MEDİNE MAMEDOĞLU

Amed –In Turkey, people continue to react to energy price hikes. Small business owners are down in the mouth due to the ongoing economic crisis and energy price hikes. They say their income is less than their expenses after the price hikes. Trying to survive in the midst of this crisis, women shopkeepers resist not closing their shops with concern.

Economic crisis affects both sellers and consumers

Taybet Sancar is one of three shopkeepers in the Hasanpaşa Inn, a historic place in the Sur district of Diyarbakır. Stating that they face both social pressure and an economic crisis, Taybet Sancar said that they buy everything very expensive. “This affects our customers. They don’t buy anything due to expensive prices. The energy price hikes also affect us. We get into debt. We receive a loan but then we cannot make the loan payment. If the economic situation continues to be like this, we will have to pull shutters down. Everyone knows that.”

“Women shopkeepers resist not to closing their shops”

Emphasizing that women shopkeepers resist not closing their shops, Taybet Sancar said, “Citizens should protest the energy price hikes by not paying the bills. Some people cannot even buy bread. Something should be done. We are three women shopkeepers in this inn and we face many difficulties. You know our society's point of view about women. Despite everything, women keep working and stand on their own feet.”

“Our income is less than our expenses”

Burçin Tutan is a young shopkeeper selling soaps in Sur. She has many dreams but she has to postpone them due to the economic crisis. “I am a 20-year-old woman. I want to invest in the future, but unfortunately I cannot. Now, our income is less than our expenses. I have many dreams about the future but I have to postpone them. People think dressing up or going on vacation is a luxury, but it's not. I work six days a week. As a young woman and woman shopkeeper, I have no hope for the future,” she told us.

“The government should resign”

Merve Yıldız is a student working part time. She told us that she thinks of energy bills while studying. She urges the government to resign. “There are hundreds of young unemployed people. No opportunity is provided for students.  People will starve. I am a student but working part time. We are told, ‘We should be thankful”. Why should I be thankful? I don’t want to talk about the electric bill. People are hungry. The government should resign or protect its people. If it cannot protect the people, then it should allow others to do it.”