Sulukule, Urban transforming, Gypsie

Life is upside down for the 3000 poor dwellers who are forced to evacuate their neighborhood due to the action plans started just after Istanbul is elected as the "European Capital of Culture in 2010". Most of the houses are marked to be demolished, more than half are already demolished. May be all of them would be demolished when this piece gets published. This ruined neighborhood could be compared to the images of towns in Middle East which are victims of the never-ending conflict. A new era is beginning for the Romans who are believed to live in Sulukule since Fatih Sultan Mehmet conquered I˙stanbul in 1453. The children of may be the most disconnected clan of history will be wandering one more time. Because Sulukule is becoming a history!

1. Although the rustic carcass of the houses remains, doors and windows are ripped out, walls are partially torn down. The rubbles of this demolition scattered all around stays in their very place. And children are playing in between these images like remnants of a war.
2. A day in Ramadan. People are skittishly waiting on the ruins of this demolition, wondering about when their turn comes and they will be thrown out of their homes.
3. Now, dogs are guarding/watching the belongings of the dwellers which were left when they pellmell vacated their ruined homes.
4. A Bairam morning. Children are wandering around in car, which is their favourite bairam amusement/entertainment. The price of one big ride is 50 kurus.
5. Some buildings, which could be considered as historical artifacts of 2. Degree, are left to ruin after set fire to by unknown people, since they would not be expropriated.
6. While Sadi Çatı, a dweller of Sulukule, tells the process of expropriation and demolition, Violin maker Mustafa is chording the kids' violins.
7. Everyone's grandpa in Sulukule, bicycle repairer Hikmet dede, bawling out his grandson Hikmet. In fact his temper is due to the current situation. So he wreaks his anger on the bicycle. (?)
8. Houses are numbered. Everyone waits for their turn. Even the ones who resist not to sell their houses are desperate. They know their houses will be demolished in any case.
9. Mehmet Asım Hallaç became a Roman (Gypsie) through marriage 55 years ago. His stance is one of the primary elements in conveying this issue to public opinion from the very beginning of the process.
10. In Ramadan, Romans, who came from Antep, Maras, Adana, stay in Sulukule to earn some money for a month.
11. The burnt and desolated houses are game fields for children.