Refugees, who find the solution to go to lands far from their homeland due to the humanitarian crises in their countries and take refuge in Turkey, are faced with a wave of racist rhetoric.
Our society needs more common sense than ever before, especially as some politicians agitate the public by portraying refugees as monsters.
It is predicted that some politicians will continue to target refugees for the sake of votes, shortly before the 2023 elections.
“Anti-Refugee Politics are Made for Few Votes”
As hate speech towards refugees in our country, especially Syrians, is getting more and more dangerous, we interviewed Abdullah Resul Demir, President of the International Refugee Rights Association.
Demir, in which we discussed various sub-titles on the refugee issue, made important statements to our newspaper.
Abdullah Resul Demir noted that the atmosphere created against refugees was mostly due to political motives.
"We are concerned about undesirable events. Anti-refugee politics are being made for the sake of a few votes. Even some voters of the current government are showing a reaction against refugees. I think these statements are based on political reasons. I do not think that many people are unaware of the situation refugees are in. Politics is such a thing that these ugly statements can be made for the sake of a few votes," he said.
“THE SITUATION MAY LEAD TO CONFLICTS AND EVEN KILLING SYRIANS”
Abdullah Resul Demir, Chairman of the International Refugee Rights Association, made striking words about what may happen in the upcoming period.
"In the short term, they may cause people to go out on the streets. God forbid, the situation could go as far as battering or even killing Syrians. We have seen such situations in different countries," he said.
The interview with Abdullah Resul Demir, Chairman of the International Refugee Rights Association, is as follows:
In the last period, we see that refugees are targeted by certain groups and people are trying to provoke them against refugees. How do you evaluate the situation in question?
These are mostly done for political reasons. Racist actions have gone as far as street events in many parts of the world. This is what we fear the most. The discourses of politicians find wide repercussions on social media. We think that the real situation of the refugees should be understood correctly and the refugees should be approached correctly.
“WE ARE CONCERNED AT THE POINT OF UNWANTED EVENTS”
We are concerned about undesirable events. Anti-refugee politics are being made for the sake of a few votes. Even some voters of the current government are showing a reaction against refugees. I think these statements are based on political reasons. I do not think that many people are unaware of the situation refugees are in. Politics is such a thing that these ugly statements can be made for the sake of a few votes.
“WE NEED TO TOUCH REFUGEES AND CARRY OUT WITH THEIR ISSUE”
Can we see the attitude taken by some politicians towards refugees as a simple political argument or should we be worried that these discourses may lead to undesirable actions?
We had a slogan like 'Touch the refugee'. We need to touch the refugees and deal with their plight. We need to understand and explain why those people came here, what the situation was where they came from, and what conditions they were in. In particular, the situation in Syria needs to be explained well. Syria is portrayed as a rosy place. The Assad regime still continues its repression.
What would you say about the problems that may arise if the refugee issue continues to itch in a negative way?
In the short term, they may cause people to go out on the streets. God forbid, the situation could go as far as battering or even killing Syrians. We have seen such situations in different countries. In the long run, there may be a problem of exclusion. In particular, it may cause Syrian children to harbor hatred towards the people of our country.
“IT IS NOT CORRECT SENDING REFUGEES BEFORE THE WAR IS OVER”
Do refugees live as rosy as some politicians claim?
The Syrian war is not over yet. If the best people came to power in Syria today, it would take at least 3 years for many things to get better. Immigration is not a choice but a necessity. It's easy to say that the stay is over, come back. I do not think it is right to send refugees back before the war in Syria is over. It is necessary to be aware of the negative picture experienced by Syrian refugees. Many of the Syrians continue their lives under very difficult conditions.
Finally, is there anything you would like to add?
While going to the 2023 elections, some circles will constantly use the refugee issue. People will be tried to provoke. Every refugee is a human being. We must realize that we are talking about man. Refugees, especially Syrians, should of course return, but we think that an honorable return should be made.