Syrian Refugees in Turkey, and the Constant Deportation Anxiety

In recent years, Turkey has seen the deportation of Syrian refugees to northern Syria, sparking widespread controversy and criticism from human rights organizations. According to “Human Rights Watch” reports, the Turkish authorities arbitrarily deported hundreds of Syrian refugees between February and July 2022, arresting them from their homes, workplaces, and public streets and roads, then detaining them under poor conditions, and forcing them to sign voluntary return forms under threat. BBC reports indicate that the Turkish authorities gave Syrians with “temporary protection” IDs from other Turkish provinces (other than Istanbul) a deadline to leave the city, or they would be deported to the provinces they are registered in.
These actions may be part of a broader Turkish strategy to manage migration and enhance border security, as the Turkish government aims to return 200,000 Syrian refugees to their country by 2024.

These policies and actions raise significant concerns among Syrian refugees in Turkey, complicating their legal and humanitarian situation, especially given the current conditions in Syria.

The Turkish Government’s Stance:
The stance of the Turkish government on this issue is complex. On one hand, there are statements from the Turkish opposition pledging to deport Syrian refugees within two years if they win the elections, and on the other hand, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced a plan to create a safe zone to return about a million Syrians to their homeland.
Turkey, which has hosted millions of Syrian refugees since the start of the revolution in Syria, faces increasing domestic pressures due to the economic and social situation, making the refugee issue a sensitive and central topic in Turkish politics, and these pressures have led to changes in migration and asylum policies, including the deportation of Syrian refugees.
Thus, it can be said that the Turkish government’s stance fluctuates between trying to balance international commitments and internal pressures, which is reflected in the policies adopted and official statements.

The Turkish Opposition’s Stance:
The stance of the Turkish opposition emphasizes the need to return Syrian refugees to their homeland. The opposition’s presidential candidate, Kemal Kilicdaroglu, pledged to deport refugees within two years if he becomes president, and the opposition has also announced plans to review refugee agreements with the European Union, increase the number and capacity of deportation centers, and focus on securing the borders and preventing what it calls “unregulated cantons” of refugees, stressing the importance of returning Syrians under temporary protection to their homeland as soon as possible according to Turkish domestic law and international law.
This stance reflects the internal pressures faced by Turkey due to the economic and social situation, making the refugee issue a sensitive topic in Turkish politics.

It appears that there is no complete alignment between the opposition and the Turkish government regarding the issue of Syrian refugees. On one hand, the governing Justice and Development Party (AKP) adopts a policy aimed at finding solutions for their issues, including creating safe zones in Syria to facilitate their return. On the other hand, the opposition, especially the Nation Alliance, focuses on the need to deport refugees and return them to Syria, considering their presence a pressure on Turkish resources and affecting the demographic composition of the country.
The issue of Syrian refugees has become a main topic in Turkish political discourse, especially as electoral events approach, with both the government and the opposition using this issue to gain popular support, yet there seems to be a difference in visions and methods between the two parties in dealing with this sensitive issue.
After the municipal elections in Turkey, the Turkish stance (government and opposition) towards the deportation of Syrians remains a central topic in political discussions, as according to a survey we conducted in some Turkish areas to be published later, there is growing concern among Syrian refugees about the possibility of escalating waves of deportations in the coming days! And if the Turkish government takes serious steps to resume relations with Damascus, this could lead to some agreement to return Syrians to Syria (albeit in the long term), though the challenges remain large and complex.

Therefore, it is expected that the Turkish government and political parties will continue to deal with the issue of Syrian refugees as a central matter in domestic politics, as it seems that the Turkish government uses the “illegal immigration” control program in Istanbul as election propaganda, while at the same time the opposition will continue to exploit the refugee issue as a competitive card.

As we see in the Future Stream, it is likely that the expected Turkish steps regarding Syrians would include:

• Accelerating the (voluntary return) of refugees to northwestern Syria.
• Continuing discussions on creating a safe zone to return Syrian refugees.
  These steps come in a complex context affected by political and social tensions inside Turkey, and the security situation in Syria, and it is important to follow developments to understand how future policies towards refugees will be shaped.

The International Community’s Stance:
The international community is expected to play a significant role in facilitating the return of Syrian refugees from Turkey to Syria, this role might include:

– Logistic and financial support: by providing the necessary aid to ensure a safe and dignified return for refugees.

Assistance in reconstruction and contributing to rebuilding infrastructure and local communities in Syria to enable refugees to return to a normal life.

• Political pressure on all parties to create a favorable environment for the return of refugees.
• Coordination with international organizations such as the United Nations to organize the return process and ensure the rights of refugees.

It is important that these efforts are consistent with international laws, respect human rights, and ensure a voluntary and safe return for Syrian refugees, to ensure a safe and dignified return to their country, and as we see that the international community should take concrete steps including:

1. Providing financial support and resources to ensure sufficient funding for humanitarian aid and reconstruction programs.
2. Improving conditions in return areas and working with relevant organizations to identify the necessary needs to improve public services.
3. Ensuring legal protection and enhancing legal security for refugees through amnesty decrees and facilitating legal procedures for return, and not making it compulsory in violation of human rights.
4. Coordination with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to organize the return process and ensure the rights of refugees, and registering them with it within official restrictions.
5. Enhancing suitable conditions for return and political pressure to stabilize the situations in Syria, and the necessity to secure the areas to which refugees will return.
   These steps should be implemented in accordance with international laws, respecting human rights, and ensuring that the return is voluntary and safe.

Syria is not safe for forced return:
The situation in Syria is complex and constantly changing, and there are conflicting reports about whether Syria is safe enough for refugees to return to! There are risks that prevent ensuring the security of Syrian refugees returning from Jordan, Lebanon, and Turkey, and it is noted that the unstable security situation, especially in areas controlled by “Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham”, may pose a threat to returnees.
The Turkish government announces that it seeks to return refugees voluntarily to “safe areas” in northern Syria, but the question remains about the stability of those areas and whether they provide suitable conditions for a safe return (and here we repeat that it is necessary that the return be according to international standards that ensure a voluntary, safe, and dignified return for refugees, taking into account their rights and need for protection).

The Syrian Opposition and Forced Deportation of Syrians from Turkey and Other Countries of Refuge:
To stop the forced deportation from Turkey and other countries of refuge for Syrians, the Syrian opposition can take several strategic steps:

1. Diplomatic communication by enhancing dialogue with the concerned governments and the international community to explain the real situations in Syria, and the risks that refugees may face upon return.
2. Cooperation with international human rights organizations to pressure those governments to stop forced deportation.
3. Media advocacy through using media to highlight refugee issues and the negative effects of deportation.
4. Legal support for Syrian refugees in Turkey and other countries of refuge, and emphasizing their right to international protection.
5. Forming a legal platform that has branches in countries of refuge to stand up for refugee cases, follow up on violations, and study some sensitive and complex files for their relatives, then officially communicate with the governments of those countries to untangle pending issues, and overcome creating crises and tensions due to the refugee file (between the host countries and the refugees themselves).
   These steps can contribute to improving the situation of Syrian refugees in Turkey and other countries of refuge, and reduce the likelihood of their deportation.

In discussing the stance of the National Coalition for Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces on the deportation of Syrians from Turkey, it is characterized by concern, and the effort to address the mistakes related to deportation operations! Where the political body of the coalition held a meeting to discuss the campaign to deport illegal migrants and its effects on Syrian refugees, and presented proposals to the Turkish official authorities to settle the legal status of refugees and so on!
It seems that the coalition is seeking to communicate with the Turkish authorities to address the legal and health issues of Syrians in Turkey, and works to improve their living conditions and ensure their rights, but unfortunately, it is not effective in reality.

Finally, the issue of deporting Syrians from Turkey shows a significant weakness of the Syrian opposition as a whole, if not its failure to solve this issue, especially as it is expected to increase after the success of the opposition in the municipal elections, which is largely the responsibility of the Syrian opposition leadership, and therefore we recommend in the political office of the Future Syrian Movement that the Syrian opposition through its official and unofficial institutions work to stop the waves of forced deportation of refugees, and instead coordinate with the United Nations for it to be a truly voluntary and safe deportation, and in a way that ensures the right of the Syrian refugee and preserves their dignity and protects them from the constant fear for their unstable life, which pushes them to travel by sea and face risks to get rid of this fear.

Elias Abdel Maseeh
Political Office
Future Syrian Movement