms our efforts into healthier lives and
great benefits.
Zeliha Sağlam
 The Qurban; sharing the blessing of worship
We have taken a step forward
with the Qurban...
With your generous donations in
2010 the Qurban organization will
help those in need in 125 different
countries around the world and 61
cities in Turkey. We first carried out
the Qurban in 1993 with a handful
of donators, working hand in hand.
Starting in just one country, we
increased the number to 10, then 40,
60, 100, until we have now reached
125 countries. We have opened the
door onto new worlds. Feeling the need
of those waiting in hope, we have given
whatever we can and tried to bring it
to where it has most been needed. We
utter a prayer with the Qurban and Allah
transforms our efforts into healthier lives
and great benefits.
We have reached refugees in war zones
and crises zones. In the refugee camps
SPOTLIGHT 23
we have provided hot meals with the
Qurban. We teach the inmates of these
camps how to earn a living. We develop
new projects for them, giving them
hopes for the future while they are far
from their homelands.
We go to where poverty is greatest.
We inform families, relatives and
neighbors of the plights of our
brothers who are living in far-away
lands. We are the bridge for aid and
 24 SPOTLIGHT
the language of the letter sent to lands
that we have never been to or seen
before. Every Eid you have sent your
best wishes to the poor and needy.
Our doors have never closed and we
continue down the path, going from
one land to another...
We have witnessed wars and crises
that leave behind poverty and
orphans. We have witnessed the
radiant face of children... children
growing without games, confusing
nightmares with reality… we hug them
so that they too can go to school,
The Qurban; sharing the blessing of worship
realize their dreams, and are never
alone or unhappy… We stretch out
our hands to our future; the future of
the world. Supporting them is a form
of prayer. Our story that started with
the Qurban has left a smile on the
face of thousands of orphans living in
Asia, Latin America and many other
countries in the world.
We hope that every Eid will be their
celebration and we pray that our gifts
reach orphans wherever they are.
Once again this year we experience
the joy of reaching, sharing and
coming close to those in need. We
will continue to bring to you the happy
images from the lands we have
reached. New smiling faces... we
will erase the despair on the faces
by praying and we will increase the
number of happy faces…
We continue to share for a better
future…
It is not their meat nor their blood,
that reaches Allah. It is your piety
that reaches Him: He has thus made
The Qurban; sharing the blessing of worship SPOTLIGHT 25

them subject to you, that ye may glorify Allah for His Guidance to you and proclaim
the good news to all who do right. (Hacc 22; 36, 37)

IHH’s story started with the Qurban …

The story of good people stretching out their hands since 1992...
The story of those who strive for a consciousness of universal brotherhood...
The story of those who are eager to lessen the pain of people in different parts of
the world with the Qurban...
This is the transformation of the Qurban prayer into a universal language!
This is the result of the prayer, of giving from what we have, from what we love
most…
Giving from deep in the heart, with no expectations…
Dear volunteers, we This is the story of reaching not just one but thousands of needy people!
This is the story of standing hand in hand; me, you, neighbors and friends!
thank you, to be taken
5 continent and 120 countries… thousands of brotherly hands...
a place in the same So many stories have been produced in 120 countries.
relief story with us. The story of a water-well in one country, an orphanage in another and cataract
Wish you all happy surgery in others...
Eid, may Allah be A story that started with the Qurban – a story in which we move closer to Allah by
pleased with your being together with our brothers and sisters, working for justice...
Thank you for your generosity in helping us to write stories of universal brotherhood
Qurbani worship.
and to grow stronger with every passing day.
With the prayer that we may be together for many more Eids!
We pray that Allah will accept the Qurban with the sincerity that it has been
donated: Eid al Mubarak!
26 SPOTLIGHT IHH Qurban Organization starts

IHH Qurban
Organization starts
1
Donors who wish to send
Qurban contributions to
IHH can do so in any of the
following ways:
- By coming in person to our
facilities
- By contributing directly to IHH
bank accounts
- By postal check
- By donating online
- By making a telephone
donation

An SMS
message will
5
be sent to the
IHH
donors informing
them that the Dear
task has been Mehmet Sönmez,
completed. the Qurban that you have
donated has been sacrificed.
May Allah be pleased with
this.
IHH Qurban Organization starts SPOTLIGHT 27

2
The animals are
sacrificed and
the prayers are
offered in keeping
with Islamic rules
and procedures.

Animals to be sacrificed for the Qurban

are purchased by IHH staff in the country
in which the meat will be distributed,
in keeping with the relevant religious
procedures.

The meat of the Qurban

sacrifice will be distributed in
person to those in need.

4
28 SPOTLIGHT In 125 countries and regions of the world

In 125 countries and regions of the world

EAST EUROPE AND BALKANS CAUCASUS

Albania Polond Abhazia Crimea
Bosnia Herzegovina Presheva Adygea Shapsıg Daghestan
Bulgaria Romania Ahiska Georgia
Hungary Sandzak Ajaria Ingushetia
Kosova Serbia Azerbaijan Kabardino-Balkar
Macedonia Vojvodina Chechenia Karachai Cherkessia
Montenegro Western Thrace Osetia

CENTRAL AND
SOUTH AMERICA
Belize Guatemala
Bolivia Haiti
Brazil Honduras
Chile Nicaragua
Colombia Peru
Costa Rica Surinam
Cuba Venezuela
Ecuador
 In 125 countries and regions of the world SPOTLIGHT 29

IN 61 PROVINCES OF TURKEY

CENTRAL ASIA Adana Diyarbakır Mersin

Adapazarı Düzce Muş
Afghanistan Kazakhstan Tatarstan Adıyaman Elazığ Nevşehir
Altays Kyrgyzstan Turkmenistan Ağrı Erzincan Niğde
Bashkortostan Mongolia Ural Ankara Erzurum Osmaniye
Chelyabinsk Uzbekhistan Antalya Gaziantep Rize
China Russia Aydın Gümüşhane Samsun
East Turkestan Siberia Bartın Hakkari Siirt
Kamchatka Tajikistan Batman Hatay Sivas
Tekirdağ Isparta Şırnak
Bingöl İstanbul Tokat
Bitlis İzmir Trabzon
Bursa K.Maraş Tunceli
Çankırı Kars Urfa
Aksaray Kayseri Uşak
Amasya Kırklareli Van
Balıkesir Kilis Yalova
Bolu Kocaeli Yozgat
Burdur Konya Zonguldak
Çorum Kütahya
Denizli Malatya

MIDDLE EAST
Cyprus Palestine
AFRICA Iraq Syria
Iran Turkey
Algeria Jordan Yemen
Botswana Lebanon
Burkina Faso
Cameroon
Chad Madagascar Somalia SOUTH ASIA
Comor Islands Malawi Sudan
Arakan Keshmir Pakistan
Democratic Republic of Congo Mali Swaziland
Bangladesh Moro Patani
Djibouti Moritania Tanzania
Cambodia Myanmar Sri Lanka
Egypt Morocco Togo
India Nepal Tailand
Eritrea Mozambique Tunisia
Vietnam
Ethiopia Niger Uganda
Nigeria Zambia
Ivory Coast SOUTHEAST ASIA
Ghana Ogaden Zimbabwe
Guinea Republic of South Africa Aceh Moro
Kenya Rwanda East Timor Papua New Guineu
Lesotho Senegal Indonesia Philippines
Liberia Sierra Leone
 30 SPOTLIGHT From the past until today

From the past until today

“IHH team has come to a city of tents that has existed for almost half a
century. Houses, schools, hospitals, nearly everything consist of old, torn
tents. The Muslims coming from Turkey after such a long absence and
their gifts from the Qurban have made the people of Kashmir, a people
long forgotten, happy once again.”

1994 - Bosnia-Herzegovina
“In the midst of Europe a Muslim
country and its people have been
forced to abandon their homeland
and have been slaughtered solely
for being Muslims... We are with
them this Qurban and we will be
together with them in the following
Qurbans as well.”
1995 - Kashmir
“IHH team has come to a city of
tents that has existed for almost
half a century. Houses, schools,
hospitals, nearly everything consist
of old, torn tents. The Muslims
coming from Turkey after such a
long absence and their gifts from
the Qurban have made the people
of Kashmir, a people long forgotten,
happy once again.”
1996 - Arakan
“You have to walk for six hours
straight on paths full of potholes and
obstacles, through rain forests that
do not give way to the charitable
travelers bringing the Qurban to
distribute.”
1997 - Lebanon
“Shelters built of tin, measuring
one square meter. The villagers
embrace the IHH team. The Qurban
animals are slaughtered. And
then they tell us, “There is another
village”. The Kuveysra village, a
bit to the north. People have never
received aid there. A village with
300 houses, but not one person
who can afford to make the Qurban
sacrifice.”
1998 - Sudan
“On the morning of the Qurban
Eid we visit camps located in the
southern part of the country; there
are refugees from Eritrea and
Ethiopia and Uganda. Thinking
that we have brought a gift to their
From the past until today
doors, in fact, the real gift has been
brought to our doors... We are
moving on a path deep inside us...”
1999 - Kosova
“The IHH team is welcomed by
a children chorus singing the
UCK anthem. The refugees have
been forced to emigrate from
their homelands, and at the time
of the Qurban Eid live in Albania,
Macedonia, Bosnia-Herzegovina
and Sandzak; they share the
common joy of the Qurban with
IHH.”
2000 - Ethiopia
“2000 has been a tough
year for the Ethiopian
people. 12 million people
have had to leave their
homes, without even shoes
on their feet, due to shortage
and famine. Thousands of
women, children and elderly
have died in this migration.
The poorest people in the
world have long been waiting
IHH’s Qurban. When the time
arrived, the Qurban animals
were slaughtered while the name of
Allah was recited. In the following
days IHH will open 20 water-wells in
Ethiopia. This is a reflection of the
mercy and grace of the Qurban.”
2001 - Mozambique
“The IHH team arrives at a village
in which some of the inhabitants
are Christian; they bring with them
the Qurban presents from Muslims
in the distant land of Anatolia. This
is the first time in their lives they
have ever heard of a place called
Turkey. 15 people converted to
Islam immediately after the IHH
representative’s
speech; the
youngest was 6 year-old
Mohammed. His parents are
Christian. Yet, they invite us to
return to their homeland.”
SPOTLIGHT 31
2002 - Argentina
“People are crying with happiness.
‘Not that they are going to be fed.
But rather in thanks that humanity
and God has prevailed.’ 159 Qurban
is by no means enough for all of
Argentina, which is suffering serious
economic problems; yet the people
are overjoyed at the offerings.”
2003 - Azerbaijan
“It is snowing. We are put up
by families in a house that is
made of plastic, not bricks;
even the doors and windows
are plastic. However,
everyone is smiling. It is
impossible not to see the
contentment at being
remembered reflected on
their faces.”
2004 - Chechnya
“There are so many
refugee camps in
Ingushetia, both legal
and illegal. Even the authorities
have no clear idea about the
number of camps. We set up three
different points to sacrifice the
animals; one at Nazran, one at
Karabulak and one in Mayskaye.
 32 SPOTLIGHT From the past until today

We made a list of the families who houses of the needy. We cannot put 2008 - Iraq
are to be given the meat, families into words the joys and the cheers
living under severe conditions of people, saying “our ancestors “Iraq has experienced one of the
in these camps. We talked to have come” when they learned that greatest tragedies, despite the
the refugees in the camps and we came from Turkey.” fact that it has the world’s second
completed the distribution. The largest oil reserves. The country
following day we reached some 2007 - East Turkistan has been dragged back 100 years
other camps that have limited UN and now is trying to lick its wounds.
support.” “How can you write about the We could only enter the mosque
Qurban in a country where it after a thorough examination by
2005 - Malawi is banned…We slaughter armed volunteers.
Such gathering places
“This is an are at risk from
orphanage suicide bombers.
measuring 30 We slaughtered our
square meters Qurbans. As we
with 17 girls and distribute the meat we
18 boys; their have great sympathy
families have died for the ladies and
from AIDS or are children who cover
unable to take care their faces in shame
of their children at their plight.”
due to poverty.
Education, eating, 2009 - Sandzak
accommodation and
all other necessities “We have
have been taken completed the
care of in this place. distributions of the
We give them their Qurban. We moved
share of IHH’s to Prizren to join the team in
Qurban.” Qurban animals secretly Kosova. While we were passing
in East Turkistan. Against all this by Kosova, the place of the wars,
2006 - Mongolia oppression Muslim people still we commemorated our ancestors
manage to perform the Qurban. and recited Fatiha for their blessed
“There are two traditional Kazakh Maybe they are no different in how souls. When we have “Orphan Fort”
tents set up next to the mosque. All they practice their beliefs from the in the Sar Mountains it was 23:00.
through the Qurban Eid visitors and rest of the world, but surely they There is a sharp cold outside. We
needy people are given meat and get more reward for carrying out entered the “Orphan Fort”, the
soup. Both the rich and poor pray this form of worship under such income of which supports orphans.
for blessings. We started to visit the conditions.” There is hot stove burning inside.”
ACTIVITIES
 34 ARAŞTIRMA
ACTIVITIES Social aid

Charitable
donations
Food packages were distributed in Turkey to 25,500 families
in 60 different cities and 35,000 people in different countries
abroad during Ramadan. Such aid temporarily provides the
basic food needs of these families.

We are your representative for
the blessings during Ramadan
IHH is happy to carry the blessings of
Ramadan and its spiritual atmosphere
to 61 different countries in the world
and 60 cities Turkey. With its motto of
“together the world becomes better”,
IHH brings the charitable donations
of the Turkish people, their zakat,
sadaka and donations, to thousands of
orphans, needy and poor people living
under conditions of war, occupation and
natural disaster. Iftar tables were set
up in different parts of world. In Turkey
mobile hot soup kitchen operated during
Ramadan. In 25 cities new clothes were
provided and support for education and
accommodation was given to thousands
of needy children. While helping out our
needy brothers and sisters in Turkey,
Social aid ARAŞTIR-
ACTIVITIES
MA 35
IHH continues to create projects in the the orphans and the needy who come
regions in which it operates. Our aim is as our guests of honor. Both here and
to spread love and brotherhood among abroad 100,000 people shared Iftar with
people of the 5 continents. us and prayed for the benefactors.
Food packages made
60,500 families happy
Food packages were distributed
in Turkey to 25,500 families in 60
different cities and 35,000 people
in different countries abroad during
Ramadan. Such aid temporarily
provides the basic food needs of these
families.
We fed 100,000 people
hot meals
IHH teams inhaled the spiritual
atmosphere of Ramadan along with
 36 ACTIVITIES Social aid
The mobile soup kitchen
served 45,000 people in 25
different cities
By moving all around Turkey our
mobile soup kitchen served 45,000
people in 25 different cities. Our teams
were met with joy by the needy and
orphans and blessings were all around
the table.
Eid presents for 15,000 orphans
As it does every year, this year IHH
made orphans in 28 different countries
its priority, providing almost 10,000
orphans with clothes and stationery. In
Turkey, 3,000 orphans in 18 cities were
given clothes and 2,000 orphans were
provided with stationery materials.
Fitr and zakat
given to the needy
Turkish charitable donations were
given to refugees and the needy both in
Turkey and abroad as part of the 2010
Ramadan projects. A total of 1,000
families from Turkey, East Turkistan,
Iraq, Ahiska and Africa were given 250
TL per family as the fitr. 750,000 TL
zakat was given to families in Pakistan,
Palestine and Afghanistan, countries
suffering war, floods and economic
crises.
Our prayer is for Pakistan
IHH tried to heal the wounds of the
Pakistani flood victims by distributing
emergency aid during the first days
of Ramadan. Generous Turkish
citizens reserved a great share of their
charitable donations for their sister
country Pakistan.

Ramadan altogether
First our orphans
Clothes, school bags and stationery
sets were presented to orphans
during iftar meals and cash support
for families, provided by donations
from our volunteers, enabled us to
reach out to those in need, both at
home and abroad.
Sharing with refugees
We shared the blessings of
Ramadan with our refugee brothers
Social aid
and sisters in different parts of the
world. We supported the families
living in war and occupied zones,
as well as those stricken by natural
disasters, with the donations given
by charitable people.
The prays of the elderly
Last Ramadan we visited the elderly
who live by themselves. With these
visits we wanted to ease their
loneliness a bit and try to support
some of their needs.
ARAŞTIR-
ACTIVITIES
MA 37
People in need abroad are as
close as our neighbors
We have worked to utilize the
blessings of Ramadan in the
optimum way, spreading them
among those in needs. We have
reached tens of thousands of
families, providing them with food
packages, cash aid and iftars.
38 ACTIVITIES Social aid
Orphans are
pleased by
your presents
D
uring the Ramadan Eid IHH delivered clothing
to 7,534 orphans who have been affected
by wars, natural disasters and poverty in 28
countries and districts. The sponsor family project
has been operating since 2007. 2,000 orphans in 13
countries and districts have been given stationery
materials. Orphans in Turkey are also given support,
while in 18 cities 3,000 orphans get clothing and 2,000
orphans receive stationary.
Rehabilitation studies
IHH aims to help children grow into healthy, educated
and socially responsible citizens; relevant studies have
been carried out in accordance with this. 95 orphans
and their families were helped to visit Çanakkale.
Visitors have gone to the war cemetery and some
other historical places in the city.
Our volunteers in Bursa organized a picnic in the
Bursa Atatürk Kent Forest for orphans and their
families. These children also receive regular cash and
material aid. The children played games like tug-of-
war, egg races, sack races, etc. and then they were
given their presents. Ophthalmologists also checked
the children’s eyesight.
Summer activities
In different cities of Turkey summer activities
were planned for orphans. 100 orphans in Ağrı
participated in these events. After the event a
ceremony was organized for the children and they
were given clothing.
Iftar programs and orphans
from Gaza visit Turkey
20 orphans from Gaza were invited to Turkey as part
of IHH’s summer programs. Tours were organized
in Istanbul and Ankara for our young visitors. After
visiting historical and tourist places the children were
given iftar in the evening with donor sponsor families.
IHH Ankara volunteers provided clothing for the
children who came from Gaza. Along with the
orphans from Gaza, orphans from Somalia and
Afghanistan and 140 orphans from Ankara meet
in the evening for an iftar. In the event “Make 100
Orphans Happy” children were given clothing.
IHH Bursa volunteers met children during an iftar and
125 orphans were given Eid clothing and stationery.
Social aid ARAŞTIR-
ACTIVITIES
MA 39
 40 ACTIVITIES Social aid
Support for the
People of Gaza Continues
I
HH has continued its health care,
education, and social aid projects
in Gaza for the past three months.
Within the scope of these projects,
a program was organized in Gaza to
teach mushroom farming to families
in need. The project, which was
brought to life by the contributions
collected through the activities of
the IHH volunteer ladies of Elazığ,
captured great attention. While the first
phase of the program was theoretical
education, the second phase of the
program was implemented in the form
of practical application. A total of 33
families benefited from the project.
Materials were provided to the families
that participated in the project to raise
mushrooms.
In addition, IHH continued to financially
support the Khan Yunis Women’s
Education Center, the Tel el-Hava
Women’s Education Center, the Tel
el-Hava Computer and Cultural Center,
and the Refah Women’s Education
Center.
In another project that was
implemented in Gaza, Palestinian
widows and women in made and sold
pastries in order to provide for their
households. The 2,160 women who
particpated learned different pastry
and cooking techniques under the
scope of the project; they were thus
able to contribute to the income of their
families.
We carried out intensive assistance
activities during the previous Ramadan
in Gaza, just as we have done in
every other Ramadan. We made our
Gazzan brothers and sisters smile with
provisions, and by serving hot meals
to people in need as well as giving Eid
clothing to orphans.

Operations in
Haiti continue
A
s earthquake hit Port-au-
Prince, the capital city of Haiti,
in January with a magnitude
of 7.0, leaving approximately 1
million people homeless; there is
threat of famine and the spread of
illness.
IHH is one of the humanitarian aid
organizations to reach the region
after the earthquake hit Haiti.
In the immediate aftermath IHH
made emergency health and food
donations, and later concentrated
in on helping orphans by supplying
1,900 people, 700 of whom were
Emergency aid
orphans, with hot meals three times
a day for three months. 52 Haitian
orphans were supported by Turkish
donors under the sponsor family
project. The school that was built
ARAŞTIR-
ACTIVITIES
MA 41
after the quake by IHH now helps
300 students to continue their
education.
A second team was sent to the
region in Ramadan and 500 families
were given food packages and iftar in
five different mosques in the capital
city Port-au-Prince. 139 Haitian
orphans were given clothing and
food was provided for 3 orphanages,
housing a total of 150 orphans.
IHH continues its work after the
Qurban Eid.
42 ARAŞTIRMA
ACTIVITIES Emergency aid

Emergency response in
Osh and Jalalabad
T
here have been ethnic clashes between
Kyrgyzstan and Uzbek populations in the
cities of Osh and Jalalabad in Kyrgysztan,
resulting in the burning down of many Uzbek
houses and forcing tens of thousands of people to
move to border regions.

IHH has sent two doctors and two emergency

response personnel to the district with food supplies
for 1,000 families, while 191 orphans have been
given clothing, blankets and medication.
 Cultural aid ARAŞTIR-
ACTIVITIES
MA 43

Equipment support for the

Voice of Africa radio station
A
lmost one million people died
during the one hundred-day civil
war in Rwanda in 1994. Rwanda
is still dealing with the trauma caused by
the genocide and economic problems.
The Muslim population which served as
a security barrier-by refusing to hand
over those who had sought refuge with
them to the bloody enemy during the
1994-96 war when the Hutu killed the
Tutsi-has increased by almost three
times in the aftermath of the genocide.
The population of Rwanda is more
than 10 million people, approximately
15% of which is Muslim. The Voice of
Africa radio station is the only media
organ serving the Muslim community
in the country. As part of its cultural aid
program, IHH has provided equipment
support for the radio station, which
broadcasts from the capital city Kigali.
IHH continues to work on other social
and cultural aid projects in the region.

You can follow the

activities of IHH online
A
s in today’s world information and communication tools have become
increasingly important, IHH is now involved in social media.We have
established an internet portal in order to inform the public and our
donors about our activities in a fast and effective way. Now you can easily
learn about our
activities in more than
120 countries around
the world and see our
updates, photos and videos. You can now make use of our social media tools
to see the smiling face of an orphan, witness the excitement of someone who
can see the world again after cataract surgery, or share the joy that a repaired
water-well brings people.
• http://facebook.com/ihhtr • http://flickr.com/photos/ihhinsaniyardimvakfi/
• http://twitter.com/ihhinsaniyardim • www.ihh.org.tr
44 ACTIVITIES Educational support

Faruk Aktaş School is

opened in Tanzania
The name of Faruk Aktaş, Coordinator of Asia Desk
of IHH, who lost his life in a plane crash, was given
to a school teaching 150 students in Zanzibar.

T
he name of Faruk Aktaş,
Coordinator of Asia Desk
of IHH, who lost his life in a
plane crash, was given to a school
teaching 150 students in Zanzibar.
Tanzania is one of the countries
in which IHH operates. While
the Muslim population is 35%
throughout the country, in
Zanzibar it is 99 %. However, the
Educational support
Muslim populations’ interaction
with educational and religious
affairs is inadequate due to
poverty and a lack of government
support.
IHH has carried out many
operations in the region. Last
August a new complex, with a
school and mosque, was opened
in Zanzibar. The complex was
ARAŞTIR-
ACTIVITIES
MA 45
opened up by the Deputy Chief
Minister of Zanzibar, Ali Juma
Shamhuna and it was named
after IHH’s East Asian specialist,
Faruk Aktas, who lost his life in
a plane crash. 150 students will
be instructed at the school where
Arabic, English and computer
courses will also be given.
 46 ACTIVITIES Health aid

The Martyr Cevdet Kılıçlar

Operating Theater was
opened in Sudan
In 2007, IHH set up the first eye-surgery operating room in the Abdul
Fadil Elmas Educational and Research Hospital, which is the oldest
ophthalmology hospital in Sudan. Since it opened, 21,590 eye surgeries
have been performed.

A
second eye surgery operating
room was opened to serve the
community. Nileyn University,
the Sudanese Foundation for Fighting
Blindness and IHH Humanitarian
Relief Foundation jointly established
an ophthalmology unit and operating
theater. This was named after Cevdet
Kılıçlar, who was martyred on the
Mavi Marmara. The center will serve
approximately 5,000 people a year
free of charge.
In 2007, IHH set up the first eye-
surgery operating room in the
Abdul Fadil Elmas Educational and
Research Hospital, which is the
oldest ophthalmology hospital in
Sudan. Since it opened, 21,590 eye
surgeries have been performed. Eye
surgeons and health care personnel
from Turkey have volunteered on this
project and trained Sudanese eye
surgeons in how to perform cataract
surgery. Another eye unit was set up
in the Ophthalmology Department
at Nileyn University, where cataract
Health aid
and other eye-related surgeries
will be performed in addition to eye
examinations. In cooperation with
Nileyn University, university students
will also be educated in the Cevdet
Kılıçlar Operating Theather.
Cataract Surgery
continues in Ethiopia
As part of the IHH Humanitarian
Relief Foundation’s Africa Cataract
Project, 1,000 people have had eye
examinations and 210 people have
had eye surgery in the Mekele region
ARAŞTIR-
ACTIVITIES
MA 47
of the Tigray province of Ethiopia.
In Ethiopia, there are 500,000
cataract patients, but only 200
ophthalmologists. Since 2007, 4,010
eye surgeries have been performed
with the help of IHH in cooperation
with TIKA (Turkish International
Cooperation and Development
Agency). IHH’s Africa Cataract Project
hopes to bring light to 10,000 people
suffering from cataracts in Ethiopia.
Our foundation continues to support
cataract surgery in Somalia and
Sudan.
48 ACTIVITIES Domestic aid

The opening of
drinking fountains in
Urfa and Hakkari
IHH Humanitarian Relief
Foundation has constructed two
drinking fountains, one in the
Siverek district of Şanlıurfa and
one in the Kaval village of Hakkari,
which is located in the mountainous
Levni region. A total of 1,000
people will benefit from these
fountains.
12 Iraqi children
have been
circumcised
12 Iraqi immigrant children who
live in Turkey were circumcised in
a ceremony organized by IHH. The
circumcision was performed at the
Sultan Çiftliği Akut Tıp Merkezi and
Domestic aid
clothes were donated to the children
and their families.
IHH provides help to
flood victims
IHH has provided emergency
assistance in the Euphrates, 100.
Yıl and Gazi quarters of Ağrı, where
rainstorms in May caused flooding.
Immediately after the flooding,
IHH provided blankets and kitchen
supplies to hundreds of families and
delivered pull-out couches and rugs
to 17 families. IHH also distributed
aid including pull-out couches,
rugs and food to 24 families whose
apartments had been damaged by a
flood in Gebze in June.
Meat from sacrificed
animals has been
distributed
During the past three months, IHH
Humanitarian Relief Foundation has
ARAŞTIR-
ACTIVITIES
MA 49
delivered the meat from animals
that have been sacrificed to needy
families. In Istanbul, 3,125 kilograms
of meat has been delivered to 240
needy Turkish families, some of
which had lost their fathers, and 350
refugee families from Chechnya,
Iraq, Uzbekistan, East Turkistan
and Palestine. In Anatolia, 8,200
kilograms of sacrificed meat has
been delivered to Sakarya, Düzce,
Zonguldak, Bartın, Karabük, Bolu,
Ankara, Adana, Kahramanmaraş,
Gaziantep, Adıyaman, Şanlıurfa,
Diyarbakır, Batman, Siirt, Tatvan
and Van before the month of
Ramadan. Approximately 3,000
families have benefited from the
sacrificed animals.
Refugees gathered
for a picnic
On June 20 IHH brought together
refugees living in Istanbul and its
neighboring provinces for a picnic
to celebrate World Refugee Day.
The picnic was held in the Belgrad
Forest in Istanbul. Approximately
200 refugees from Iraq, Palestine,
Chechnya, East Turkistan,
Pakistan, Afghanistan and various
African countries attended the
picnic. During the picnic, IHH’s
refugee report was issued.
 50 ACTIVITIES
Domestic and international
support for IHH
A
fter the Israeli attack on the
flotilla to Gaza, “Palestine Our
Route, Humanitarian Aid Our
Load,” IHH received visitors from
around the world. Many politicians
and representatives from NGOs
visited IHH to express their support.
The visitors included Sheikh Ali Badr
al-Sabah, a member of the Kuwaiti
Royal family, representatives from the
International Association of Muslim
Scholars, representatives from
various European humanitarian aid
organizations, activists, journalists,
and members of NGOs from Kuwait,
Algeria, Qatar, Morocco and Saudi
Arabia, Numan Kurtulmuş, former
leader of the Saadet Party, Yalçın
Topçu, leader of the Büyük Birlik
Partisi, Aziz Babuşçu, the Head of
the Istanbul Provincial Department for
AK Party, Erol Erdoğan, the Head of
the Istanbul Provincial Department for
Saadet Party, Teyfik Göksu, mayor
of the Esenler Municipality, Mustafa
Demir, mayor of the Fatih Municipality,
members of the Turkish Parliament
and representatives from different
NGOs. The visitors also visited the
activists who had been injured in the
Israeli attacks on the Mavi Marmara
and the families of those who had
been martyred during the attacks.
 Domestic aid ARAŞTIR-
ACTIVITIES
MA 51

Support for the

families of the Martyrs
The IHH Humanitarian Relief Foundation continues to give moral
and material support to the families of the relief volunteers who
were martyred in the bloody attack on Mavi Marmara.

T
he IHH Humanitarian Relief
Foundation continues to give
moral and material support to
the families of the relief volunteers
who were martyred in the bloody
attack on Mavi Marmara. Setting
out to lift the inhumane embargo on
Gaza, the humanitarian aid flotilla
was attacked in international waters
by Israel; nine Turkish activists were
martyred, while 54 activists were
wounded. Our brothers Necdet
Yıldırım, İbrahim Bilgen, Ali Haydar
Bengi, Çetin Topçuoğlu, Furkan
Doğan, Fahri Yaldız, Cengiz Songür,
Cengiz Akyüz, and Cevdet Kılıçlar,
who lost their lives as a result of this
bloody attack were buried in a funeral
ceremony that thousands of people
attended.
 52 ACTIVITIES Volunteer activities
Goodness flows
from the heart
IHH volunteers have continued
activities to support our brothers
and sisters in Gaza.
Orphans and those in need are
not alone
As members of a global movement
of support, IHH volunteers around
Turkey have been supporting cataract,
orphan and water-well campaigns. In
the past, volunteers in Batman raised
funds for the Africa Cataract Project,
which covered the surgery expenses
of 16 people. Volunteers in Yenibosna
sold bottled water to raise funds for
digging water-wells. Volunteers in
Batman organized a three-day charity
sale to raise money for orphans and
the needy. The Kartal-based İsar
Solidarity Group established a fund
to support IHH’s projects concerning
orphans. Volunteers in Kâğıthane-
Çağlayan donated furniture to our
Orphan Support Center. And the Hilal
Group, a group of female volunteers
affiliated with IHH, organized an iftar
and donated all the proceeds to the
Pakistani people who had affected by
disastrous flood.
To understand what is
happening
After the Israeli attack on the
humanitarian relief flotilla that
was sent to Gaza by IHH, the IHH
supporters who had provided various
types of support to the flotilla were
now even more eager to support our
campaign in Gaza, as well as our
other activities. IHH representatives
had the opportunity to speak about
the Israeli attack on the Mavi Marmara
at seminars that were organized by
our supporters. Presentations were
also made in Istanbul about the Gaza
flotilla to supporters affiliated with the
following groups: Çınarder, Gönülder,
Ihlamurkuyu Association and the
women’s branch of the Saadet Party
(Saadet Party’s Women’s Branch) in
Kartal, the Gönüllü Eller Association
and the Kurukol-Der in Üsküdar, the
Regional Headquarters of the Saadet
Party in Ümraniye, Yağmurder in
Pendik, Mektepder in Sultanbeyli,
Akdav, Özgürder and Akoder and
the youth summer school run by the
Hikmet Foundation in Fatih, the İnsan
ve Medeniyet Hareketi in Eyüp, the
Nisan Group in Beykoz; and Gönül
Erleri in Sancaktepe.
Furthermore, presentations were given
concerning what had happened on
the Mavi Marmara in Yozgat, Malatya,

Erzurum, Azamder and at the youth
camp in İzmit that was organized by
the İnsan ve Medeniyet Hareketi.
“Our hearts are devoted to
Palestine!”
IHH volunteers have continued
activities to support our brothers
and sisters in Gaza. Volunteers in
Güngören, Istanbul organized a
conference on Gaza and donated the
proceeds to Gaza. Students at the
Kâzım Karabekir Imam-Hatib School
in Gazi Osman Paşa made key chains
and sold them in order to raise money
for Gaza. In Kâğıthane, volunteers
organized a night of activities,
including a conference, theater
performance, small concert, and a
charity sale to raise funds for Gaza.
Volunteer activities
A yacht tour and picnic were
organized in Ümraniye as well.
IHH volunteers in Anatolia have
increased their work for Gaza in
the past three months. In Kütahya,
volunteers set up a fund for Gaza and
in Bolu a tent was erected in the city
center immediately after the attack on
the flotilla to garner public opinion in
favor of the flotilla. Volunteers in Aydın
organized a bake sale to raise funds
for Gaza.
To make the Eid (Festival) an
occasion for happiness for all
Orphans have always been a primary
concern for IHH volunteers. Our
volunteers consider Eid to be a special
occasion and have worked devotedly
ACTIVITIES 53
to make the orphans in Turkey and
around the world happy by providing
them with new clothes before the
Ramadan Eid. To achieve this, the
Miraç Group in Ümraniye and IHH
volunteers in Beyoğlu organized
bake sales and IHH volunteers
collected donations in Kâğıthane. IHH
volunteers affiliated with the Gaziantep
Humanitarian Relief Association, IHH
volunteers in Kırklareli, Lüleburgaz,
Kütahya, Malatya, and Başakşehir,
Pendik and Kâğıthane in Istanbul, as
well as students from Kartal Anadolu
Imam-Hatib and the Nisan Group
in Beykoz supported the project to
provide orphans with new clothes by
organizing breakfasts, dinners and
iftars to raise money. The İsar Group,
consisting of IHH volunteers in the
Kartal area, helped to raise money for
 54 ACTIVITIES Volunteer activities

this project by selling bottled water Pakistan in conjunction with various small volunteers recently visited IHH
and manning an information desk for organizations. Furthermore, the to donate what they had collected for
three days. In addition, IHH volunteers Kartal-based İsar Solidarity Group their needy brothers and sisters around
affiliated with the Adıyaman donated a truckload of fabric, towels the world. Students from Elma Şekeri
Humanitarian Relief Association and and clothes and made a cash donation. Anaokulu, Balözü Çocuk Yuvası, Elif
volunteers in Kütahya-Emet supported IHH volunteers in Ümraniye collected Yuva ve Özlem Çocuk Yuvası as well
the project by organizing charity sales. cash donations as well as 20 parcels of as students from with the Fatih Center
medical supplies, food, clothes and for Youth and Culture, children affiliated
Working together for fabric. In Pendik, volunteers with the Anatolian Youth Association
Pakistan collected a truckload of summer schools held in Bayrampaşa,
Thanks to our
food, blankets and Esenler, Sarıyer and Arnavutköy,
devoted volunteers,
IHH volunteers cleaning supplies. 15 and children from East Turkistan, in
7,000 orphans received
worked together to students from the association with the East Turkistan
new Eid clothes.
support the victims Bahçelievler Cimcime Association of Education, contributed to
of the disastrous We would like to Kindergarten donated IHH’s campaigns.
flood in Pakistan. express our gratitude to medical supplies,
For this purpose, IHH the IHH volunteers. diapers, and food. In addition to the children, IHH’s youth
volunteers in Erzurum, volunteers visited the foundation to
Kırşehir, Balıkesir-Gönen, Little hearts filled with learn more about the work being done.
Van, Kocaeli and Isparta love High school students affiliated with the
and volunteers in the Sultanbeyli, Enderun Foundation and Özgürder
Pendik, Beyoğlu and Bahçelievler Children enthusiastically participated were among these young visitors.
districts of Istanbul raised funds for in IHH’s volunteer campaigns. The
 Volunteer activities ACTIVITIES 55

Kahramanmaraş. The fourth-

Our volunteers are spreading annual iftar brought together the
the word about IHH and its orphans, people in need and
activities their benefactors. Approximately
1,500 people attended the
IHH volunteers have been publicizing iftar. 230 children received a
the activities of IHH in Beşiktaş, Fatih, 70 Turkish Lira voucher for
Esenler, Başakşehir in Istanbul and at clothing, stationery, and a bag. In
the Sarıyer Anadolu Youth Association addition, female IHH volunteers
and in Anatolia at the Mana Denizi in Kahramanmaraş raised money
Association in Konya-Seydişehir. They at a dinner to buy Eid clothing for
have organized seminars and invited 400 Palestinian orphans.
IHH representatives to speak about
recent projects and activities, such as Solidarity iftar in Kayseri
the projects related to Palestine, the
month of Ramadan and orphans. IHH volunteers at the Kayseri
Humanitarian Relief Association
Brotherhood in Anatolia have organized their third iftar
activity this year. The iftar dinner
Conscious of the need for brotherhood brought together 420 orphan
and solidarity, IHH volunteers have families and 160 refugees.
lent a helping hand to orphans and
have been helping all those in need Doctors, students and
inside and outside of the country. In tradesmen - united for
Anatolia, over the past few months goodness
volunteers have collected and
delivered Ramadan food packages IHH volunteers of different
and organized various activities and professions have been
aid campaigns to benefit orphans and supporting the work of IHH in
the Pakistani people. charity work. Many volunteer
doctors, nurses and other health
Best wishes and prayers for care personnel serve in our
the Pakistani people from the Africa Cataract Project. They
tradesman of İzmir have also assisted in bringing
emergency aid to Pakistan in the
IHH volunteers affiliated with the İzmir aftermath of the disastrous flood
Humanitarian Relief Association and in August 2010.
the tradesman of İzmir have made
a valuable contribution of food and In addition, IHH volunteers in
textiles to Pakistan. A trailer full of food various provinces in Turkey
and textiles has been sent to Pakistan have organized a soup kitchen
to help the victims of the flood. iftar throughout the month of
Ramadan. Student volunteers
Iftar is served to 1,500 People supported IHH’s activities by
in Kahramanmaraş translating materials and offering
internet services. Volunteer
For almost three years, volunteers psychologists have regularly
from the Kahramanmaraş visit the families of orphans as
Humanitarian Relief Association part of our orphan rehabilitation
have supported and regularly visited program.
approximately 500 orphans in
 56 FOCUS

The UN must act

according to the report
they have produced
Atty Cihat Gökdemir, President of Mazlumder, Istanbul Branch and passenger on the Mavi
Marmara which took part in Palestine Our Route, Humanitarian Aid Our Load Flotilla

I
n May 31, 2010, Israeli soldiers
attacked the Palestine Our Route,
Humanitarian Aid Our Load Flotilla
in the middle of the Mediterranean. A
United Nations Fact Finding Mission,
formed on the basis of the resolution
of the UN Human Rights Council
dated June 2, 2010, No. A/HRC/
RES/14/1, delivered the report No. A/
HRC/15/21, prepared to submit to the
UN Human Rights Council in Geneva
by September 22, 2010.
Report No. A/HRC/15/21 examines the
human right violations that occurred
during and in the aftermath of the
Israeli attack on the Humanitarian
Aid Flotilla from the perspective of
international humanitarian laws and
human rights laws; this was an act that
caused the death of 9 people and the
injury of many more.
In order to investigate the Israeli
attack, the mission collected evidence
by interviewing the victims in Geneva,
London, Istanbul and Amman.
Additionally the Commission also
examined the condition of the Mavi
Marmara, Gazze I and Defne/Y ships
that were docked in the Iskenderun
Port during their inquiries in Turkey.
The fact that the mission is impartial,
independent and international and that
the reports is issues are the same are
well-attested. The UN Human Rights
Council is an international organ that
is formed of representatives from
different countries around the world.
The Commission has the authority
to investigate, observe the course of
events and issue reports concerning
human rights issues. The Commission
authorizes an investigatory mission
FOCUS 57
that consists of impartial, independent
and internationally attested lawyers to
examine the necessary issues. This
commission also prepares reports and
submits them to the Commission.
The regular procedures were followed
concerning the Israeli attack on the
ships that were part of the in the
Palestine Our Route, Humanitarian
Aid Our Load Flotilla. The UN Human
Rights Council designated a Fact-
Finding Mission. The head of the
commission was Karl T. Hudson-
Phillips, a retired judge from the
International Criminal Court. The
members were Sir Desmond Da
Silva, the chief prosecutor of the
International Court for Sierra Leone
and Mary Shanthi Dairiam, an ex-
member of the Committee for the
Prevention of Discrimination against
58 FOCUS
Fact Finding Mission of the United
Nations Human Rights Council
The UN Human Rights Council has
decided, with resolution No. A/HRC/
RES/14/1, dated June 2, 2010, to
authorize an independent internati-
onal inspection mission to examine
the violation of international huma-
nitarian laws and human rights laws
caused by the attack of the Israeli
forces on May 31, 2010 against the
our Route, Humanitarian Aid our
Load Flotilla that was on its way to
Gaza. The same resolution authori-
zes the president of the Commission
to appoint the members of the mis-
sion.
After seven week, on July 23, 2010,
the UN Human Rights Council appo-
inted Karl T. Hudson-Phillips, one of
the retired judges of the Internatio-
nal Criminal Court and former chief
Prosecutor of Trinidad and Tobago,
as the president and administrator of
the mission.
In keeping with customary practice,
the UN High Commission for Human
Rights (OHCHR) established a sec-
retarial office to support the mission.
Members of the mission were helped
from outside by professionals wor-
king for other institutions. These inc-
luded professionals who specialize in
medical jurisprudence, pathology, mi-
litary issues, weapons, maritime law
and international humanitarian law.
The testimony of eye witnesses,
reports from forensic experts, intervi-
ews with Turkish medical and foren-
sic personnel and written statements,
video records and other visual ma-
terial related to the event, as well as
various sources of information have
been submitted to the mission. Mem-
bers of the mission visited Istanbul,
Ankara and Iskenderun in Turkey,
Amman, Jordan and London, Eng-
land to interview the eye-witnesses,
to hold meetings with representatives
of the governments and to examine
the Mavi Marmara ship, in which 9
people were martyred, as well as the
Defne/Y and Gaza I ships. As part of
the investigation, the mission contac-
ted various people who were likely to
provide information.
UN Panel of Inquiry on the
Flotilla Incident of 31 May
On August 2, 2010 the Secretary
General to the UN announced that
a “Panel to Inquire into the Flotilla
Incident of May 31” was established.
The Secretary General did not spe-
cify the area of inquiry for the panel,
but he expressed his hope that the
Panel “would use its authority on the
basis of the Presidential Statement
of the Security Council.” The Panel
of Inquiry has been endowed with
the authority to take and examine
the national investigation reports so
that it can advise on preventing the
occurrence of similar events in the
future.
As is generally known, the duty and
the purpose of the Panel designated
by the Secretary General is “to help
guide the relationship between Tur-
key and Israel as well as the general
atmosphere in the Middle East in a
positive direction.” Thus, this is very
different from the report released
by UN Commission for the Human
Rights and is completely political in
nature.
This Panel consists of Geoffrey
Palmer, the former Prime Minister
of New Zealand, who is the chair of
the Panel, Alvaro Uribe, former Pre-
sident of Columbia, who is the assis-
tant to the chair, Joseph Ciechanove
from Israel, and Özdem Sanberk, a
retired ambassador from Turkey.
The Panel began its work on August
10, with the members of the panel
convening for a second time on 2
and 3 September in New York; it
presented the first progress report to
the Secretary General on September
15. Turkey submitted its report to the
investigatory commission on Sep-
tember 1.
If the “final report” of the investiga-
tion commission is scheduled to be
submitted to the Secretary General
in February of next year, it is likely
that the commission will prepare a
further, non-final, report.

Women.
The Fact-Finding Mission concluded
that the attack perpetrated by
the Israeli State and Israeli state
officials on the Palestine Our Route,
Humanitarian Aid Our Load Flotilla
which was sailing through international
waters and which was bringing
humanitarian relief to Gaza, was “a
grave violation of human rights.” The
mission reached this conclusion after
independent and impartial inquiries.
The mission describes the Israeli
attack to have been “disproportionate,
excessive and brutal.”
In the report, it is emphasized that
“The attack on the flotilla must be
viewed in the context of the ongoing
problems between the Government
of Israel and the Palestinian Authority
and people.” It states that “similar
events are likely to reoccur unless
there can be a dramatic shift in
the existing paradigm.” It also
points out that “an unjust
victory has never been
known to bring lasting
peace.”
In addition, the
following statement
by members of
the fact-finding
mission
indicates that sending the flotilla,
which was aimed at breaking the
Israeli blockade, was correct, while
the Israeli blockade against Gaza is
unjust: “The Mission has come to the
firm conclusion that a humanitarian
crisis existed on 31 May 2010 in
Gaza. The preponderance of evidence
from impeccable sources is too
overwhelming to arrive at a contrary
opinion. There are no rational grounds
that would support the denial of
this. One of the consequences that
emanates from this is that for this
reason alone the blockade is unlawful
and cannot be sustained in law.
This is regardless of the grounds on
which one seeks to justify the legality
of the blockade.” (A/HRC/15/21
paragraph:261)
The following were
included in the
views expressed in
the concluding
section of the
report:
“Principally, the
action of the Israel
Defense Force in
intercepting the
Mavi Marmara
on the high
seas under the
circumstances
and for the
FOCUS 59
reasons given was clearly unlawful.
Specifically, the action cannot be
justified under the circumstances,
even under Article 51 of the Charter
of the United Nations.” (A/HRC/15/21
paragraph: 262)
“Any action in response which
constitutes collective punishment
of the civilian population in Gaza is
not lawful in any circumstances.” (A/
HRC/15/21 paragraph: 263)
“The conduct of the Israeli military
and other personnel towards the
passengers of the flotilla was not
only disproportionate to the occasion
but demonstrated levels of totally
unnecessary and extreme violence.
It betrayed an unacceptable level of
brutality. Such conduct cannot be
justified or condoned on security, or
any other grounds. It constituted a
grave violation of human rights’ law
and international humanitarian law.”
(A/HRC/15/21 paragraph:
264)
“The Mission considers
that several violations
and offences have been
committed. … there is
clear evidence to support
prosecutions for the
following crimes within
 60 FOCUS

the terms of article 147 of the Fourth
Geneva Convention:” (A/HRC/15/21
paragraph: 265)
• Willful killing;
• Torture or inhuman treatment;
• Willfully causing great suffering or
serious bodily harm or injury to health.
• Freedom of expression (art. 19,
International Covenant).
“The Mission notes that the retention
by the Israeli authorities of unlawfully
seized property remains a continuing
offence and Israel is called upon to
return such property forthwith.” (A/
“All the passengers on board the
ships comprising the flotilla who
appeared before the Mission
impressed the members as persons
genuinely committed to the spirit of
humanitarianism and imbued with a
deep and genuine concern for the
welfare of the inhabitants of Gaza. The
Mission can only express the hope
that differences will be resolved in the
short rather than the long-term, so
that peace and harmony may exist in
the area.” (A/HRC/15/21 paragraph:
273)

Finally in the report, with the following

The Mission also considers that
a series of violations of Israel’s
obligations under international human
rights’ law have taken place, including:
• Right to life (art. 6, International
Covenant on Civil and Political Rights);
• Torture and other cruel, inhuman or
degrading treatment or punishment
(art. 7, International Covenant;
Convention against Torture);
• Right to liberty and security of the
person and freedom from arbitrary
arrest or detention (art. 9, International
Covenant);
• Right of detainees to be treated with
humanity and respect for the inherent
dignity of the human person (art. 10,
International Covenant);
statement Israel is asked to pay
compensation: “The Mission sincerely
hopes that no impediment will be put
in the way of those who suffered loss
as a result of the unlawful actions of
the Israeli military to be compensated
adequately and promptly. It is hoped
that there will be swift action by the
Government of Israel. This will go a
long way to reversing the regrettable
reputation which that country has
HRC/15/21 paragraph: 265) for impunity and intransigence in
international affairs. …” (A/HRC/15/21
“The perpetrators of the more serious paragraph: 278)
crimes, as they were masked, cannot
be identified without the assistance The reports confirm the inhuman
of the Israeli authorities. Israel attitude
… The Mission sincerely as expressed
hopes that there will be specifically by
cooperation from the The commencement of its attack on
Government of Israel to national investigations the flotilla and
assist in their identification were announced in generally by its
with a view to prosecuting both Israel and Turkey, blockade of the
the culpable and bringing respectively on 15 July Gaza strip. In this
closure to the situation.” and 10 August 2010 respect, all the
(A/HRC/15/21 paragraph: countries around
267) the world, as well
as the countries in
“The Mission is aware that this is not the region, and in particular Turkey,
the first time that the Government of should take relevant steps to eliminate
Israel has declined to cooperate with the inhuman blockade described in
an inquiry into events in which its the report and to ensure the restitution
military personnel have been involved.” of the rights of people who were
(A/HRC/15/21 paragraph: 268) victimized in the flotilla.
 IN THE FIELD 61

Kyrgyzstan under the

shadow of clashes
Orhan Şefik

I
n Osh and Jalalabad, two cities in
the southern part of Kyrgyzstan,
ethnic clashes occurred between
Kyrgyz and Uzbek groups on June
10. After the clashes, many people
fled their homes for other places. In
1990, many people were
killed and there was
considerable
material
damage from
a similar incident in the region. This
recent event reminded the people
once more of the nightmare of ethnic
violence.
The background of the clashes
Kyrgyzstan is a playground for
great powers, due to its important
geographical location. The country,
which borders Russia and China,
declared independence when the
Soviet Union disintegrated. It is
also strategically important for the
Americans, as there is an
American military basis within
 62 IN THE FIELD
its boundaries. The U.S. uses this
military basis to transport soldiers to
Afghanistan and for logistic purposes.
Additionally, this country is an
important transition point for the opium
trade that originates in Afghanistan.
It is estimated that $70 million worth
of opium passes through this region
each year.
On April 7, 2010, Bakiyev, the
former president of Kyrgyzstan,
fled first to the south of the country,
which supports him, and then
via Kazakhstan sought asylum in
Belarus. When the government of
Roza Otambayeva, which replaced
him, failed to reinstitute security
in the country, a power struggle
emerged. The Uzbek politicians in the
region agitated the people through
the use of propaganda. They even
went as far as to announce that the
region had become an autonomous
Uzbek region and made threatening
Kyrgyzstan under the shadow of clashes
speeches against the security forces
in the region. It has been confirmed
that some groups obtained weapons.
For example, two months before the
events in the Uzbek capital, it has
been proven that vehicles in the city
were stolen to be turned into armored
vehicles.
The success of the Uzbek people
in business in Kyrgyzstan and their
control of the fertile land to the south
of the country have contributed to
the resurgence of ethnic violence in
Kyrgyzstan.
Due to the lack of control in the
country, the masked and armed
provocateurs have remained on
the loose and thus the people
have desperately tried to solve the
problems themselves which resulted
in the growth of the hatred and enmity
between these two ethnic groups.
Currently, tensions remain in the
capital city, Osh, as well as in the rest
of the region.
IHH from the beginning has tried to
monitor the situation in Kyrgyzstan
and keep in contact with its partners
in the region. The crisis management
center decided to send an emergency
convoy, consisting of two doctors and
two IHH representatives, to the region
on June 16, 2010. IHH then decided
to start its own activities in the region.
Jalalabad
IHH set up emergency assistance
activities first in Jalalabad. On our
way to the city, we visited villages in
the border region, where we came
across approximately 10-15 Uzbek
families living together in one house.
There was an inspection point at the
border, which was covered in wire
netting. A wooden bridge had been
constructed over a 1 meter wide and
1.5 meter deep ditch.
In Jalalabad, we came across similar
scenes: apartments and shops, small
and large, had been burnt down.
Furthermore, the university and
television building had also been burnt
down as they belonged to Kadircan
Batirov, who was on the run and is
suspected of having provoked the
incidents.
We started charity activities
A council of reconciliation was
established by imams who were
being educated in a training center
supported by IHH, with imams from
Bishkek and NGO representatives.
Members of the council played an
important role in preventing the
violence from spreading throughout
Jalalabad. Muslims who were
 Kyrgyzstan under the shadow of clashes IN THE FIELD 63

aware of the incident attempted to
prevent more bloodshed by trying
to reestablish peace. Many hosted
Uzbek families in their homes during
the three days when the fighting was
the most violent.
apartment doors called for: “Death
to Uzbeks.” On the doors of some
apartments the word “Kyrgyz” was
inscribed as a warning
to the militants so they
would not burn down these
houses. However, this did
not stop the militants.
We first delivered our aid
packages to a tent city of
72 Krygyz families. When
we arrived, the families
were busy erecting their
tents. They shared their
story: “The Uzbeks came
to our village and told us to
leave. They said they did
not want to hurt us. We left
our village and came here.
We do not have much, but
we have left our homes.
We do not know what is going to
happen to us.”
We could not enter the Uzbek districts
to deliver aid because of the barriers
put up at the entrance to their districts.
Even government officials could
not enter these districts because of
the snipers that had been placed in
apartments. While delivering aid in
the city center, we were accompanied
by three officers, one of which was
armed. We distributed aid packages
to families who were being held in
a wedding hall in the city center, to
families in a nursing home, to families
in orphanages, and to families who
had taken refuge with relatives.
We do not forget the orphans
Before departing from Kyrgyzstan,
we distributed food, clothes, blankets
and toys to 67 orphans at the Bishkek
School of the Deaf, which is run by
the Ministry of the Youth, and to 62
orphans in the Issik Lake region.

Our Turkish and Kyrgyz brothers

and sisters helped us unpack the “They burned our home!”
aid material that we had brought. In A 45-year old woman greeted us in well-spoken Turkish: “Welcome!” (Hoş
Kyrgyzstan we delivered a total of geldiniz!) She continued, “After these incidents no one visited us. May God
500 parcels of food, 350 of which be pleased with you, our Turkish brothers.” This woman, a textile trader,
were given to Uzbeks and 150 to had visited Turkey many times so she spoke some Turkish.
Kyrgyz families. We began delivering
She wept as she told us her story: “When the incidents began, we turned off
the parcels in areas inhabited
the lights and began waiting. 15-20 people broke into our apartment, took
mostly by Uzbeks. To prevent any
my car keys, money and asked if I had a daughter. I have three children,
casualties, we were accompanied by
aged 15, 9 and 2. I had hidden my daughter under the bed. They tried to
Uzbek people in the Uzbek districts
find my two other children and I shouted, “you took my car keys, what else
and Kyrgyz people in the Kyrgyz
do you want!” One of them had a bottle of gasoline and was trying to light it
districts. The people waiting for help
so that they could burn my apartment down. But the lighter didn’t work, so
greeted us with tears in their eyes.
they left. They had an armored vehicle which they had hijacked from the
police station and were driving it at my apartment. I immediately threw my
Our deliveries
children from the second floor of our apartment into the neighbor’s yard.
in the city of Osh
We narrowly escaped. My two year old baby is still afraid. He did not eat
anything for two days; he would not breastfeed. He wakes up in the middle
Osh was like a ghost town, as 80%
of the night crying and has been vomiting continuously. I do not know what
of the population had fled the city.
to do!” She pointed at her apartment and added, “They could not burn it
The grand bazaar in the city center
with gasoline, but they destroyed it by shooting.”
and apartments belonging to Uzbeks
had been destroyed. Graffiti on the
 64 IN THE FIELD
What would you
do to uplift a
wounded nation?
Elvide Demirkol
W
e went to Albania to
distribute IHH’s Ramadan
aid packages and to come
together with families of orphans,
a country that has been severely
damaged since the country split
from the Ottoman Empire, due to the
changes in regime that occurred up
until the 1990s. The hand that reaches
out to help from Turkey brings hope
during Ramadan to the families in need
What would you do to uplift a wounded nation?
in Albania; this is a time when the steps
for rebuilding the educational system
and religious feeling become more
meaningful.
The age of awakening
The land of the “two headed eagle” is
trying to rise again after the destruction
it faced under fascist and communist
rule. The culture and religion of the
country were severely restricted under
Fascism, during the reign of Mussolini,
and under Communist rule after the
Second World War. After the fall of
the Soviet Union in the 1990s, Albania
started to depart from Communism.
However, the truly painful process
started after this period. While the
question “What is going to replace the
dictatorial government?” was waiting
to be answered, the Albanians started
 What would you do to uplift a wounded nation?
to seek a way to regain their national
and religious identity, after attempts by
the atheist system to erase the national
memory and religious awareness. We
are talking about an era when mosques
were destroyed, when praying and
even burying the dead in Muslim
cemeteries was forbidden. In such
a country, where even thinking was
forbidden, a philosophy department
could only opened in 1996. So what
is happening in Tirana now, where
things go from hot to cold? What is
the standard of living, the life of the
people, orphans, and women living in
sorrow after this painful period? While
trying to make the Albanian children
smile in Ramadan with educational and
cultural assistance, IHH is trying to find
answers to these questions.
75% of the
population is Muslim
Albania is 75% Muslim. However, we
have focused on the period of Fascism
and Communism, particularly from the
1940s to the 1990s, when the religious
freedom of the people was brutally
taken away. According to the first
article of the Albanian constitution the
state has no official religion. Today,
the majority of the people who go to
mosques are the elderly and the young
generation. The middle-aged section of
the population is not keen on praying or
fasting. There are even those who have
internalized non-religious traditions,
such as burning candles in Muslim
cemeteries.
The deplorable state of the
Ottoman heritage
One of the first acts of the Communist
regime was to confiscate the waqf
lands. After the fall of the Communist
regime, when intellectual life and
national development was paralyzed,
the Albania Directorate of Religious
Affairs was formed in 1991 and the
waqf lands were returned to this
institution.
The Head of the ALSAR Foundation,
Mehdi Gurra, talks about the process
after this period: “These lands started
to be sold and hotels and shopping
centers started appearing on them.
In 1994, the Albanian government
started returning the waqf estates to
the Muslim, Orthodox, Catholic, and
Bektashi communities. However,
these waqf estates, which have been
returned to the Directorate of Religious
Affairs, are slowly being sold off. For
example, the Suleyman Pasha Kulliye,
which was built in 1614, was returned
to the Directorate. The Directorate
sold the land, which was more than
three acres. Most of the lands of the
Directorate are awaiting the same
fate.” In addition, Gurra states that the
Ottomans are referred to as “invaders”
in schoolbooks, he says: “Nothing has
changed about this, even after Prime
Minister Erdoğan’s phone call to the
Albanian government.”
Iftar in Musketa
We went to Albania with volunteers
from Istanbul and Anatolia as guests in
the spiritual atmosphere of Ramadan,
only a few weeks after sending aid
for the flood. Our first visit was to the
ALSAR Foundation, IHH’s partner in
Albania. The head of the foundation,
Mehdi Gurra, who studied theology in
Turkey, tells us about the activities of
the foundation in fluent Turkish. ALSAR
undertakes activities such as support
for education, culture, and orphans,
as well as offering Qur’anic courses
in summer, training imams, awarding
tuition scholarships to students, and
building and maintaining mosques.
The foundation’s greatest supporter for
IN THE FIELD 65
these activities is IHH. We went to the
iftar dinner that is organized by IHH in
the Musketa village with Mehdi Gurra,
who guided us throughout our visit in
Albania.
A church in a village where
there are no Christians
Musketa, which is located 22 kilometers
from the capital of Tirana, is a village
which has 163 residents, all of whom
are Muslim. However, the building of a
church in a village where no Christians
live by a Dutch entrepreneur, based
on the excuse of “I am going to build
a cultural center here”, is a blatant
example of the missionary activities
that take place here after the fall of the
Communist regime. We also learned
that several other villages have the
same problem.
Traveling abroad for hope
After embassies were reopened in
Albania on 1 July 1990, following the
collapse of the Communist regime,
they served as an exit for people
who wanted to flee from the country.
Because of financial difficulties,
people cannot even buy farming
equipment to cultivate their lands.
The unemployment figures seem low
because an exodus to other countries
began after the fall of the Communist
regime. Where do they go? Greece,
Italy, Germany… While talking about
Greece, we must mention something
here. Greece placed a condition on
those who left Albania for economic
reasons: They had to change their
names to non-Muslim ones!
The country of women in black
Civil strife, chromium mine disasters,
and accidents abroad have left many
orphans and widows in Albania.
 66 IN THE FIELD
Our journey takes us to the National
Museum in Albania’s capital of Tirana,
perhaps for the most significant
meeting of our journey. Here wait the
children who have lost their fathers and
their sorrowful mothers for us. At first
we do not understand the meaning of
the women all wearing black. When
we ask, we learn how the color of
mourning color, symbolizes the life of
these women.
Smiling faces
In Albania, women who have lost their
spouses wear black. Sometimes for
years, maybe until they marry again, or
perhaps for a lifetime. Widows who do
not wear black are frowned upon, as if
they could forget their sorrow by taking
their clothes off! In the conference
room of the museum, we found the
What would you do to uplift a wounded nation?
women in black and their children,
with whom they try to hold on to life,
waiting for us. The shining eyes of the
children next to their mothers warmed
our hearts. When we approached them,
they hugged us as if they had been
waiting to be hugged for a long time;
they all smiled.
The orphans’ excitement in
receiving Eid clothing
Names were read, and mothers and
children were invited to take the floor.
The aid packages that had been
prepared by IHH’s partner organization,
ALSAR, were distributed one by one.
There are presents for Ramadan and
Eid in the packages: Eid clothing, toys,
candy, and chocolate. The packages,
which had been prepared by the
volunteer women in the IHH Orphan
Support Centers in Istanbul, were
placed in tiny hands.
From Turkey to the world
The money saved from the
housekeeping and spending on extras
is collected, saved, and turned into
smiles for the sorrowful orphans and
their families all over the world with the
help of IHH. We witness this up close
in Tirana.
We met Ayda during one of the
distributions in Albania, and her story
breaks all of our hearts. While helping
the orphans herself, she was left
widowed with her three children after
the death of her husband. It is sad to
see her name among the mothers who
receive orphan aid. Despite all this, she
managed to be strong and hold her
family together.
Both hopes and sorrows
shared
Bulqize is a city that was built in the
high mountains which remind us of the
Taurus Mountains. Most of the people
live in poverty in this chromium-rich
city. Chromium mines are the biggest
source of income for families. Some
had to leave the country for work after
the fall of the Communist regime.
Those who stayed do not have the
chance to smile. We learned that last
year 12 people have died in the mines.
Many of the men who died have left
behind wives and children. We came
to Bulqize to help these poor people.
The IHH packages were distributed
in the garden of the local government
building. The group who registered
earlier all stood in line. They received
the packages, which contained basic
necessities such as sugar, flour, rice,
pasta, oil, and soap. 500 families
received packages and returned home
relieved.
 Our sacred responsibility, Furkan
Our sacred
responsibility, Furkan
Büşra Sancaktar
T
he code was to stroke the head
of an orphan; to put a smile on
their faces... Are they not the
ones who are considered to be the
most valuable? Is it not enough to
receive the special care and concern
of Prophet Muhammad (peace be
upon Him)? Isn’t stroking the head of
an orphan the only medicine for a cold
heart, the way to open the gates of
Heaven, perhaps to even be a neighbor
to Prophet Muhammad?
Turkish patrons of charity reach out
for the hands of children who have
AN ORPHAN’S STORY
been orphaned due to war, invasion,
natural disasters, poverty, and disease
in Turkey and all over the world to
reach this goal. Thousands of orphans
smile in Turkey and 27 other countries
with the Sponsor Family Project of the
IHH Humanitarian Relief Foundation.
Orphans are supported materially and
morally, and their problems are solved
with the support of IHH. Here we will
tell you about the story of Furkan, who
lives in Turkey.
Furkan was only 9 years old. He
was playing with his father and three
67
siblings. Furkan and his siblings
thought it was part of the game when
their father had a heart attack. They
thought he was fooling around and they
waited for their father to finish the game
as soon as possible, but this did not
happen. That was the last day Furkan
and his siblings played with their father,
or felt his warmth.
Fatma became the father and mother
for her four children. In order to provide
for the household, she started taking
on cleaning jobs. She was trying to
shoulder the weight that she had to
 68 AN ORPHAN’S STORY
carry at a young age, and while trying
to provide for her family, she was also
trying to make sure her children did
not miss their father. But her burden
increased after she started having
health problems. One of her children
had a serious intestinal illness and had
to go through a series of operations;
her younger daughter had Attention
Deficit Disorder, and the oldest one was
suffering from obesity due to a problem
with her thyroid gland.
Her neighbors stepped in and helped
Fatma with these problems. Her
neighbors, who knew about IHH’s
orphan-support project, arranged for her
children to receive support from IHH.
But the family’s trials did not end here.
All the good things said about orphans
were for nothing with each slap Furkan
received on his face. Furkan has been
beaten by his teacher for the last three
years. Fatma could not stop it, even
though she spoke to the teacher and
the principal several times. Her demand
Our sacred responsibility, Furkan
for a change in class was refused.
According to his mother, little Furkan
was “abandoned”, and he became
“the punching bag for the teacher,”
according to his schoolmates. He was
forced to sit in the last row in classes,
and was not taken on school trips as he
was a “troublemaker”.
Little Furkan went up to the teacher
that day to ask just one thing, but even
before asking the question, he received
a slap. How can you raise your hand
against a child, especially if he has not
father? How could the hand that should
be nurturing him and protecting him,
slap him instead?
With the force of the blow, Furkan fell to
the floor, and his teacher kicked him as
he lay on the ground. He had bruises on
his body and on his head. His heart was
also broken after being beaten in front
of his friends. He was living through the
worst moments of not having a father.
Even though all the other children left
school for their homes, he did not return
home. His mother searched for him
everywhere, and found him sitting in
the park, covered in bruises. She did
not know what to do at first, but taking
the advice of a psychologist she had
been seeing, with the help of IHH, she
remained her calm, went to the police
station to file charges, and received a
forensics report.
At this point, IHH, which not only
supports orphans materially, but also
focuses on their problems, got in
touch with the school. An apology was
demanded, but the teacher denied
the charges, claiming that Furkan had
been beaten by bullies in the park.
During this process, the school
attempted to convince all the parents
and students who knew about the
situation not to serve as witnesses in
the court case. The families were told
that their children were lying. Parents,
concerned about the future of their
own children, decided not to appear
as witnesses. And, Furkan and his
 Our sacred responsibility, Furkan AN ORPHAN’S STORY 69

family were abandoned. Even their close

friends were saying: “Yes, we know he is
being beaten, but we cannot be witnesses,
because our children go to that school,
too.”

Furkan is a sacred responsibility and

should be treated accordingly. The IHH
Orphan Unit attained the services of a
volunteer attorney. IHH filed charges
against the teacher. The Senate Human
Rights Commission, the Ministry of
National Education, Provincial and District
Directorates of Education, education
unions, and NGOs, such as Mazlumder,
were informed of the situation. In the light
of this, the school’s management tried to
convince the teacher to retract, while trying
to learn about those who were supporting
Furkan and his mother. At the same time,
his mother was trying to fight for
the rights of her child, with the
confidence of having IHH,
which was ready to support
them in every part of their
lives, on her side.

After the problematic

process and on the initiative
of IHH, Furkan was taken
out of the school. His new
teacher said “Welcome”
to him while patting his
head on the first day of
registration at his new
school. His eyes shone
thanks to the interest
shown by his new
teacher. He loved
his new teacher and
school, and his
grades improved
significantly. The
investigation was
completed at
his old school,
and both the
teacher and
the principal
were fired.
 70 CULTURE A moderate resistance against missionary schools: Oral education
A moderate resistance
against missionary
schools: Oral education
Oral education is an indispensable method used in every African country.
It is carried out without the use of notebooks or pencils. The teacher
simply says something and children repeat after the teacher. This is
based on rote learning.
Mervenur Lüleci
A
lthough education is one of the
priorities for people, the ever-
present shadow of colonialism
has left the African Muslims with
many problems concerning education.
Despite many difficulties the Muslim
population has been able to devise its
own educational system. The condition
in African countries has compelled
them to use this traditional method of
education.
When the colonial powers formally
withdrew from these states they left
missionaries behind. The missionaries,
whom you can see everywhere and
the colonial states, which should
have granted African countries with
independence, but rather kept closely
control over all African countries, have
affected the educational struggle and
Muslim people in particular.
As there were Catholic schools, which
spread quickly around Africa and
became the most prestigious schools
in their region, the states did not put
much attention into setting up schools
or how they were run. Unfortunately,
the European funding marked for
educational purposes was transferred
to these Catholic schools. Thus, we
can easily discern the idea behind this:
children either will receive education
and be Christian or will remain
uneducated and ignorant. At times
there was such an abuse of this socio-
political power that they created and
taught a false history in which Christian
figures and elements were assigned
a greatly exaggerated function and
place. Given this situation, the Muslim
population chose to send their children
to Madrasas, traditional schools, where
the traditional system of education was
followed, instead of sending them to
the Catholic schools.
Madrasas are the only
alternative
African Muslims consider Madrasa
education to be very important. For
them, knowledge of the Qur’an is
a precondition for other kinds of
knowledge. Madrasas follow an
oral education system, which has
been shaped by various exigencies
into a tradition. Oral education is an
indispensable method used in every
African country. It is carried out without
the use of any notebooks or pencils.
The teacher simply says something
and children repeat after their teacher.
It is based on rote learning.
Out of the belief that the knowledge
obtained by overcoming difficulties
is more sacred and better, people
sometime send their children to
the farthest Madrasa or school. At
times, people living in large cities
send their children to small towns so
that the children receive a traditional
Madrasa education as boarding-
school students. They have wooden
tablets called Luh on which verses
from the Qur’an and Prophetic sayings
 A moderate resistance against missionary schools: Oral education CULTURE 71

are written to help students study

and memorize them. When these
have been memorized, the written
information is erased. The students are
careful not to erase the writing before
fully memorizing it. These writings may
be kept for a whole day at most.

Oral education is quite

common

Madrasas, which were established

recently by various Muslim countries
in large cities, have been following
the oral education system partly out
of a sense of tradition as well as due
to the poverty that greatly affects the
region. The system of Madrasas is
in accordance with the traditions and
designed to meet the expectations of
the people. Children go to the Madrasa
in the morning and to schools in the
afternoon. They do not return home
without attending their Madrasa in the
evening.

Weak economies have prevented

children from being able to afford
pencils or paper in Chad, Kenya, and
even in Ethiopia, a country that was
never colonized. In the absence of
notebooks and pencils, children use
wooden tablets and ink made from
coal or material taken from the bottom
of stewpots. African Muslims have
produced their own alternatives and
struggled to educate their children
despite facing many difficulties. In
almost every family there is person
who has memorized the entire Qur’an.
They continue to resist the colonial as
well as missionary activities and take
many steps to improve their education
as conditions allowed. The Luhs with
Qur’anic verses on them bear witness
to the difficulties which they have
resisted as well as their strength in this
cause.
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