As the world has been celebrating World Water Week, Ankarans have been going through serious "man-made" water shortages, with television screens almost every day showing people carrying water in whatever cups they find in the streets of Ankara.
Yet Ankara Mayor Melih Gökçek, facing serious pressure to resign, does not seem to be feeling the heat.
Suggesting Ankarans go on leave during the water shortages that turned out to be a drought with no water pouring from the taps of houses for almost 10 days in some districts, Gökçek has displayed, sadly, that he is not even conscious of his basic mission, which is to serve the public in a transparent fashion.
Amid increased risks of the spread of contagious disease due to the drought, Gökçek continued to defend himself, sometimes cursing at those blaming him as the real source of the problem, which developed out of neglect, during live TV programs.
He is accused of wasting Ankara's money on embellishing the city, building parks and establishing a soccer team without investing in its infrastructure. Yet, helpless Ankarans were encouraged to pray on Friday at mosques for rain.
But a sensible voice came last Saturday from the Director of Religious Affairs Ali Bardakoğlu, who emphasized in response to Gökçek's remarks urging people to depend on God for a solution to the drought, that the drought is not a punishment from God.
"We are suffering from failing to take measures against water shortages. First take measures and then pray to God," Bardakoğlu urged.
What a sad and dramatic state Turks were put in due to Gokcek's attempts to exploit religious feelings instead of admitting his negligence and resigning.
It is no secret that Turkey has been adversely affected by global warming. Still, in Turkey as a whole, there is widespread negligence in the realm of awareness about this serious threat to humanity.
In the absence of serious policies being adopted on issues such as global warming that threaten Turkey's economic security, contentious political debates that are irrelevant -- such as invading Iraq or who should be president -- continue to occupy much of Turkey's energy and time.
In democracies, priority was long ago given to addressing issues such as global warming.
The number one condition for Turkey to normalize itself will be for the decision makers to set the agenda for future problems such as global warming and to create awareness among the public about this serious threat instead of wasting time with issues such as the question "Who should be ruling the country, appointed bureaucrats or political leaders?"
During protests against Gökçek, one of the slogans shouted was meaningful: "Panzers (tanks) spray water on us." The protestors were ironically recalling one of the customary practices of police during mass rallies, which was to spray water to disperse protestors.
This specific slogan has been proof of how Turks were indoctrinated with ideological problems instead of opening their horizons with the real agendas of mankind.
Turkish citizens, if not in the past, now and from now on should urge that democracy be exercised fully so that the decision makers learn how to rule and govern -- or else, they should know that they will lose their jobs in the end.
