Around 100 villagers who have tried to repair their homes have had court cases filed against them for violating legislation concerning the conservation of cultural and natural properties.In the village, public services have not been available for almost 30 years. The health care center and the post office have been closed for 30 years, and the number of families living in the village decreased from 150 to 70 during the same period.
The villagers may be moved to another place upon the demands of the muhtar (village head), local officials and residents. The demand was conveyed to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism through the governor three years ago, and the ministry said the villagers could be given a field that is four kilometers away from the village. However, villagers want houses, not just an empty field.
The villagers have written many letters to the Eskişehir Directorate of Conservation of Cultural and Natural Properties and applied to the directorate through the district governorship in order to be allowed to repair their houses; however, efforts so far have been fruitless.
Stating that they have experienced many problems since they cannot repair their houses, muhtar Birol Kılıç told the Anatolia news agency that many people have left the village because they are unable to repair their homes. Noting that they are expecting a solution from officials, Kılıç explained: “We cannot demolish abandoned buildings, and we cannot fix them. They are about to collapse, and what would happen if a child were trapped under it? Even though we cannot change [the fact] that the village is an archaeological site, we want to be allowed to make simple repairs such as using cement or fixing roofs. The village is filled with elderly people. We still carry water from outside our homes. Before the excavations started, this village was one of the developed ones, but now we are the only village that does not have running water in our houses.”
