A nonprofit organization started by a Turkish rock star and endorsed by pop star Madonna has raised 1 billion Turkish lira (US$53 million) for people affected by a strong earthquake earlier this month, after many opposed to the Turkish government said they prefer not to donate to state-run organizations.
The Turkish Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency (AFAD) was criticized by people living across the earthquake-hit south for taking too long to arrive and not responding adequately. It has also faced accusations that it has become excessively centralized.
AFAD dismissed the comments, saying it provided the right response from the first moment. However, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that search efforts were not as fast as he would have liked them to be.
Photo: Bloomberg
Hande A., a Turk living in Lithuania, said she had told friends to donate to the Anatolian People and Peace Platform (AHBAP), founded by musician Haluk Levent in 2017, because she did not trust the government and its disaster relief agency.
However, AHBAP, which has raised huge funds, has also faced criticism from government figures over how it is planning to spend its donations and over its mission.
Levent said he started AHBAP more or less by accident after friends jokingly told him to start a political party, and he said he would rather start a non-governmental organization (NGO).
The death toll from the quake has risen to 44,218 in Turkey as of Friday, and millions of people have been displaced.
Donations from across Turkey and the world have poured in for AFAD and the Turkish Red Crescent, but also smaller local groups and international organizations.
AFAD and the Red Crescent raised 115 billion lira in a television campaign, with more than 80 billion lira coming from public institutions, including the Turkish central bank and public banks.
The state agency and Levent’s group are supporting those left homeless.
AFAD has sent 300,809 tents and provided millions of meals, and AHBAP said it has provided 3,600 containers, 13,250 tents and 480,000 meals.
Gulfem Saydan Sanver, an expert in political communication, said people who feel pushed aside by Erdogan’s policies want to donate to organizations they feel are ideologically on their side.
“There is a lack of trust when it comes to these organizations and people gravitate towards organizations civilians are involved in,” she said.
On Feb. 14, Madonna made a post on Instagram telling her 18 million followers the best place to donate was AHBAP.
“Everyone is talking about love on Valentine’s Day!! Let’s send all our love and healing energy to Turkey and Syria,” she wrote.
Nasuh Mahruki, a mountaineer and founder of an NGO engaged in search-and-rescue operations, said after Turkey’s 1999 earthquake, social consciousness increased and people have turned to NGOs such as AHBAP as they mistrusted state-run groups.
A 53-year-old Turkish man, who declined to give his name, said: “I have no doubt that the money I donated to AHBAP will be used for victims of the earthquake.”
Levent has responded to criticism of his NGO’s accountability by naming institutions that would audit its funds.
He has also said he donated 500,000 liras to AFAD.
Devlet Bahceli, leader of the Nationalist Movement Party, a coalition partner to Erdogan’s Justice and Development Party, is among those who criticized AHBAP.
“It is wrong to push the state aside and collect aid through a friends network,” he said.
Levent has stated many times that AHBAP works with AFAD and the government.
After Bahceli’s remarks, he said: “AFAD represents the state and AHBAP represents volunteers as an NGO.”
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