A man in Turkey sets himself on fire while shouting, ‘My kids are starving’
A man named Adem Yarıcı set himself on fire on Friday in a southern city of Turkey, Hatay. He was in front of the Hatay Governor’s office building and was shouting, “My kids are starving.” He lost his life because of a heart attack while he was in the ambulance.
After his death, Hatay Governor’s office released a statement and said, Yarıcı was experiencing psychological problems. Another claim about Yarıcı in the statement was that he and his wife got divorced, and there was a restriction notice against him. But the people who were close to Yarıcı says different things.
Mehmet Erdoğan from Hatay criticizes the releasement. “What they say is bewildering,” he says. Erdoğan is from the same village that Yarıcı was born. “Adem lost his job while he was paying installments. He left his home to protect his family from debtees” he says.
Brother of Adem Yarıcı confirms that his brother got a divorce, but he claims that it was because of the financial situation of the family. “He didn’t want some men knocking on the door and asking for money.”
Both men are unaware of a restriction notice but believe that divorce was a financial measure in order to protect the family. The prosecution office in Hatay has not returned the calls about the subject because it was not a weekday.
Mr. Erdogan says that 42 years old Yarıcı and his brothers were working at the construction sites. For him, the reason why Yarıcı left his home because he was unemployed. Erdogan refuses the information that governate’s office gave and continues, “It is not true that he was getting physicological treatment. If he was, as they say, then the government should show his medical records. Where did he get the treatment?”
Turkey’s unemployment rate fell to 13.4% in the September-November period from 13.8% a month earlier, according to the data from the Turkish Statistical Institute. But the broad unemployment is 20.1 %, according to the Confederation of Progressive Trade Unions of Turkey Research Institute’s (DİSK-AR) calculations. It means every one in five adults on the streets is unemployed right now.
Suicides have been motivated by financial troubles are not a new thing in Turkey. In November, three murder-suicides happened in the country, and eleven people died. The deaths had focused attention on impoverishment, debt, and unemployment in Turkey, had been rehashed on news and social media sites, as well as by politicians.
