Onedio.com has ignited a storm of controversy with a sarcastic post mocking the devastating wildfires that recently ravaged Kurdish-majority Mardin (Mêrdin) and Diyarbakır (Amed) in Turkey. The platform, known for its significant online presence, drew sharp criticism from social media users and Kurdish civil society organisations for its insensitive portrayal of the deadly events.
The contentious post featured a cartoon by visual designer and cartoonist Sina Ateş, who referenced the famous Smurfs series by Belgian cartoonist Pierre Culliford. In the cartoon, villagers were depicted as Smurfs and the spreading fire was likened to the Olympic flame. This portrayal was widely condemned for trivialising the loss of human lives and livestock in the fires and Ateş was accused of racial insensitivity.
Following public outcry and statements from civil society organisations, Onedio.com removed the controversial content from its Instagram account. However, the platform did not issue an apology, prompting further backlash directed towards the cartoonist.
In response to increasing criticism, Ateş acknowledged the controversy surrounding his post, claiming he became aware of the issue due to the significant engagement on his profile. He subsequently issued an apology, stating that he was initially misinformed about the fire’s cause which unintentionally reinforced racial biases, without providing an explanation for his failure to verify such crucial information. Ateş clarified he “never intended to make ethnic or class distinctions” in his drawings, expressing regret and apologising to users.
The backlash extended beyond Onedio.com and Ateş, with many social media users condemning the insensitivity, exacerbated by racist posts celebrating the fires and expressing satisfaction with the loss of Kurdish lives.
Despite attempts to address the situation, Ateş faced continued criticism and made a second statement admitting to hasty action due to his profession, reiterating his mistake regarding the fire’s cause. Defending his intentions, he assumed the victim role and accused users of “changing the subject” and claimed to have received insults and threats.
The wildfires, which claimed the lives of at least 15 people and killed 924 livestock, affected an area of 1,490 hectares, according to unofficial estimates.
