RÜŞTÜ DEMİRKAYA

TUNCELİ (DİHA) - The source of revenue is opened, if not totally, for unemloyers who passed their times in the corners of cafes in Tunceli, an eastern province, as spring comes. '' Unemployers of season of winter'' who take risk of being crippled and dying for collecting 'gulik, a kind of vegetable, because of mines in the mountains, are striving to sustain their lives by selling these guliks in the center of the city.

In Tunceli where about 6 month of the year pass under the snow. The spring is not only a beatiful season, it means at the same time a source of revenue for unemloyers and poors. Gulik which turns green with coming of spring is considered as a source of revenue for many. The only problem for those providing their livelihood by selling gulik in the city center is mines which are not cleaned and not enough sell of gulik although its price is same as the last year.

'' It has a life time about 15-20 day'

Ibrahim Pala, father of 2 child, stating that last year the sales are better, said that although they had many difficulties, their earnings does not go beyond a cost of bread. Expressing that he can only work 15-20 days with sale of gulik, Pala, told that '' We go to mountains with great difficulty and reap gulik. A day pass with reaping it later we shoulder it and bring to the road. Then we put it into motor and bring to here. There is not sale although the price is the same as past year. What we get goes to cost of motor and only money of bread is left to us. Anyway it has 15-20 day life span. After that if we can find a job we work in the constructions, if not we wander around.

Its functions?

Riza Kasun (75) whose village was evacuated by soldiers in 1994, secure his living by selling gulik sinc ethen. Complaining that the state does not make any investment in Tunceli, Kasun, said that '' The state had evacuated our villages in 1994 and we came to here. There is neither a factory or a work. We are forced to do this business. We walk for hours and then bring it to the cente of city and sell a few kilogram and try to take bread to our children. What can we do, the state doe not invest in Tunceli. We had waged war of liberation together, built this fatherland together. But the state does not give importance to here. But it gives importance to big cities''.

Expressing that after the season of gulik ended, the season of iskin and mushroom begins, Kasun, said that '' the season of gulik is ending, iskin starts and later mushroom. Then we sell them. After they ended we remain unoccupied. Stating that gulik help in many illnesses, Kasun, ordered the benefits of gulik as:

'' You can make a soap with gulik, you can use it in the pilaf, You can make it with eggs. After all it helps in many ilnesses, it cleans stomach and intestines.''

'There are mines but we are forced to do'

Stating that they have to go to the field with mine for collecting gulik, Ali Hidir Mentes, has only a request, cleaning up mines. Expressing that they collect gulik with a fear everyday, Mentes, told that '' We bring this gulik from mountains of Haydaran, that is a fied with mines, we live fear of death everyday. But we are foced to do this for unemployment. there is no other means. We sell a kilogram to a million. After this job we will work in intermediary jobs. We will bring mushroom and sell it. Life is hard and our life is like this.''

(rd/va/zd/mç)