In the city of Antakya, Turkey, a Turkish man once told Seyfeddin Selim, a Syrian refugee, that Syrians were responsible for the recent earthquakes. Mr. Selim, who lost his shop to looters during the earthquakes, did not defend himself against these accusations for fear of deportation. Months later, he still feels the anger from that encounter. Unable to afford replacing the stock in his shop, Mr. Selim now makes money through cellphone screen repairs and informal money transfers. He is currently homeless, sometimes sleeping in his shop and other times in a friend’s tent.
Turkey is currently home to the largest number of refugees in the world, with approximately 3.6 million Syrian refugees. While Turkey initially had an open-door policy towards refugees, the mood has shifted due to economic challenges, including a collapsing currency and runaway inflation. As a result, hate crimes against Syrians have increased. Syrians have been blamed for various problems in Turkey, such as receiving salaries from the government without working, contributing to an increase in begging, suppressing wages for working-class individuals while increasing taxi prices, and causing delays in public services. They have even been accused of being responsible for natural disasters.
Hatay, the southernmost province in Turkey, shares a border with Syria and has seen a significant influx of Syrian refugees since the beginning of the Syrian conflict in 2011. By the time the earthquakes occurred earlier this year, over 400,000 Syrian refugees were living in Hatay, making up approximately 25% of the total population. Many refugees, including Mr. Selim, wish to make their way to Europe, but the high cost charged by smugglers for sea crossings makes it impossible for most. Consequently, they remain in a state of limbo, unwanted in Turkey yet unable to move forward or return to Syria.
Meanwhile, President Bashar al-Assad of Syria is experiencing a resurgence in his position after years of isolation. He attended an Arab League summit in Saudi Arabia for the first time in over a decade, signaling a potential normalization of Syrian-Turkish relations. One motivation for this normalization process is the return of refugees to Syria. While Syrians may not be ready to move back, neighboring countries are eager to move forward.
In 2011, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey welcomed Syrian refugees as “brothers” and even granted Turkish citizenship to around 200,000 Syrians. However, his stance has changed, and he announced plans to repatriate one million Syrians to northern Syria before the presidential elections in May. Though he claims these returns are voluntary, there have been reports of forced returns at gunpoint. Despite this, many Syrians in Antakya still view him as an ally who initially welcomed them into the country.
For Syrian refugees in Antakya, obtaining Turkish citizenship or resettlement to another country, such as Germany, is their best hope. Some are anxiously pursuing these options, even resorting to bribery to obtain necessary documents. There are few good options for Syrian refugees, and their opportunities are becoming increasingly limited. Many refuse to return to a country still governed by President Assad, and it remains uncertain if anyone is truly listening to their pleas.
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