Page 48 - Syrians in Türkiye - Special Report

GRAND NATIONAL ASSEMBLY OF TÜRKİYE THE OMBUDSMAN INSTITUTION

As can be clearly seen from the numbers, despite EU countries experiencing fear of the
influx of Syrian refugees and the restrictive politics they have displayed in this context,
our country has generously mobilized all of its resources to welcome over 3.4 million
Syrians. The first group of 252 people who escaped as a result of the events in the
Syrian Arab Republic entered our country by crossing the border at Güveççi Village in
the Yayladağı district of Hatay province on April 29, 2011. As a result of the escalation
of violence in Syria, the inflows into both this region and other regions of Türkiye,
especially the Altinözü and Reyhanlı regions of Hatay, continued to increase. The
open-door policy was implemented for Syrians who came to our borders in accordance
with the principle of non-refoulement.

Due to the fact that Syrian citizens have been coming to our border points in mass and
to an extreme degree, the international protection applications cannot not be assessed
individually; as a result, temporary protection is provided for people entering in this
mass influx, and they are provided protection by being accommodated in tent cities,
container cities, and across the country.

Regarding reception and shelter of Syrian citizens, all activities are carried out in
accordance with the March 30, 2012 “Directive on Reception and Accommodation
of Syrian Arab Republic Nationals and Stateless Persons residing in the Syrian Arab
Republic who arrive at Turkish Borders in Mass Influx to Seek Asylum” of the Ministry
of İnterior’s Directorate General of Migration Management, the details of which were
provided in the previous sections.

In the modern accommodation centers (containers and tents) for Syrians, all
physical and social facilities of a regular city are available. In these accommodation
centers, the needs of the Syrians such as infrastructure, cleaning, security, housing,
social assistance, technical services, firefighting, laundry, health, psycho-social support,
education, vocational courses, social and religious services, and interpretation are covered
completely free of charge. Also, since September 2013 an AFADKART has been given
to each head of household to meet basic needs such as food, cleaning, etc., and 100 TL
is loaded on these cards for each Syrian, including babies. With this financial support
loaded on the Syrians’ cards, they can shop at the supermarkets in the centers. Likewise,
donations in kind from UNHCR and NGOs such as clothing, blankets, heaters,
refrigerators, fans, etc. are distributed to Syrians through the AFADKART to prevent
31
duplication of benefits. As the current Chairman of AFAD expressed in his speech at

31
AFAD, “Speech by Chairman of AFAD Halis Bilden at HABITAT II Conference,” October 18, 2016
(accessed January 24, 2016); available from https://www.afad.gov.tr/tr/11890/AFAD-Baskani-Sn-M-Halis-
Bilden-Habitat-3-Konferansinda-Konusma-Yapti.

48 SYRIANS IN TÜRKİYE SPECIAL REPORT