In February of 2023, two earthquakes, both with a magnitude of 7.8 and 7.5 respectively, ripped through southern Turkey, near the Syrian border. Once again, we watched the media turn its eye to the middle east and its refugee crisis, but this time the conversation looked a little bit different.
Turkey has long been a hub for refugees after World War II, and since 2013, 3.7 million Syrians have escaped civil war in their country and settled in Turkey looking for aid. An estimated 45,000 people were killed in the February earthquakes, yet Turkey has not delivered on its promises to help Syrian refugees that have settled within their borders, especially after they have already lost so much of their identity.
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| A 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck southern Turkey in early February 2023 (disasterphilanthropy.org) |
Syrians in the country have been forced to bear the brunt of the destruction caused by the February earthquakes, as their refugee status keeps them within the country, and effectively, from rebuilding their lives like many Turkey citizens are able to. Hundreds of thousands of Syrians became homeless after the earthquakes, and according to Ahmed Diab, a refugee in the area, "there is no work now" and "we won't survive without any support."
On paper, refugees have rights to the same emergency assistance as Turkish citizens, however on the ground level, there are many disparities. Following the February earthquakes, refugees claimed response efforts were delayed by days, perhaps costing thousands of lives. Syrians have been discriminated against in tent camps, accused of hoarding supplies, and in some cases, have not been allowed to rent housing based on their status. Turkey may seem like it does a fine job in accepting refugees into their country, however their response to the crisis is ambiguous.
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| Map of Turkey (orange) and Syria (green) (Wikipedia.org) |
Syrian refugees in Turkey are no strangers to death and destruction, however their trust in a government who advertises humanitarian aid should be respected. If Turkey wants to maintain its legacy of being a safe haven for the displaced, they need to stand up for the rights of its refugees just as much as it does for their citizens.
I adore your blog, wow. This is quite true; many nations commit to promise to assist other nations, but majority they never do. I concur with the statement you made "On paper, refugees have rights to the same emergency assistance as Turkish citizens, however on the ground level, there are many disparities" . The United States is an excellent example, having opened doors for immigrants from various nations, particularly the least developed ones. However, they are not offering assistance, and in order for them to be forgiven, they would have to return the years they spent living in the country illegally. Why can you make promises but then follow through on them? essentially not living up to their words.
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