In the city of Van in eastern Turkey, we experienced two devastating 7.2 and 5.6 magnitude earthquakes in the last months of 2011. 644 people lost their lives because of these two earthquakes. 10 thousands became homeless. Due to the fear of aftershocks and the approaching winter, approximately 400 thousand people emigrated from Van. Within this period, after dark evening, it was difficult to see a single man even in the city center, and Van was resem bling a ghost town. Late at night, the sounds of gunshots coming from various parts of the city was shuddery. The sounds was the result of bush telegraph of a growing number of urban legends. The stories about some gangs coming from outside the city.robbing tents, using knockout sprays by tearing tents, abducting children, raping women and steal- ing people's valuables by threatening them with death was getting about day by day, and this was pushing Van residents who did not migrate, to take their own precautions.
On the street which this photo-story take place, approximately 80 family had lived before the earthquake and with the migration of people the number fall to 8-9. Even people whose houses are not damaged were living in tents put up in the garden of their houses or on the road, because of the effects of aftershocks and bush telegraph about the third largest earthquake. After the fall of night.. by keeping watch in groups, people were protecting their streets, homes, families from thieves and rapists.
There were not only rumours that these thieves and rapists had come from other cities but it was also put about that they were Iranian or Afghan refugees living in the city. And the ones guarding the camps would punish any outsider they could catch according to their own rules. And the thing they told me was that 'If you had been to another street at this time of the day, they would have shoot you. And that was the truth!
As a photographer who has lived in this city and has moved on a photographer reflex after ensuring the safety of beloved ones, neither during that period nor afterwards I have heard that those thieves or rapists have been caught. But people have guarded and waited until dawn looking for thieves and rapists and also for the third eartquake.