What’s wrong with Turkey?
By Fleur
@Fleura (35005)
United Kingdom
May 23, 2016 4:02am CST
Now I’m going to start off by saying I’m not prejudiced against refugees, but I just need some help in understanding the situation. Why are so many Syrian people who have already reached safety in Turkey then risking their own and their children’s lives on the dangerous crossing to Greece?
I’m trying to imagine myself in the equivalent situation – if Britain was ravaged by civil war and I had fled my bombed-out home and managed to escape with my family to safety in, say, France or the Netherlands, what would I do then?
Would I stay in a country with a cultural and religious background similar to what I am used to and be glad we were all still alive, or would I hand my life savings over to a criminal gang to squeeze us into the back of a lorry and then deposit us in a rickety inflatable boat to cross the sea in a dangerous journey to, let’s say, Egypt or Tunisia?
Obviously I would choose the former option, and so would everyone I know.
Turkey is a lovely country. Everyone I know who’s been there, including me (I’ve been twice) loves it, mainly because the people are wonderful, so warm, friendly and helpful. Of course this could just be seeing the country through a tourist’s rose-tinted specs – but then I know several people who have left the UK to live in Turkey, some have settled there, married Turks and been there for decades, very happy and successful.
If Turkey was such an awful place to live then surely the Turks themselves would be illegally leaving the country by the millions as well, but as far as I know they are not. Yes there are plenty of ex-pat Turks in Europe, but this is the same for many countries. There might be better opportunities in some other places, but are they worth drowning your children for?
Please can someone explain this to me?
Since I don't have an appropriate image handy I've chosen tulips, since I vividly remember seeing them growing wild on a rocky Turkish hillside.
All rights reserved. © Text and image copyright Fleur 2016.
10 people like this
9 responses
@topffer (42155)
• France
23 May 16
Yes, Turkey is not an awful place to live... for a Turk.
It is not a safe place for a Syrian refugee, because Turkey has forced many to return to Syria. Besides many others are arrested and victims of arbitrary detentions.
The main problem for Turkey is that they have already too many refugees living there without a roof. Europe gives money for these refugees to Turkey, and closes the eyes on the ill-treatment they do to refugees.
When you see the refugees around Calais living like animals, you can imagine what happens in Turkey. And France is a lot better for a refugee than Turkey.
3 people like this
@Fleura (35005)
• United Kingdom
23 May 16
Yes, I guess there must be more to it than there seems - or is it just that these people believe erroneously there is some sort of 'promised land' where the streets are paved with gold? And perhaps they come from far inland and have no idea that 30 people who can't swim in a boat designed for 5 or 6 is not a good idea in a cold, choppy sea at night?
@Asylum (47893)
• Manchester, England
23 May 16
The same argument would apply to all the countries in between Greece and Britain or Germany. The whole migration was based more on a economic stance than on safety.
Many fled the violence in Syria, but did not want to remain in Greece, Serbia or Hungary. Instead they chose to head to the countries that would supply a better standard of living and also offer social security and housing benefits.
Firstly, from Turkey onwards they became economic refugees and also many others followed because of the opportunity of richer futures. Refugees who have reached Europe still claim to be fleeing for their lives and travel onwards, which is simply complete lies.
1 person likes this
@topffer (42155)
• France
23 May 16
"Refugees who have reached Europe still claim to be fleeing for their lives and travel onwards, which is simply complete lies." You are right, on a 18 millions inhabitants country, only about 250 000 have been killed, 2 million hurt, and 4 million displaced : it is not even half of the population
.
.1 person likes this
@Asylum (47893)
• Manchester, England
23 May 16
@Fleura At that stage of the journey they were simply heading to one of the wealthier countries. Britain has immigration laws and refuses many applications each year, but this offered a way of circumventing the immigration process.
Many of those refugees came from other countries, such as Afghanistan, Pakistan or Nigeria.
1 person likes this
@veganbliss (3895)
• Adelaide, Australia
3 Oct 16
Now, Turkey is or maybe was, a nice country. Aussies travel there in droves for quite sombre ANZAC Day celebrations each year, but nowadays there are limited places & many miss out. Many Aussies still read up on the war diaries from WW1 how well Turkish soldiers treated our blokes.
However, for a Syrian resident, to have "made it" to Turkey is like jumping outta the frying pan into the fire! You see, the current Turkish government has sided with the terrorist groups to fight the Syrian Government Forces! The headquarters for the SCD is in Istanbul, Turkey! These refugees are not "economic refugees" - they're running for their lives! Even if they did give refugees assurances, etc in Turkey, would you want to live there, pay your taxes & fund your enemy to blow up your neighbours & destroy your city?
There are so many lies we are being fed constantly here. At the very least, we should look for investigations revealed by our independent media (not mass-media).
That said, I still believe most Turks are descent people who probably hate their government at least as much as I hate my own or as much as you dislike yours & nobody I know has any love for a certain US President... especially their Congress!
Sensationalist mainstream media loves to call the conflict in Syria a 'Civil War', which is completely false. It is a foreign-backed incursion. The whole...
1 person likes this
@BelleStarr (61463)
• United States
25 May 16
I think that the illegal immigration issues in the US have been in the news for a long time. We like SA receive everyone south of us who is having political upheaval and while many are good people, some others are not so good. We have a big and wealthy country but when they overrun only a few states it becomes a big burden on the social systems in those states which is why you hear so much from Texas, Arizona, New Mexico and California.
1 person likes this
@BelleStarr (61463)
• United States
26 May 16
@Fleura I am in favor of immigration to the United States but through legal channels and they should not all be flooding 4 states. There are 46 other states that could help offer jobs I think that is what needs to be address. Here in Connecticut we are taking in some Syrian refugee families, they are getting help from local churches to get housing and jobs and settle in.
1 person likes this
@LadyDuck (502429)
• Italy
23 May 16
Turkey is a nice place where to spend holidays but there are no jobs and there are no clean and safe places where the refugees can stay while they wait for new documents. Have you read about the problem that some children boys of refugees had in Turkey? They have been raped by those who have to keep the refugees camps safe. What a shame!
1 person likes this
@arthurchappell (44941)
• Preston, England
23 May 16
the Turks are not treating refugees well at preent
1 person likes this
@CRK109 (14556)
• United States
25 May 16
You bring up a great discussion for which I have no answer. I agree with you about the dangers, especially to the children. I wish I understood their reasoning more, but I just don't. They must somehow feel the dangerous risk is worth it.
1 person likes this
