Planning. 2013; 23(2): 83-94 | DOI: 10.5505/planlama.2013.88597

Civilizing the Kurdish Population of Ayazma: Ayazma / Tepeüstü Urban Transformation Project -Küçükçekmece Istanbul

Cihan Uzunçarþýlý Baysal
Urban Movements

Ayazma/Tepeüstü urban transformation project in Küçükçekmece (2004-2007) happens to be the first and the largest urban transformation project implemented in Istanbul so far. It is also the first project targetting a homogenous population. It impacted the lives of 1440 familes, a populaton of about 7800 persons, mainly from Ayazma. Ayazma and Tepeüstü neighbourhoods were ‘’cleansed’’ for regeneration and opened up to developers for prestigious projects while the inhabitants composed mainly of the urban poor were subjected to forced evictions and displacement from their decades old settlements, encountering serious economic deprivations, violations of social and cultural rights and psychological traumas engendered by the relocation.
The study is based on a research conducted in the relocation site betweeen October 2008-February 2009, almost 2 years after the relocation. In depth interviews were carried out with 75 persons, comprising mainly relocated residents in Bezirganbahçe Mass Housing Administration (TOKI) blocks. Some NGO representatives, civil servants and officials from the municipality were also interviewed.
The study focuses on the social, cultural and psychological aspects of the project which disregarded the distinctive culture, tradition and custom of the Kurdish community and the social engineering mechanisms imposed through ‘’civilization’’ projects named ‘’How to live in an apartment-building’’. Hostilities between ethnic groups and polarization in the relocation site were other findings of the study. The study also discloses the criminalization of the urban poor (and minorities) as a legitimization tool to intervene into urban space.

Keywords: Istanbul-Küçükçekmece-Ayazma/Tepeüstü Urban Transformation Project, TOKI, forced eviction, relocation, criminalization of the urban poor, social engineering.

---

Ayazma'nýn Kürt Nüfusunun Medenileþtirilmesi: Ayazma/ Tepeüstü Kentsel Dönüþüm Projesi-Küçükçekmece Ýstanbul

Cihan Uzunçarþýlý Baysal
Kent Hareketleri

Küçükçekmece Ayazma-Tepeüstü kentsel dönüþümü, Ýstanbul’un ilk geniþ kapsamlý kentsel dönüþüm projesi olduðu gibi ayný zamanda homojen büyük bir nüfusun toplu olarak yeniden iskân edildiði ilk projedir. Çoðunluðu Ayazma’dan, 1440 aileden oluþan 7800 kiþilik bir nüfusu etkilemiþtir. Kentsel dönüþüm projesi, Ayazmalýlarýn sadece yaþam alanlarýný deðil, büyük kentte tutunabilmek için kurduklarý düzenlerini ve yaþamlarýný da darmadaðýn eder. Bezirgânbahçe’deki ekonomik koþullar ve site yaþamýnýn dayattýðý þartlardan dolayý aralarýndaki dayanýþma ve sosyal iliþki aðlarý çözülür; dahasý, site düzeninin kýsýtlý kamusal alanlarýnda ve baskýcý ortamýnda, topluca gerçekleþtirdikleri kültürel pratiklere de olanak yoktur; elveriþsiz koþullar altýnda atomize bireyler olurlar. Bu çalýþmada, gecekondu nüfuslarýnýn yaþam pratiklerine uymayan ve söz konusu Kürt bir nüfus olduðundan sosyal ve kültürel birçok pratiði de imkânsýz kýlan; dolayýsýyla, maðduriyet ve ihlallere sebebiyet veren TOKÝ konutlarýndaki yaþam pratikleri, Ayazmalýlar örneðinde mercek altýna alýnacaktýr. Yerel yönetimce önce damgalanan, yerlerinden edilen ve birbirlerinden kopartýlan Ayazmalýlara, yeniden iskân ertesinde ‘medenileþtirme’ projesi olarak dayatýlan apartman yaþamý diktesi ve sonuçlarý incelenecek ve yerel yönetimin gerçek amacý masaya yatýrýlacaktýr.

Anahtar Kelimeler: Istanbul-Küçükçekmece-Ayazma/Tepeüstü Kentsel Dönüþümü, TOKÝ, zorla tahliyeler, yeniden iskan, krikent yoksullarýnýn minalleþtirilmesi, toplumsal mühendislik

---