The headman rebelled: There are no healthy animals left in the village, the authorities are silent

Foot and mouth disease, which has intensified in Kars and Ardahan, has also begun to spread to the Şavşat and Ardanuç districts of Artvin. The disease, which broke out in the Geçitli village plateau on the Ardahan border of Ardanuç, has caused sores in the mouths, udders, and under the nails of many of the animals. Villagers have expressed their despair, expressing their disapproval of the authorities' indifference.

"NO AUTHORITY, NO SOLUTION, CITIZENS ARE ALONE"

Geçitli Village Headman Utku Çelik stated that they are struggling with their own resources in this process and said:

"Almost all the animals here have contracted foot-and-mouth disease. Some have recovered, while others are still undergoing treatment. We're fighting it entirely on our own. We bring in grass and feed. Unfortunately, there's no official coming. If an animal dies, the machine only comes and buries it. We've had animals die, and quite a few of them. The TARSİM insurance we have doesn't cover this disease either. People have outstanding loans and can't pay them. The chambers of agriculture aren't interested, and the Agricultural Credit Cooperative can't help."

"I HAD THREE COWS, ONE IS LEFT AND SHE IS SICK TOO"

Producer Gülten Güllü stated that she only has one cow left out of her three, and that it's also sick. "Yes, one of my animals has died. It was foot and mouth disease, and another one died in the spring. My wife and I are the only ones who live here; we have no one else. I had three cows, two of which died. I'm taking this herb to the remaining sick cow. No one has called us to ask. We've reported it to the district, but it hasn't helped. I don't know what will happen to us. The price of a cow is between 150,000 and 200,000 lira. Even if we call the authorities, nothing changes. I have many problems, but I have no cure. Those who understand will understand. We're asking for help, but no one will give it," she said.

"WE ARE TRYING TO TREAT ANIMALS WITH APPLE VINEGAR"

Producer Fevziye Can stated that they are suffering greatly, saying, "Our animals' udders, mouths, and feet are covered in sores. We are in dire straits. I haven't had a single animal die yet, but all the animals in the village have foot-and-mouth disease. We haven't bought any medication; we just use apple cider vinegar. We spray it on the animals. No one has come to ask how we are."

“WE EXPECT MEDICINE AND CREDIT SUPPORT FROM THE STATE”

Producer Önder Altunkaya asked the government for support in drug aid and loan payments, saying:

"The situation in Geçitli is dire. Our animals have been sick for 15 days. Just as we fed them grass in the winter, we're feeding them the same grass now. Foot-and-mouth disease affects both the mouth and the feet. We're fighting back, but we want our government to find a solution. We have loans, and they need to be restructured. If necessary, interest rates should be waived. We're currently feeding the animals the grass we harvest. We're already feeding them winter grass. We'll have to buy it for cash and feed it again in the winter; that is, if we have the money. We're thinking about what to do and how to do it. Maybe the government will help. We've spent 6,000-7,000 lira on medicine so far. The vinegar cost is also separate. I have 20-25 animals. One vaccination was given in April. We're waiting for government support for medicine and feed. We took out a loan for winter preparations and bought animals. The payments are due, but the animals are sick. It's unclear when they'll recover or when we'll sell them to pay off the debt."

"WE CAN'T MILK, WE CAN'T EVEN MILKING"

Producer Neşe Öztürk said, "Our animals are miserable. They've gotten over their mouth sores, but their feet are still bad. They're having trouble walking, and we can't milk them. We're just getting them to eat grass. We can't sell milk either. There are private veterinarians who come, but they charge a fortune for medicine. The disease persists. But no one comes to ask how we're doing, no one cares."

Another producer said, "We can't do anything. We just wash them with water. Thankfully, no one cares about them except the village headman. Yes, private veterinarians come, but they act with the mentality that if they die, they die, and if they stay, they stay. There's nothing we can do."

"THE STATE HAS NO VOICE, CITIZENS ARE LEFT IN THE MIDDLE EAST"

Producer Sinan Aksakal said, "We are asking for help from the state, but the state remains silent."

"Look, as you can see, the situation is dire. Our animals have contracted foot-and-mouth disease. There's no help or support from the government. We're paying at least 5,000 lira for medicine to the veterinarians who come. Where are the government veterinarians? No one comes. Not a bird flies here, not a caravan passes by. No one asks. Aren't we citizens of this country? What are we? We have debts. Our animals are dying. We're already giving the animals the grass we feed them in the winter. What will we do in the winter? If the government supports us, let the loans be postponed. Citizens can't sell their animals to pay off their debts. Animal markets are closed. Everything is getting worse. We're waiting for help from the government, but we haven't heard anything yet."

Producer Havva Acar said, "Yes, foot and mouth disease is very severe. It particularly affects the feet. The animals have difficulty walking. Their milk has also become infected."

"THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE MUST TAKE ACTION IMMEDIATELY"

Geçitli Village Headman Utku Çelik also stated that the citizens are in a difficult situation and called on the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry:

"Our animals contracted foot-and-mouth disease about 10 days ago. There are around 450-500 head of cattle in our village. So far, not a single animal has been immune to the disease. We're trying to treat it ourselves. We're working with specialized veterinarians and exploring herbal solutions. We bring in the grass we'll feed in the winter early and feed it to the animals so their immunity doesn't drop. Unfortunately, no one from the District Directorate of Agriculture came to help. No treatment recommendations were offered.

Our citizens are in debt. They're now using the feed and grass they'd saved for the winter. The loan payments are due. There are no sales in the markets, and sick animals aren't being sold anyway. They need time to recover, and there are no customers to sell to. We ask the Ministry of Agriculture to address this situation. Citizens are in a truly difficult situation. Some are in debt, some are sending their children to school, and some are supporting their households. There are unpaid medicine bills. We are suffering in every sense.

Source: ANKA