TMMOB marks August 17 anniversary: 'We learned nothing; profiteering kills, not earthquakes'

On the 27th anniversary of the devastating August 17 Marmara earthquake, the Union of Chambers of Turkish Engineers and Architects (TMMOB) held a commemoration in Izmir, issuing a stark warning: "We have not learned our lesson; it is profiteering, not earthquakes, that kills."

Koray Çetin Önalan, head of the Izmir branch of the Chamber of Geological Engineers, addressed the gathering, emphasizing that Turkey remains unprepared for disasters despite the quarter-century that has passed since the 1999 earthquake. He strongly criticized the government's use of the "disaster of the century" excuse and its implementation of "construction amnesties" (imar afları), which he argued legitimize substandard building practices.

Önalan called for an immediate abandonment of policies focused on profit and a decisive turn towards scientific planning and disaster-resilient urban development. The TMMOB's message underscores a persistent critique that inadequate urban planning and a focus on economic gain over safety continue to endanger lives in a seismically active country.