Turkey’s status as host to the world’s largest refugee population was once a badge of pride — a display of compassion for those fleeing war and poverty across the border in Syria, as well as a way of underlining the West’s ambivalent response to refugee crises.
But for a long time the welcome once extended to their southern neighbours has been wearing thin.
With elections on the horizon and anti-migrant political rhetoric on the rise, many of the 3.7 million Syrians living in Turkey — by far the largest group among the country’s 4 million-strong refugee population — see an increasingly uncertain future in the land they have made home over the last decade.
“I don’t know how much longer we will be able to stay here,” said Hassan Khalaf, a 39-year-old Syrian working at a cafe in Istanbul’s Kucukcekmece district. “Every day our problems seem to grow and life becomes more difficult.”
Mr Khalaf, a father of two who came to Turkey nine years ago, described a growing antipathy among Turks towards Syrians, as well as stricter restrictions on those living in Istanbul.
“People often make comments to me about how I should go back to Syria. They ask why we are taking jobs from Turks or using their public services like hospitals,” he said.
“I know people who’ve been stopped in the street [in Istanbul] by police and put on buses to other parts of Turkey. Of course, we’ve all heard about others who have been forced to return to Syria against their will.”
Syrians live in Turkey under the status of “temporary protection” and are allocated a province in which to live. Travel outside their province is highly regulated but many still move to cities such as Istanbul for work.
But those job opportunities are becoming increasingly scarce as Turkey faces its worst economic crisis in 20 years, with inflation exceeding 80 per cent and unemployment passing 22 per cent last month.
“I used to work as a cleaner but now I can’t find anything,” said Fatma, 47, who declined to give her surname. “People prefer not to hire Syrians now but also there are less jobs because people cannot afford to give work to someone to clean their home.”
Turkey’s opposition parties have long called for the repatriation of Syrians to areas under the control of the Turkish military.
Meral Aksener, who leads the nationalist Iyi Party that is the second-largest in the four-party opposition bloc, earlier this month vowed to eject all Syrian refugees by 2026, saying Turkey had become an “immigrant warehouse” and a “near garbage dump” for Europe.
But it is a former Iyi Party executive, Umit Ozdag, who has truly weaponised anti-migrant sentiment. In the space of a year, support for his newly formed Zafer Party has risen to 2.2 per cent.
Syrians in Idlib join 'peace convoy' to seek asylum in Europe — in pictures
The rising anti-refugee rhetoric has had tragic consequences for Syrians, according to migrant support groups.
Earlier this month a 17-year-old Syrian was stabbed to death in the southern city of Antakya after a workplace disagreement.
“All parties, especially the opposition parties, are talking about returning to Syria under the current [Syrian] government,” said Metin Corabatir, president of the Research Centre on Asylum and Migration in Ankara.
“It makes electoral profit, as Umit Ozdag’s rise in the polls shows. This has a very traumatic impact on refugees. Threatening to send them back to a risky country of origin also leads to physical threats and harassment, even killings. You can see the impact at all levels of society.”
With elections due within 10 months, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, whose poll ratings have dropped as the economy has worsened, has moved closer to the opposition’s position.
In May he announced plans to build 200,000 homes in Syria for 1 million returnees. Some 500,000 had already returned to areas close to the Turkish border, Mr Erdogan said, adding that 20,000 Syrians had been deported for breaching residency rules.
Further alarming those who fled President Bashar Al Assad’s regime, Mr Erdogan last month indicated a softening of Ankara’s stance towards the Syrian government.
“Political dialogue and diplomacy cannot be cut off between states,” he said about the administration he cut ties with in 2011. Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu had earlier revealed talks with his Syrian counterpart.
Plans for returning Syrians, however, could contravene international law against “refoulement”. The United Nations’ refugee agency said return to Syria is prevented by continuing human rights abuses, insecurity, disruption of essential services and internal displacement.
“Only a political solution would allow many people to go back to their homes in their country, which is the best solution for any refugee situation,” spokeswoman Selin Unal said.
Amid rising xenophobia in Turkey — a March survey by MetroPoll found 82 per cent of voters wanted refugees to leave — many migrants are looking for alternatives.
Last week it emerged that refugees were organising a “Caravan of Light” to head for Europe. However, the planned exodus showed no sign of materialising, perhaps due to the violent reaction of Greek security forces when thousands headed to the border in early 2020.
However, according to Mr Corabatir, the initiative showed “there is real frustration in Turkey and a desire to go to the West.”
Global Fungi Facts
• Scientists estimate there could be as many as 3 million fungal species globally
• Only about 160,000 have been officially described leaving around 90% undiscovered
• Fungi account for roughly 90% of Earth's unknown biodiversity
• Forest fungi help tackle climate change, absorbing up to 36% of global fossil fuel emissions annually and storing around 5 billion tonnes of carbon in the planet's topsoil
Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
New UK refugee system
- A new “core protection” for refugees moving from permanent to a more basic, temporary protection
- Shortened leave to remain - refugees will receive 30 months instead of five years
- A longer path to settlement with no indefinite settled status until a refugee has spent 20 years in Britain
- To encourage refugees to integrate the government will encourage them to out of the core protection route wherever possible.
- Under core protection there will be no automatic right to family reunion
- Refugees will have a reduced right to public funds
The specs
Engine: 6.2-litre supercharged V8
Power: 712hp at 6,100rpm
Torque: 881Nm at 4,800rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 19.6 l/100km
Price: Dh380,000
On sale: now
'Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore'
Rating: 3/5
Directed by: David Yates
Starring: Mads Mikkelson, Eddie Redmayne, Ezra Miller, Jude Law
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What is the FNC?
The Federal National Council is one of five federal authorities established by the UAE constitution. It held its first session on December 2, 1972, a year to the day after Federation.
It has 40 members, eight of whom are women. The members represent the UAE population through each of the emirates. Abu Dhabi and Dubai have eight members each, Sharjah and Ras al Khaimah six, and Ajman, Fujairah and Umm Al Quwain have four.
They bring Emirati issues to the council for debate and put those concerns to ministers summoned for questioning.
The FNC’s main functions include passing, amending or rejecting federal draft laws, discussing international treaties and agreements, and offering recommendations on general subjects raised during sessions.
Federal draft laws must first pass through the FNC for recommendations when members can amend the laws to suit the needs of citizens. The draft laws are then forwarded to the Cabinet for consideration and approval.
Since 2006, half of the members have been elected by UAE citizens to serve four-year terms and the other half are appointed by the Ruler’s Courts of the seven emirates.
In the 2015 elections, 78 of the 252 candidates were women. Women also represented 48 per cent of all voters and 67 per cent of the voters were under the age of 40.
Fatherland
Kele Okereke
(BMG)
If you go
The flights
There are various ways of getting to the southern Serengeti in Tanzania from the UAE. The exact route and airstrip depends on your overall trip itinerary and which camp you’re staying at.
Flydubai flies direct from Dubai to Kilimanjaro International Airport from Dh1,350 return, including taxes; this can be followed by a short flight from Kilimanjaro to the Serengeti with Coastal Aviation from about US$700 (Dh2,500) return, including taxes. Kenya Airways, Emirates and Etihad offer flights via Nairobi or Dar es Salaam.
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Student Of The Year 2
Director: Punit Malhotra
Stars: Tiger Shroff, Tara Sutaria, Ananya Pandey, Aditya Seal
1.5 stars
The specs
Engine: 1.6-litre 4-cyl turbo and dual electric motors
Power: 300hp at 6,000rpm
Torque: 520Nm at 1,500-3,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 8.0L/100km
Price: from Dh199,900
On sale: now
Infiniti QX80 specs
Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6
Power: 450hp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: From Dh450,000, Autograph model from Dh510,000
Available: Now
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
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The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre turbo
Power: 181hp
Torque: 230Nm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Starting price: Dh79,000
On sale: Now
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
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Why seagrass matters
- Carbon sink: Seagrass sequesters carbon up to 35X faster than tropical rainforests
- Marine nursery: Crucial habitat for juvenile fish, crustations, and invertebrates
- Biodiversity: Support species like sea turtles, dugongs, and seabirds
- Coastal protection: Reduce erosion and improve water quality
Fixtures
Opening day Premier League fixtures for August 9-11
August 9
Liverpool v Norwich 11pm
August 10
West Ham v Man City 3.30pm
Bournemouth v Sheffield Utd 6pm
Burnley v Southampton 6pm
C Palace v Everton 6pm
Leicester v Wolves 6pm
Watford v Brighton 6pm
Tottenham v Aston Villa 8.30pm
August 11
Newcastle v Arsenal 5pm
Man United v Chelsea 7.30pm
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Anghami
Started: December 2011
Co-founders: Elie Habib, Eddy Maroun
Based: Beirut and Dubai
Sector: Entertainment
Size: 85 employees
Stage: Series C
Investors: MEVP, du, Mobily, MBC, Samena Capital
Company: Instabug
Founded: 2013
Based: Egypt, Cairo
Sector: IT
Employees: 100
Stage: Series A
Investors: Flat6Labs, Accel, Y Combinator and angel investors
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The biog
Favourite food: Fish and seafood
Favourite hobby: Socialising with friends
Favourite quote: You only get out what you put in!
Favourite country to visit: Italy
Favourite film: Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels.
Family: We all have one!
MATCH INFO
Syria v Australia
2018 World Cup qualifying: Asia fourth round play-off first leg
Venue: Hang Jebat Stadium (Malacca, Malayisa)
Kick-off: Thursday, 4.30pm (UAE)
Watch: beIN Sports HD
* Second leg in Australia scheduled for October 10
It Was Just an Accident
Director: Jafar Panahi
Stars: Vahid Mobasseri, Mariam Afshari, Ebrahim Azizi, Hadis Pakbaten, Majid Panahi, Mohamad Ali Elyasmehr
Rating: 4/5
