Sulukule Community: Rebabilitation or Relocation

Budd Community,

We have been today introduced to the Sulukule community of space, interest and culture. After this what next?.......................................

In terms of culture, the residents have a sense of realization and desire to live together,while in relation to interest, they have come together for a common course to resist eviction and continue to me protect their space within the city.

In the opening remarks of Prof. Yves Cabannes noted that our group is interested in understanding the struggle of the Sulukule platform and learn how they resist evictions. The food for thought is that "even if we have accumulated principles or knowledge, it will be of no use if it is not going to transform society positively (Cabannes, Y, 2008).

The efforts of the last set of students has been acknowledged by the platform and specific reference was made to the use of children as an important to for their field work. The question for us is whether we are prepared to approach our research through a unique approach or we want to dwell on last year's product...........................what is the challenge

The chair of the Sulukule platform did say that the community have the right to live within their historic location but the Fatih municipality seem to be embarking on a process of gentrification and may not be interested in collaborating with them as demolition of a least 65 property formation has been carried out recently.

Sincerely as development practitioner i wonder what we think about the area we visited today. Diego are the houses healthy for living? Riccardo are the people provided with basic amenities? Elsie, what is the structural strength or durability of building found in this area? Steph do the residents deserve better living conditions................................please lets think about this issues in relation to the submission of Yves Cabannes above.

Technically, are we in support of redevelopment or rehabilitation as appropriate intervention. Maybe a combination of both and other concepts as conservation may be adopted. What i do know is that we are all not in support of forced eviction......................right guys?

The big question at tonight meeting is if our intervention will not trigger emotions and view from the political angle as a disruption within the society as the Sulukule people may have resulted to faith and wait for the aftermath of the bulldozers. I stand to be corrected but i believe we bring the people fresh hope and they will dwell on this. However, remember that the community are already asking us to proffer solution to their inability to finance alternative housing or relocation arrangement by government.

Dear all, on the issue of using from last year, note that the data will by now be out dated and the pieces of information provided by the community platform must be verified as they weren't able to substantiate this to us during our interaction. We as planners studying or carrying out a practical research such as this should by all means take advantage of been present on the field and carry out our own survey and unique investigation. Or how else can we justify of financial commitment towards this trip or put to test what we have learnt over the past few months.

Reconnaissance survey is not just a technical term in planning, we must put this to test. What about our skill on gather data through primary source...................do we not need them now. Come on guys, we cannot just depend on secondary information for this study, we need to discover and gather knowledge first hand now that we have the chance.

Have we decided on our study area yet............................in doing this, please lets consider all we talked about earlier and note that every single contribution counts. This is team work, make it work.

Just imagine..................................................................................................
I may have walked through another path and never have known you guys
That moment that we met I found out that you are all very special to me
You are everywhere in my heart and everything you are is PERFECT!

We will all meet above the top someday, somewhere, sometimes..............

Lottaluv,

Olajide Abiodun Babatunde, OAB