News: Mehmet OFLAZ / Photo-Camera: Cemal Berk AYTEKİN
(ANKARA) - Oktay Akişli, who lost 3 of his relatives in the Bolu Grand Kartal Hotel fire, made a statement to ANKA News Agency on the 97th kilometer of the "Justice March". Akişli said, "I wish we had not sought justice on these roads. I wish they had not led us to these paths. Everyone with a conscience knows that there is injustice and an unfinished process here. Abdurrahman Gençbay, who is at the top of the judiciary, set out and walked with us saying 'we want justice'... The relevant people on the judiciary should put their hats on. Because there is a serious lack of justice in society."
Those who lost 78 of their relatives, including children, in the Bolu Grand Kartal Hotel fire continue their "March for Justice for 78 Lives", which they started from Bolu to Ankara, demanding "the officials of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and the Ministry of Labor and Social Security to be held accountable before the judiciary".
Representing the families, Oktay Akişli, who lost his mother Gülçin, older brother Şenol and 11-year-old niece Mina in the disaster, plans to complete the walk he started in front of the Bolu Courthouse in Ulus on July 18, after 186 kilometers.
Speaking to ANKA News Agency on the 97th kilometer of the "March for Justice", Akişli said, "We lost 78 lives in the biggest hotel fire in the history of the Republic. I wish we had not sought justice on these roads. I wish they had not forced us on these roads. We currently have 80 kilometers left to Ankara. We will be in Ankara on Saturday, July 18. We invite everyone who has experienced the same pain as us and has the same demand for justice to Ankara, to Ulus."
Akişli stated that other families seeking "justice" also supported him and said, "When we set out on this path, we set out on the path of justice for 78 of our lives. But unfortunately, we later realized that the society is in search of justice. Everyone has a quest for justice. Families reached out to us. Most recently, a mother and father who lost their lives in the Erzincan-İlıç mine disaster reached out to me. They also want to join us. They also want to convey their demand for justice. They will also be with us on Saturday. Sisli Valley families, 6 February earthquake families, Gayrettepe, Çorlu, they will all be with us on Saturday," he said.
Emphasizing that the scarf he wore around his neck during the walk belonged to his mother, who lost her life in the fire, Akişli said, "While I was planning this walk, I told the Kartalkaya Family Platform families: 'I will start this walk with my mother's scarf.' The scarf around my neck is my mother's scarf. It gives me the greatest strength, spiritually. "I will not take off the headscarf until the walk is over, July 20 is my mother's birthday, and I will not take it off until I go to my mother on July 20," he said.
Oktay Akişli noted the following regarding the presence of Abdurrahman Gençbay, the President of the 9th Criminal Chamber of the Council of State, who lost his son in the fire, in the "March for Justice":
"I have been saying this from the very beginning; we are not lawyers. We do not know the details and practice of this job. But everyone with a conscience knows that there is an injustice and an unfinished process here. Abdurrahman Gençbay, who is at the top of the judiciary, should set out with us in Bolu on July 11 saying 'We want justice', walk the road, and put his hat in front of the relevant people on the judiciary side. Because there is a serious lack of justice and inequality of justice in society."
Akişli stated that he will continue the march with the same determination until the end and said, "I am not tired. With the same acumen, just as I set out with that confidence and self-confidence on July 11, I will reach Ankara by July 18 with the same acumen. We are waiting for everyone who wants justice and seeks justice in Ankara."