{"id":3609,"date":"2026-01-06T17:02:48","date_gmt":"2026-01-06T17:02:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/romanigodi.org\/?p=3609"},"modified":"2026-01-06T17:12:03","modified_gmt":"2026-01-06T17:12:03","slug":"elementor-3609","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/romanigodi.org\/?p=3609","title":{"rendered":"Relocation Without Rights in Turkey: The Impact of Urban Transformation on Ba\u011flarba\u015f\u0131\u2019s Romani Residents"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Our new report, <\/span>\u201cRelocation Without Rights in Turkey: The Impact of Urban Transformation on Ba\u011flarba\u015f\u0131\u2019s Romani Residents<\/i><\/b>,\u201d prepared in collaboration between the Roma Memory Studies Association (Romani Godi) and the European Roma Rights Centre (ERRC), has been published.<\/span><\/p>

This report examines the early stages of the urban transformation process in Ba\u011flarba\u015f\u0131 Neighbourhood, located in the centre of Yalova. Known as the \u201cbalcony of Yalova\u201d due to its view of the Marmara Sea, Ba\u011flarba\u015f\u0131 is also an approximately 100-year-old Romani settlement. The study is based on in-depth field research and face-to-face interviews with residents.<\/span><\/p>

Why Ba\u011flarba\u015f\u0131?<\/b><\/p>

Ba\u011flarba\u015f\u0131 Neighbourhood is more than a place of residence. As one of the oldest Romani neighbourhoods in Yalova, it is a vital living space that directly supports livelihoods, particularly for Roma working in sectors such as waste collection, music, and small-scale trade, and benefits from its proximity to the city centre.<\/span><\/p>

However, prior to the urban transformation process, the neighbourhood was frequently associated with crime in the media, subjected to stigmatisation, and deprived of urban rights and public services for many years. This report analyses how such stigmatising narratives have been used to legitimise urban transformation projects and how they place the social and spatial memory of the Romani community at risk of erasure.<\/span><\/p>

Field Findings: The Reality of the \u201cContainer City\u201d<\/b><\/p>

Between 17 December 2023 and 7 June 2024, Romani Godi conducted three separate field visits to both Ba\u011flarba\u015f\u0131 Neighbourhood and the temporary prefabricated housing area in \u00c7iftlikk\u00f6y Sultaniye, where Romani residents were relocated. During this period, meetings were also held with Yalova Municipality and local Romani civil society organisations.<\/span><\/p>

The findings reveal that, in addition to the concerns raised within the neighbourhood during the early stages of the urban transformation process, Romani residents living in the temporary prefabricated housing area were relocated to a site far from the city centre, without access to public transportation, and adjacent to former waste disposal sites and animal barns.<\/span><\/p>

Key Findings of the Report Include:<\/b><\/p>