Asylum Seekers Platform: Let’s change everyday life and politics in a rights-based way

The Asylum Seekers Platform, which held a press conference in Istanbul, drew attention to the recent racist attacks and threats of deportation from Turkey and refoulement, which refugees are subjected to, and demanded recognition of the basic human rights of refugees.

The joint statement read out at the meeting by Bekir Berat Özipek, Taha El Gazi ve Yıldız Önen is as follows: Let’s change everyday life and politics in a rights-based way

There is a horrific human tragedy that began with the war in Syria that began in 2011. The United Nations and civil society organizations issued reports of horrific incidents including massacres, war crimes including prohibited weapons, systematic rape, torture and enforced disappearance. These brutal crimes forced Syrians of all ages to leave their country and seek refuge in neighboring countries.

Today, there are millions of people who are forced to leave their countries because of conflicts, civil wars, violence and persecution. Some of these people are also in Turkey.

Syrian refugees, who have also taken refuge in Turkey, are constantly exposed to attacks and hate speech, especially through political parties, racist or discriminatory circles, and social media, even though they are legally protected by basic principles, international norms and international law.

There is always negative news about refugees in the press, the media, and social media. Here are some news from the past few months:

• Two young people speaking the Circassian language on a bus in Kayseri were openly exposed to racial hatred.

• In the deportation center in Harmandale in the Cigli district of Izmir, about 300 asylum-seekers were illegally put on buses, 226 Afghan refugees were forcibly repatriated to their countries, and the other refugees were left in empty land in the countryside of Edirne.

• Majid, a 17-year-old Syrian, was stabbed to death because he did not have a cigarette, by people who blocked his way in the Inegol district of Bursa.

• Three people with swords, who were alleged to be “refugees” on social media, appeared as film company employees.

• Salah El-Din, a Syrian student residing in Gaziantep, was deported after a racist defamation campaign against him.

• Knife attack on 5 Syrians who were sitting in a garden in Bolu city.

• Sap Restaurant in Ankara, Kizilay, has been subjected to systematic racism in recent months. One of the owners has been deported.

• Spanish journalist Luis Miguel Hurtado, who came to Turkey with his wife for tourist purposes, was attacked in Taksim Square. A racist group of 3 beat and insulted the Spanish journalist, thinking he was from Afghanistan.

It seems that as we approach the general elections, most of the political parties have entered into negative rhetoric campaigns against all refugees, especially Syrians.

These negative discourses and attitudes cause frightening events in everyday life, including discrimination, racism, violence, and even attempted lynchings; It means more attacks on refugees in the street. Even government officials seem influenced by this negative language.

 Negative rhetoric and campaigns against asylum seekers, the difficulties of daily life, forcible returns, and what is happening in deportation centers call for action by everyone with basic human sensitivities.

Proposals to start negotiations with Assad, which prompted Syrians to emigrate from their country, and force Syrians to emigrate, have become the central political proposal of some parties. These attitudes damage social cohesion and prevent Syrians from coping with war and post-war traumas.

However, the right to asylum is one of the basic human rights. Humanitarian legislation gives all states the responsibility to protect the lives of asylum seekers and refugees, whether they are parties to war or conflict. No one can be returned to the borders of countries where his life or freedom is threatened because of his race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion, contrary to the idea of ​​protecting fundamental rights, which has emerged as a result of the centuries-old adventure of mankind.

The refugee issue is a very basic issue of justice. Along with all analyzes of political gains and costs, they must be addressed through a human dimension. It should not be turned into a tool for any political goal.

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights begins with statements that all people are born equal and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood. The position that each person must take with regard to asylum seekers is clear: to understand, to be fair, to stand by the rights of asylum seekers against all kinds of cruelty and evil, and to act with feelings of solidarity and brotherhood with them.

Our concern is that more serious events may occur and, as a result, irreparable damage may occur to the electoral process. As Turkish and Syrian NGOs, we have a great responsibility to ensure that this does not happen and change daily life on the basis of understanding and justice.

In this context, we call upon everyone with a sense of right and justice to take the initiative in this regard, stand in solidarity with the refugees and stand together against the efforts to make them political targets.