Background information
In 2011, Syria plunged into political violence in the wake of the Arab Spring. The protests were aimed at the government of incumbent President Bashar al-Assad and later developed to become a rebellion. The country witnessed unprecedented destruction, occasioned by loss of property and human lives. The rebel group fighting to ouster the government were countered by pro-government Shia groups. Despite many years of international intervention, the Syria civil war has degenerated into a bloodbath. Consequently, many Syrian nationals have fled the country while millions others are in need of urgent humanitarian aid. Studies by Lobatos revealed that by February 2016, about 6.6 million people are internally displaced in Syria while 4.8 million other are refugees (Lobatos 381).
The war in Syria has entered its fifth year but there are indications that it could extend for a longer time. Following this tragic event, many Syrians have sought asylum in neighboring countries. It is estimated that about one million Syrians live in Jordan, Turkey and European Union as asylum seekers. The United Nations reports that the influx of refugees in Jordan is likely to create a crisis because the number of refugees in the country have reached one sixth of the national population. While this phenomenon has persisted, the neighboring Turkey is currently home to the largest refugee population across the globe. Clearly, the economic and political consequences of the burgeoning refugee population in Turkey is a matter of concern to the government of Turkey (GoT), the Syrian government and the international community. This paper examines the response of Turkey to the Syrian refugee crisis.
Actors
Syrian civil war has caused a significant humanitarian and regional crisis. Most countries surrounding the nation have registered an increase in the number of refugees who need aid. The problem in Syria has become a threat to the global peace and security. The United Nations has led other humanitarian organizations in providing aid to the victims of the crisis. For the least three years, the amount of aid that has been channeled to the refugees has increased to 3.3 billion US dollars. Lobatos opined that this monumental figure is highest in world history to be sought by a humanitarian organization (382). Turkey and Lebanon have appealed for support so that they can tackle the refugee crisis and effectively handle an increasing population. The refugee crisis in Syria is said to be the most complex in the previous 40 year of world history. Reports by UNHCR indicate that “2.1 million Syrians are registered in Egypt, Iraq, Jordan and Lebanon while another 2.7 million refugees have registered in Turkey.”
Government of Turkey (GoT)
Turkey has played a significant role in the refugee problem in Syria. Currently, the country has the largest population of refugees globally. Although the Turkish government reports reveal a refugee population of 2.2 million, the humanitarian organizations indicate that the figure could be high given the continuous increase in the number of refugees. A report prepared by the World Bank observed that Turkey has adopted non-camp and an approach that the government funds (2). These two approaches define the fundamental characteristic of the response by the Turkish government. The non-camp approach limits the number of refugees going into the camps. In this plan, about 12% of the refugees are living in tents. The remaining population are allowed to settle in urban areas and seek accommodation and work opportunities. The non-camp approach is very effective because it allows resourceful refugees to gain meaningful employment and fend for themselves without relying on government and humanitarian aid. This approach is different from the approaches by most countries in handling the refugee problem. It removes the burden of relief aid from the shoulders of government and allows for resources to be channeled into areas in which they are needed most.
The second approach to the refugee problem by the government of Turkey is the government financed approach. The World Bank estimates that the government of Turkey spent about $7.6 billion on Syrian refugees. This money was used to buy food, medical supplies and contrast temporary shelters. From an economic perspective, the money is significantly high given that the Turkish government had other important priorities in its agenda to deliver pledges to the people of Turkey. Lobatos observed that for humanitarian assistance to be effective, there is a need to combine it with interventions which are development-oriented (381). While responding to the Syrian refugee crisis, Turkey has examined the socio-economic impact of the crisis. The government of Turkey has enhanced measures aimed at offering protection to the Syrians under Temporary Protection (SuTPs). In a bid to effectively respond to the refugee problem, the government of Turkey expanded its response framework to encompass individuals at the local level. Kind people who have resources have been encouraged to show empathy to the refugees. These individuals and civil society organizations have made significant contribution towards the resolution of the Syrian crisis.
Refugees
The refugees are important actors in the crisis. The attention that has shifted to Syria for the last five years is attributed to the high number of people leaving the country to seek refuge and asylum in other countries. These people have been forcefully evicted from their original homes because of the circumstances beyond their control. As mentioned earlier, about 5 million people have fled Syria and settled in other countries as refugees. Turkey takes the highest proportion of this number. Thus, the refugees form an important actors.
NGOs
The United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) has been unrelenting in its efforts to manage the refugee crisis. Alongside UNHCR is the International Organization for Migration (IOM). These organizations taken frontlines in providing humanitarian aid to millions of refugees. GoT has worked closely with UNHCR in strategic planning. These organizations have also worked with civil society organizations. For instance, “the UNHCR in collaboration with GoT built the capacity of DGMM and established a new asylum structure” (World Bank 4). The role of community based organizations in the refugee cannot be doubted. These organizations have offered useful support at the local level in handling SuTPs. Their roles have included establishment of centers and social care services. To underscore its commitment to the refugee agenda, the Turkish government embraced technology while registering SuTPs.
Level of analysis
The Syrian refugee crisis can be analyzed from both a regional and state perspectives. Regionally, the crisis has caused far-reaching implications on the socio-economic order of neighboring countries and even beyond. For instance, taking the case of Lebanon, it estimated that the country’s refugee population is one-sixth of the national population. This figure is statistically significant and may result into a long history of confrontation between the refugees and citizens of Lebanon. This proposition is supported in Marxism. When the refugees in Lebanon begin to compete for opportunities alongside the people of Lebanon, conflict is likely to arise. Such conflicts may hurt the geopolitical structure at play. Already, the non-camp response strategy by GoT includes letting the refugees with means and skill to settle and look for opportunities in Turkey. This strategy can be counterproductive in the event that the Turkish people feel that their resources are diverted to assist in the mitigation of the humanitarian problem.
It is estimated that out of the 2 million refugees in Turkey, about 200,000 are living in refugee camps. This figure reveals the effectiveness of the non-camp strategy on one end and its weakness on the other end. Many refugees in Syrian lack basic commodities. This number is not limited to the refugees who spent their lives in camps but it also encompasses the refugees who live in urban centers. Amnesty International reported that some refugees who have attempted to cross the border into Turkish territories have been shot dead by the Turkish authorities. These events justify the claim that the response strategy is not economically viable and it is likely to be counterproductive.
Studies reveal that SuTPs who stay on the southeast of Turkey depend on their savings and small assets to sustain their lives. These assets include jewelry. However, the depletion of these assets poses a great challenge for these people and escalates their demand for work opportunities. In the absence of money to cater for their daily needs, the refugee problem is unlikely to end. In 2014, the country passed guidelines to offer labor opportunities for refugees. Most of the refugees carried out their duties in the informal sector. They worked in the construction industry, manufacturing, picking and sorting. In some cases, these people worked in farms. The continued search for a better life has led to the spread of the Syrians to other parts of the country.
Another socioeconomic problem of the refugee crisis is adverse incorporation. Most industries that employ refugees practice adverse incorporation. In this practice, employees are subjected to exploitation which include working longer than usual. In some cases, they are not assured of payment for the work they do. The World Bank reported that “refugees employed in Gaziantep were paid as low as TL 406/month when the minimum wage is more than twice the amount.
Interdisciplinary Approach: Rational Choice Theory
This theory offers a premise for understanding the war in Syria in relation to the involvement of Turkey and other host countries in the humanitarian crisis. Rational choice theory holds that social behavior is a function of individual actors (Ahmad & Traqina 27). The theory opines that the actors make their decisions. Under this theory, every individual has the freedom to choose the best option out of a series of alternatives and state the option that they like. The involvement of the Turkish government in the refugee crisis of Syria relates with this theory because GoT, as an actor, made an individual choice to offer a place for the victims of the violence.
The government of Turkey relied on rational choice theory to determine if it could handle the influx of refugees into the country. Perhaps, the option of allowing refugees was a better option than the decision to close the border points and send them away. By accepting the refugees under a strategic approach, GoT was endearing itself to the people of Syria. From a political perspective, such endurance can only be possible to gain strategic advantage from the geopolitical arrangement.
The application for the theory is also evident in the decision by the refugees to seek asylum and refuge. When a country’s peace is disturbed, the citizens have two choices. The first choice involves making arrangements to seek peace in countries that are relatively peaceful. The other option involves being hopeful that lasting peace would be found. In the case of Syria, it is arguable that the choice to go out of the country was preferred by the 4.8 million Syrians in distant lands. These refugees probably weighed the pain of leaving against the pain of staying. In Syria, hundreds of civilians have been killed over the on-going war. In this regard, there was a deliberate attempt to make a choice. Ahmad & Traqina observed that while making these choices, the individual actors employ their rationalism to ensure that the results that are coming out meet their expectations.
Conclusion
In light of the foregoing, it is indubitable that the Syrian Civil War was accompanied by significant social, economic and political ramifications. The country threatened peace and stability has made her people seek asylum and refuge in distant countries. This study sought to explore Turkey’s response to the Syria refugee crisis. The paper focused on the actors, level of analysis and the interdisciplinary approach. It is evident that the Turkish government made a significant contribution to help the people of Syria overcome the trauma of refuge. The turkish government adopted a non-camp and government funding as a means by which displaced Syrian people could get assistance. The pivotal role played by non-governmental organizations, community based organizations and civil society groups have helped enhance humanitarian situation in the country.
Works Cited
Ahmad, Janice, and Traqina Q. Emeka. "Rational Choice Theory." The Encyclopedia of
Criminology and Criminal Justice (2014).
Daily News. “Turkey response to Syria refugee crisis showing strains: Amnesty.” Agence
France-Presse. Web. November 2014. Available at http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/turkey-response-to-syria-refugee-crisis-showing-strains-amnesty.aspx?pageID=238&nid=74576&NewsCatID=352
Lobatos, Stacey. "The Future Of Syria: Refugee Children In Crisis. Geneva: United Nations High Commissioner For Refugees, 2013, Http://Unhcr.Org/Futureofsyria/Index.Html.". Comparative Education Review 59.2 (2015): 381-383. Web.
World Bank. “Turkey’s response to the Syrian Refugee Crisis and the Road Ahead.” Web.
2015. Available at http://www-wds.worldbank.org/external/default/WDSContentServer/WDSP/IB/2015/12/21/090224b083ed7485/1_0/Rendered/PDF/Turkey0s0respo0s0and0the0road0ahead.pdf
