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200 Evler End Up in Court 05/10/2010

The case presented about Roma People moved from 200 Evler neighbourhood to new houses builded by the municipality in 264 Evler neighbourhood in Samsun Canik postponed to October 21 for listening witnesses. The case is presented on the account of the fact that Roma people are not able to pay installments for the houses.

The president of Roma Culture, Solidarity and Cooperation Association of 264 Evler, Samim Yanar made a press statement after lawsuit of the case. Yanar said population of Roma people living in the neighbourhood is around 2000. He emphasized that they were asked to move from their slums in 200 evler neighbourhood to new houses builded by the municipality and to sign an agreement without keep informed well about circumstances. He also added that they were sometimes forced to move.

Samim Yanar evaluating the issue said that: "We present a case not to leave the new houses builded by the municipality. We were happier before when we were living in our slums. We were together with residents there in cheer. They told us that they will give us ownership of the new houses if we accept to move. However they are trying to evict us from the new houses now. So, we both lost our houses and our happiness."

Municipality officials evaluating the issue emphasized that they are trying to comply with the term and conditions. Claim of 264 Evler residents about the eviction process is not true according to the officials. They also said that the installments were not be payed for a long time and they have warned residents to pay the installments as they promised.

Scholars knowing about sociological structure of the neighbourhood indicate that some of the recidents are not able to pay installments for the house. Some recidents are also unable to pay their electric and water bills according to the scholars.