DENİZCAN ABAY

Istanbul- 2021 became the year of the student movement in Turkey to rise from the ashes. At the beginning of the year, the protests against the appointment of Melih Bulu as the rector of Boğaziçi University spread across Turkey. Their resistance turned into a public opposition; a resistance against appointed trustees and oppression. Then, students faced housing problems due to high-cost private dormitories and they were forced to stay at religious groups’ dormitories.

The students who called themselves “Homeless Students” slept on the streets and in parks to protest the system. Female students and LGBTI people were at the frontlines of the protests; they also protested Turkey’s withdrawal from the Istanbul Convention. We spoke to Özlem Damla Arık, a student of Boğaziçi University, about the resistance of the student movement in 2021.

“The appointment sparked protests”

On January 2, 2021, Melih Bulu was appointed as the rector of Boğaziçi University by a Presidential decree. The students and academics of Boğaziçi University held demonstrations to protest the appointment of Melih Bulu. “Trustees were appointed to municipalities and universities. Students of Boğaziçi protested the appointment of a rector to their university. Targeting LGBTI people and the arrests of students, even their families sparked anger across Turkey. The protests revealed both the state violence and ongoing anti-democratic practices in the country. Since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, the social opposition needed a street movement. The resistance of Boğaziçi University students turned into public opposition,” Özlem Damla Arık told us.

“It was clear that the resistance would last long”

After six months of protests, Erdoğan dismissed Melih Bulu as the rector of Boğaziçi University and appointed Mehmet Naci İnci, former vice-rector under Melih Bulu, as the new rector of the university. Özlem Damla Arık commented on the appointment of the new rector and said, “They thought they would end the protests by appointing him but it was clear that the resistance would last long because the students and academics of Boğaziçi University want to elect their rector. The students and academics say they don’t accept any appointed rector.”

“Hundreds of students returned to their homes”

Housing is still the most important issue for students in Turkey. The State accommodates some students who stay away from their houses while studying at universities. Due to the limited number of the state-run dormitories, the students are forced to stay at high-cost private dormitories or at religious groups’ dormitories. Hundreds of students slept on the streets or in parks to protest the system. Özlem Damla Arık also commented on this issue and said, “The students have faced the housing issue for years. LGBTI people and women have faced misogynistic policies and hate speech in the dormitories. We have faced such things because we have to stay at the public dormitories. After the Covid-19 pandemic outbreak, the prices of flats have been increasing. Students faced housing problems. Hundreds of students returned to their homes because they could not afford to pay the high-cost private dormitories and flats.”

“Some students slept on the streets”

“In many cities of Turkey, students slept on the streets and in the parks to protest the housing system. The housing problem of the students continues. The state ignores this problem.”

“We have no choice but resist”

“We are all here for you, for her, for him and for everyone,” Özlem Damla Arık said, “We should take to the streets for women who are confined to home, for all women being subjected to all forms of violence. Women have no choice but resist defending their rights. We should defend our achievements and be in solidarity.”