|
|
Article: Turkey's secular government preventing Islamic groups' disaster relief work.
- Article from:
- Knight Ridder/Tribune News Service
- Article date:
- August 27, 1999
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 1999 Knight-Ridder/Tribune News Service. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
|
ADAPAZARI, Turkey _ In an outdoor roller rink near the center of this devastated town, six weary volunteer doctors dispense aspirin and emergency medical care to more than 1,000 earthquake victims a day.
This week, their work got a little harder when the Turkish government froze their bank accounts: The Muslim aid group that runs the clinic failed to file the proper paperwork to provide disaster relief.
``We don't understand the logic behind it,'' said Osman Atalay, spokesman for the Foundation for Human Rights and Humanitarian Relief, known by its Turkish acronym, IHH. ``At such a time when so many people need us, (they say) we can't do anything.''
...