These calls are increasingly heard in Turkish cities: “We don’t want refugees in the country.” Businesses run by Syrians are being vandalized. Educational and recreational organizations for Syrians and Turks are to remain closed for the time being, according to a decree from the government in Ankara. “Syrian women and children will not dare to come in the coming days,” say the leaders of these organizations. They predict that working with refugees will become even more difficult in the future.
Officially, 3.6 million Syrian citizens currently live in Turkey, with some additional unregistered ones likely. In recent years, they have increasingly found themselves caught in the crossfire of Turkish politics.
The riots began in Kayseri after a Syrian man was arrested on suspicion of sexually abusing a young girl related to him. Further riots were reported from the provinces of Adana, Şanlıurfa, Kilis, Bursa, Gaziantep, Antalya, and Istanbul. Videos on the internet show rioters making the wolf salute, a hand gesture associated with the far-right Grey Wolves. Women can also be seen clapping and cheering on the mob. Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya announced that 474 people had been arrested. A police chief told demonstrators, “I promise you that all necessary steps [against the alleged abuser] will be taken, including deportation.”
The riots were largely fueled by simultaneous violent protests against the Turkish military in northern Syria. According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, these were motivated by the anti-Syrian excesses in Turkey. The Turkish government suspects targeted “provocations” by opponents of Turkey’s Syria policy. In clashes in Afrin and Jarabulus between Syrian protesters and Turkish soldiers, four civilians were reportedly killed. Turkish media reported attacks on Turkish truck drivers in Turkish-occupied areas. Images of burning and torn Turkish flags caused particular outrage.
Anti-Arab racism is not a new phenomenon in Turkey. Right now, it is also being fueled by the economic crisis, with dramatic inflation that is impoverishing large parts of the middle class. Their dissatisfaction with Erdoğan’s government is now also being expressed in hatred towards refugees.
The president is aware of the mood. He initially blamed the opposition for the unrest, citing their “toxic rhetoric.” Then, after a cabinet meeting in Ankara, Erdoğan identified a new alleged culprit: the Kurdish PKK militia. “We know very well who is playing this game,” he said. “The separatist terrorist organization and its collaborators.” With this, he was also alluding to current events in northern Syria, where the Turkish army has occupied several areas for years, including Kurdish regions. Turkey has always justified its military operations with the alleged threat from the PKK, but it has also supported the local opposition since the beginning of the Syrian war.
In the province of Idlib, several million refugees from other parts of the country are staying under the protection of Turkish troops, still fearing the regime of Bashar al-Assad. The dictator not only bombards Idlib but also wants it back under his control.
The events are increasing pressure on Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to further toughen his stance on refugee policy. He accused the opposition of contributing to the riots through “poisonous rhetoric” and a “policy of hatred.” Xenophobia, he said, will not advance the country. Setting people’s homes on fire, “no matter who they are,” is “unacceptable.” The largest opposition party, CHP, had claimed during the 2023 presidential election campaign that it could send all Syrians back to the neighboring country within two years. Among CHP supporters, there is a common belief that Erdoğan invited the Syrians to Turkey to Islamize the country. After his re-election, his government intensified the construction of deportation centers. It deported thousands of Afghans and reportedly apprehended more than 19,000 undocumented Syrians. According to official figures, 3.2 million Syrians currently have protected status in Turkey, with an unknown number of unregistered refugees in addition. In the economically strained situation, with inflation at 75 percent, they are often blamed for high rents and low wages.
The opposition CHP took advantage of the situation to bring refugee policy back onto the agenda. Deputy party chairman Ilhan Uzgel accused Erdoğan of turning Turkey into a “warehouse for refugees” with his Syria policy. He ignored the “economic and demographic problems” that the high number of refugees brings with it. Uzgel did not condemn the violence against Syrians.
The pressure on the president is evident in his recent proposal for negotiations with Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad to facilitate the return of refugees. “There is no reason not to meet,” Erdoğan said. However, Assad has made the withdrawal of Turkish troops from Syria a condition, which is not in Turkey’s interest. Plans for the meeting are already rumored, with a possible date in September being discussed, to be held in neutral territory: Russia or the United Arab Emirates. Erdoğan would likely be interested in a deal with Assad, a “normalization,” as the newspaper Cumhuriyet writes.
Should the two shake hands for the first time since 2010, they would likely discuss the Syrian refugees, the return of at least some, and in return, the end of Turkish presence in northern Syria. In other words, everything that Syrians on both sides of the border fear, and what many Turks desperately want.
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