Coronavirus: Turkey in near-total confinement for the end of Ramadan festivities

Audio 01:25

Text by: Anne Andlauer

After a month of fasting confined due to the Covid-19 epidemic, Muslims around the world are preparing for the end of Ramadan festivities, Eid al-Fitr, which begin this Sunday. In Turkey, the authorities declared almost total containment from Saturday to Tuesday. The Turks therefore hurry to stock up.

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From our correspondent in Istanbul,

For this Eid el-Fitr - Razaman bayrami, in Turkish - at the height of the epidemic, Hasan's shopping basket is light: a little meat, enough to make a salad, lentils for the soup, a few candies for the children.

Hasan will celebrate the end of Ramadan in his apartment in Istanbul with his wife and two sons. "  Ramadan itself has been very different this year, " he says. We could not break the fast with our friends, we could not pray in the mosques. And now, Eid in a small family. It is not in our habits. Normally, we will see our parents, our friends. There, it will not be possible. This virus has disrupted everything. "

Hikmet is preparing for very dull festivities. This retiree lives alone, and as she is over 65 years old, in theory she is not even allowed to go out shopping. But Hikmet broke the rules. Two days ago, she went to buy the ingredients for her Eid dessert: baklava. She did not want to entrust this task to anyone.

"  Normally, my sister does my shopping, " she explains. But there, I wanted to go out. The convenience store is downstairs from my house. Even if I didn't invite anyone, I wanted to make this dessert. And if there is any that interests me, I will open the door a little to make them taste (laughs) . My loved ones insist on coming to my house, but I said no this time.  "

Hikmet nevertheless has reason to rejoice: on Sunday, like all Turks over 65, she will have the right to walk between 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. near her home. While the younger Turks will spend the first day of Eid homebound.

► Read also: Coronavirus: after the panic, the Turks cloistered at home

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