21.02.2026 14:34
Residents of the Sarımsaklı neighborhood in Kayseri have to walk 5 kilometers to reach the mosque to perform the evening prayers during Ramadan due to the fences dividing their neighborhood. The residents say, "If there were an underpass, the mosque would be about a 50-meter walk away," and they express that especially the elderly are having a hard time, asking for help.
The residents of Sarımsaklı Neighborhood, located 28 kilometers away from Kayseri, had previously reacted to the division of their neighborhood. In the neighborhood that has been split in two, the mosque is located on the other side of the railway, and with the start of Ramadan, they need to walk 5 kilometers to perform the evening prayers. The residents of Sarımsaklı express their desire to reach the mosque and request an underpass.
"IF THERE WAS AN UNDERPASS, THE MOSQUE WOULD BE 50 METERS AWAY" The President of the Consumers Union, Mahmut Şahin, stated, "The place we are currently in is not 200 kilometers away from the city center, nor are we on top of a mountain. We are in a recreational area very close to the city center. There is a railway issue that we have previously mentioned. The village has been split in two due to the railway; they have closed it off with barbed wire. This issue has been raised before, and a promise was made to build an underpass to alleviate the citizens' grievances. There is a saying, 'One searches for the donkey of another while singing a song.' However, there is no hand here; the hand is the state. There is a mosque in the neighborhood. If there were an underpass, the mosque would be approximately 50 meters away. Villagers on the other side of the railway could reach their mosque in 2 minutes through the underpass and perform their prayers. However, the citizens living here currently have to walk exactly 5 kilometers," he said.
"WE HAVE TO CROSS THROUGH THE SWAMP TO GET TO THE OTHER SIDE" The neighborhood head, Can Öcal, also stated, "How will people walk 5 kilometers to get to the mosque? Let's take an elderly citizen from here; how will they reach the mosque? What do we need to do to get a patient across? Why did the state build these barbed wires and the railway without making an underpass? The people are suffering. State institutions should stop this oppression against Sarımsaklı. Some say, 'I handle these matters by eating sunflower seeds.' Not a single person has called. The people do not deserve this. They need to come and see for themselves, but no one cares. We have to cross through the swamp to get to the other side. Ramadan has come, and the people are rebelling. The young and the old need to go to work, to the mosque; we are literally living in 2016, not 2026. We have entered 2026, and this barbed wire is still here. Since the settlement is old, a large part of the village population consists of citizens over 60 years old. How will those with walking difficulties go to and from the mosque? We live in a Muslim country. The state needs to think about this," he expressed.
"THEY HAVE LITERALLY SPLIT THE VILLAGE IN TWO, WE WANT AN UNDERPASS" One of the neighborhood residents, Turan Erciş, said, "The state, once again, has drawn barbed wire because it sees a danger to us here. They need to think a little more carefully about us. They should ask, 'How will this citizen cross?' We are not saying, 'Why did you put up barbed wire here?' but please allow us to cross. There are citizens older than me; how will we cross? They have literally split the village in two. We want an underpass. Otherwise, we have to go around to get to the mosque," he said.
"WE CANNOT GO TO THE EVENING PRAYERS" Another neighborhood resident, Mustafa Çırpar, stated, "We are in a very unfortunate situation. When the barbed wire was put up, our paths were blocked from all sides. We cannot go to the mosque; we cannot go to the evening prayers during Ramadan. There needs to be an underpass here. We also have a suitable place to build an underpass. If an underpass is built, the people will be comfortable, and we can go to our mosque and grocery store. We are in a difficult situation; we want an underpass," he said.