Thursday, June 21, 2012

Turkey: Historic Istanbul Roma Neighborhood Gets a (sort of) Reprieve | EurasiaNet.org

Turkey: Historic Istanbul Roma Neighborhood Gets a (sort of) Reprieve
June 20, 2012 - 4:06pm, by Yigal Schleifer


The demolishing of Sulukule, a historic Roma neighborhood inside Istanbul's ancient walls, has been one of the most egregious examples of the destructive nature of the numerous "urban transformation" projects that have been enacted in the city in recent years. In general, this "transformation" has meant evicting or relocating lower-income residents from neighborhoods in newly-desirable locations, tearing down their homes, and replacing them with soulless new buildings that appeal to Turkey's fast-growing middle class.

More:Turkey: Historic Istanbul Roma Neighborhood Gets a (sort of) Reprieve | EurasiaNet.org