Challenges and Fears Push Syrian Refugees in Turkey to Emigrate
Attempts to migrate illegally from Turkey to Europe are recording a noticeable increase for many nationalities, despite the fact that the trips are fraught with dangers due to Greece closing its borders and islands to migrants, as did Bulgaria.
The racist discourse practiced by the opposition parties, which led to the exacerbation of racism and attacks on refugees, represents the main problem. Especially with the approaching presidential elections and the use of refugees as an electoral card by the opposition. The statements of some opposition politicians have led to fear in the hearts of the refugees of the possibility of expelling them from Turkey if they win the elections.
The head of the Syrian Association for Refugee Rights, Mudar Hammad Al-Asaad, confirmed the increase in immigration rates among Syrian refugees in Turkey.
In an interview with Arabi21, Al-Assaad put the “difficult” economic conditions experienced by Syrian refugees in Turkey at the top of the causes of migration, and said that “Turkey has recently suffered from high inflation rates, which has made it difficult for a large number of Syrians to secure their living requirements.”
The head of the Syrian Association also points to the “complex and difficult” legal and administrative procedures, specifically related to obtaining work permits for the general residents of Turkey, and the issuance of temporary protection cards.
For refugees, and travel permission to move between Turkish cities.
Syrian refugees complain about the difficulty of finding a house for rent, due to the Turkish authorities closing a large number of neighborhoods in general to foreigners, Arabs and others, to avoid the formation of Arab groups of specific nationalities in specific areas, which would cause quarrels and friction with the Turks.
According to Al-Assaad, the recent decision caused house rents to rise by a large percentage, explaining that “the Syrian refugee can no longer pay the rent of the house, if he finds a house in the areas where non-Turkish people are allowed to live.”
In addition, Al-Assaad points to the fear among many Syrians due to the policy of forcible deportation to northern Syria taken by the Turkish authorities against violators of residency laws and temporary protection conditions, regardless of the size of the violation, and he wishes the Turkish authorities to stop this procedure.
On the other hand, Al-Assaad noted the absence of UN organizations from supporting Syrian refugees in Turkey, especially with the increase in the cost of living in Turkey.
