Page 31 - Syrians in Türkiye - Special Report

GRAND NATIONAL ASSEMBLY OF TÜRKİYE THE OMBUDSMAN INSTITUTION

Shield and Operation Olive Branch in Afrin gave birth to hope for lasting peace in
Syria and led to an increase in the number of voluntary repatriations to Jarabulus and
Al Bab, which were cleared of terrorist organizations by the Turkish Armed Forces.
However, despite all these developments, another important factor in the preparation
of this special report is the likelihood that Syrians will stay in Türkiye, which increases
12
with each passing day.
In most mass migrations, if migrants are not kept in the border zone and the crisis
lasts more than 6 months, return is the exception while the permanency is the rule.
On the other hand, since it could not have been predicted in the early stages that the
crisis in Syria would wear on for so long, process management has operated within a
“temporary” framework for a long time. This approach also carries the risk of all of these
short-term efforts and goals being wasted in the medium- and short-term. Therefore,
in addition to demonstrating all kinds of internal and external efforts to allow for the
return of Syrians to their homeland, it is necessary to emphasize the development of
integration policies for the possibility of permanence. As a matter of fact, in the process
of preparing this report, we observed that public institutions and organizations are
aware of this situation and are taking steps to take the necessary precautions. The Syrian
crisis could not be fully resolved despite a period of nearly seven years, and there is no
real peace and tranquility in the country; furthermore, from the point of view of the
current situation, Syrians are living in all provinces of Türkiye. The percentage living in
the camps has decreased to 6.69%, some Syrians have become citizens of the Republic
of Türkiye, and some have started to work and invest in Türkiye. In light of this situation,
it is not realistic to only produce policy as if they are leaving tomorrow.

However, regardless of whether the 3.4 million Syrians under temporary protection
are permanent or temporary in Türkiye, it is also a fact that comprehensive legal and
administrative strategies should be developed. Up to this point, all the institutions and
organizations of our country have been making extraordinary efforts and ensuring that
the process continues smoothly. In this context, it is also known that Türkiye is seeking
a strategy and coordination for the medium and long term. It is necessary to consider
the many aspects of the legal and administrative infrastructure for the Syrian issue
in Türkiye, such as healthcare, shelter, education, social support, labor rights, security,
process management, local government, research, relations with Turkish society, and

12 Özkan Beyer, “The return of the Syrians to Jarabulus continues: The number of those returning to Jarabulus,
which was cleared of terrorist organization Daesh after Operation Euphrates Shield, was 44.643,” Anadolu
News Agency, 11 July, 2017 (accessed September 22, 2017); available from http://aa.com.tr/tr/turkiye/
suriyelilerin-cerablusa-donusleri-suruyor/858579.

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