Mustafa Birgül, an unemployed Turkish man, set himself on fire in front of a district municipality in Balıkesir province on Monday. It was reported that Birgül has decided to immolate himself after he had made job application several times to work at municipality.
Mehmet Tüm, a Balıkesir deputy from Turkey’s main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), has made a statement on the incident an said that “Because of the helplessness of hunger and poverty young people set themselves on fire. The anger of the oppressed and the poor people will end the ruling Justice and Development Party’s (AKP) persecution!”
It was reported that Mustafa Birgül attempted suicide in front of the building of municipalities of Karesi and Altıeylül districts following he applied for a job in the municipal office several times and eventually he self-immolated in front of the municipality.
CHP deputy Tüm has stated in his Twitter account that “A citizen in Balıkesir province set himself on fire in an attempt to commit suicide. He was immediately taken to Balıkesir Atatürk City Hospital. I spoke to his doctor Halil Beggi. He is being treated in the burn unit right now. There is 15 percent burns in the second degree and they are all in the head zone. He is in vital danger. After one of our citizens had self-immolated in front of the Turkish Parliament, now Mustafa Birgül did the same in Balıkesir. Because of the helplessness of hunger and poverty young people set themselves on fire. The anger of the oppressed and the poor people will end the AKP’s persecution!”
The local mayor, Yücel Yılmaz of the ruling AKP, called the incident “saddening”, but said he did not know whether or not to believe it as reported.
This incident is the second occasion in January 2018 when a desperate individual has set himself alight in front of the Turkish Parliament. Sıtkı Aydoğmuş, a 39-year-old worker, self-immolated on Jan. 12. Aydoğmuş was unable to earn a living after an accident five years ago at his workplace. He was fired two months later, and has been unable to claim compensation.
