6-7 EYLÜL OLAYLARI

6-7 EYLÜL OLAYLARIthe inhabitants in a calming manner that they would only instigate material damage, and they weregiven orders only to destroy.In household attacks, Greek-Orthodox women were raped in particular. The Chief Physicianof Balıklı Hospital reported that 60 Greek-Orthodox women were cared accordingly. If it is supposedthat many of those rape victims concealed what had happened, and they also avoided medicalcare, it can also be claimed that the actual number of rape victims were higher. The number of deceasedwas uncertain: in the Turkish press it was reported that 11 to 15 people died.According to the records revealed by the German Consulate General, the reported economic harmapproximately amounted 150 million Turkish Liras (TD-and this amount was equal to the value of 54million American Dollars in that period-. 28 million TL of this financial damage belong to Greek citizens,68 million TL was of Greek-Orthodox citizens of Turkish Republic, 35 million TL was of churches,and 18 million TL was of foreigners and other minorities (Armenians and Jews) respectively.After acts of violence were suppressed, on 9 September 1955. Ministry of Finance announcedthe provisions which were to be taken in favour of the ones suffered from the attacks: i.e., moderationfor tax-paying, opportunity for cheap construction materials, importing glass products, moderaterates for the damaged ones who had to pay back bank loans, easing-up the process for the onesappliying for the bank loans, unbureaucratic, or speeded-up process of determining and compensatingthe material losses. At first, however, the expectations that Parliament would materialise thesepromises were not met. The compensation issue gained a charity outlook, it turnt into a donationcampaign. At the end of the year 1957. 3.247 real individuals and corporate bodies were donated6.533.856 TL in totall with respect to this campaign.On 28 February 1956, the indemnity law which aimed to reimburse the losses created by theEvents of 6 September 1955 was passed in the National Assembly. However, the amount assignedfor compensation was only 60 million TL, and consequently the losses of the harmed parties werepartially answered. Despite the promise made by Prime Minister Menderes that "he would do hisbest to compensate the losses in any means", foreign observers evaluated indemnities as "insufficient,bureaucratic and late." The implicit quick recover}' of the enterprises that suffered damage inthe course of events was chiefly attributed to the industriousness and adaptation capability of theminorities. The victims evaluated the payments of reimbursement not as real compensation, but ofa gesture to please the international public opinion and foreign countries.Through a sharp explanation regarding its deep concern due to the events, the governmentinitially blamed "communists" and "treachereous provocators" as liable for the up-risings. Foreignobservers found these explanations doubtful; since undesirable socio-political activities or endeavourswere easily labelled as 'inconspicuous communism" by the government, yet, the amount of communistswere quite limited in Turkey. Besides, it was obvious that the secret police was rigidly monitoringthe activities of communist and leftist groups; therefore, it seemed quite unlikely that thoseattacks were organised by the communists. On 7 September 1955, 48 persons considered as communistsby the Police departments were arrasted and brought in to Harbiye.The specific tribunals which were proclaimed to contribute to the rapid investigation aboutattacks had already made their first interrogations on 10 September 1955. Immediately after upn-206