Turkey has earned global praise for its treatment of 3.6 million Syrian refugees since the beginning of Syria’s civil war. However, resentment toward the refugees in addition to increasing economic troubles and frustration with government policy has grown in the country. In fact, a study conducted last year found that 86% of all Turks wanted the government to send Syrian refugees back to their homeland. With that much of the population favoring a single issue that strongly, it only makes sense that the Turkish government take their people’s voices seriously and create policy that supports their views. In Mersin, Turkey, Syrian refugees make up more than a tenth of population. Locals complain that they undercut wages, drive up rents, avoid paying taxes, and have failed to assimilate into Turkish culture. Mr Secer, the new chp mayor, believes that these complaints will likely grow as the economy continues to deteriorate and jobs become more scarce. The trigger point of bitterness toward the foreign group first surfaced during Turkey’s most recent elections, where running politicians had conflicting views about how to handle the flooding of Syrian newcomers. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says they have worn out their welcome and has even proposed the idea of resettling some of the refugees in safe zone he wants to develop in northern Syria. Authorities have managed to control tensions between Turks and Syrians, with violence being rare. However, experts caution that Turkey’s policies toward the refugees are no longer sustainable, as the Turkish government has spent $37bn on providing shelter, health care, and education for Syrian refugees since 2011. It must also now grant them formal refugee status including the right to work and settle. In order to complete these overwhelming tasks, Turkey will need financial help from other countries due to their slowing economy. Even though the Turkish government is hoping that Syrians will voluntarily return home, studies suggest that they aren’t planning to go anywhere anytime soon.
I do not understand why the Syrian refugees are causing unnecessary trouble in Turkey. Although it makes sense as to why the Syrians are refusing to assimilate into Turkish culture, they are dissolving Turkey’s national identity. Wouldn’t the Syrian refugees know that if they fail to comply with Turkish rules and recommendations, they will most likely be sent back home? In addition, there was a piece of information in the article that contradicts the statement regarding Syrians being closed to the idea of assimilating into Turkish culture, as a Syrian man who seeked refuge with his family in Turkey explained that they, “are now Turkish…only without the right papers.” His daughter is currently a student at Mersin, his wife wants to open a pastry shop, and his son speaks better Turkish than Arabic. Based on the provided evidence, it sounds to me like this family has definitely cut ties with their native beliefs and have willingly begun to assimilate into Turkish culture.