Turkey's migrant crisis
Turkey's migrant crisis, was a period during the 2010s characterized by high numbers of people arriving in Turkey. Turkey became the top refugee receiving country in 2014, mid-2015, and mid-2016 reported on UNHCR registered refugees by country/territory of asylum . Turkey's refugee breakdown in 2019 was "neighbor countries:" Syrians 3.6 M, Iraqis 142,000, Iranians 39,000, "Asia:" Afghans 172,000, "Africa:" 11,700. Reported by UNHCR in 2018, Turkey hosted 63.4% of all the "registered Syrian refugees.", refugees of the Syrian Civil War in Turkey numbered 3,591,892.
Turkey is part of a pattern established during the European migrant crisis, which large groups of immigrants from other continents used Turkey as a "transit country" during "major refugee flows" began in the mid-20th century. Part of migrant crisis of the 21st century, Turkey received refugees from Iran-Iraq War and Iranian Revolution, Gulf War, War in Afghanistan and Syrian Civil War. In managing this crisis, Turkey passed the Law on Foreigners and International Protection and the Temporary Protection, established Syria–Turkey and Iran–Turkey barrier to stop smuggling and security, and involved in ceasefires in Syria which established Safe Zones in order to halt the fighting.
Major refugee flows
has historical roots in the Ottoman Empire, an estimated 10 million Ottoman Muslim citizens, the refugees or corresponding old term "Muhacir", and their descendants born after the onset of the dissolution of the Ottoman Empire emigrated to Thrace and Anatolia. Turkey became a country of immigration again beginning in 1980s. The new crisis in the Middle East created the refugee situation.The most important factors are armed conflict, ethnic intolerance, religious fundamentalism, and political tensions. The influx of refugees, irregular and transit migrations came to Turkey particularly from the Middle East starting from 1980s.
Influx from Iran-Iraq War
The largest group of refugees has been Iranians. The first influx was the Iranians fleeing from the Iranian Revolution, arrived beginning 1980. The Iran–Iraq War began on 22 September of the same year. Revolution and War brought a combined influx from Iran. 1980 to 1991, a total of 1.5 million Iranians became refugees in Turkey. These refugees weren't recognized as asylum seekers under the terms of the Geneva Convention, because they entered and stayed as tourists; making them Iranian diaspora. A small group applied to UNHCR, UNHCR resettled them in other countries. Another large group of refugees after the Islamic Revolution was Iranian Kurds mainly members of Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan, led by Abdul Rahman Ghassemlou. The Islamic government responded to Kurdish fighters as suspected supporters and sympathizers, more than 271 Iranian Kurdish villages were reportedly destroyed and depopulated. As the armed conflict continued, it led to a steady flow of Kurdish refugees into Turkey. The Bahá'í Faith had about 350,000 believers in Iran. According to the UN Special Representative, since 1979, many members of this community have left Iran illegally, often to go to Turkey and if possible to West from Turkey, Persecution of Bahá'ís#Islamic Revolution and Republic.During the same period; 51,542 Iraqis became refugees in Turkey. The Iran–Iraq War and Kurdish rebellion of 1983 caused first large influx of refugees from the region.
Amnesty International and UNHCR pressured Turkey for Iranian refugees, and that tactic backfired when Turkey recognized "the West" closed its own doors on the same refugees later in the decade.
Influx from Gulf War
1.85 million Kurds fled to the borders of Turkey and Iran. About 450,000 Kurds were on the mountainsides where Turkey-Iraq border. UN SC Resolution 688 was passed, which paved the way for the Operation Northern Watch, the successor to Operation Provide Comfort, was a Combined Task Force charged with enforcing its own no-fly zone above the 36th parallel in Iraq, following refugee flow to Turkey.Final tally for Gulf War was at least 1 Million people fled to Iran, Turkey and Pakistan.
Influx from War in Afghanistan
Refugee numbers greatly increased in the following years of War in Afghanistan especially in regards to Afghans and Iraqis. As of January 2010, 25,580 refugees and asylum seekers remain in the country. Of these, 5090 Iranians, 8940 Iraqis, 3850 Afghans and 2700 "other". As of January 2011, 8710 Iranians, 9560 Afghans, 7860 other. As of January 2012 7890.Influx from Syrian Civil War
are the Syrian refugees originated from Syrian Civil War, Turkey is hosting over 3.6 million "registered" refugees and delivered aid reaching $30 billion on refugee assistance. Read more...Conditions
Turkey don't establish "classic" refugee camps, don't name them refugee camps and until 2018 they were managed by Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency, along its borders for refugees. Turkey established "Temporary Accommodation Centers," such as Kilis Oncupinar Accommodation Facility. Syrians residing outside of TACs have live alongside Turkish communities, that created short-to-medium term opportunity for harmonize and form economic contribution on. Turkey give them permission to settle in Adana, Afyonkarahisar, Ağrı, Aksaray, Amasya, Bilecik, Burdur, Çankırı, Çorum, Eskişehir, Gaziantep, Hakkâri, Hatay, Isparta, Kahramanmaraş, Karaman, Kastamonu, Kayseri, Kırıkkale, Kırşehir, Konya, Kütahya, Mersin, Nevşehir, Niğde, Sivas, Şırnak, Tokat, Van and Yozgat as well as Istanbul. Refugees from Somalia settled in Konya, Iranis in Kayseri and Konya, Isparta, and Van, refugees from Iraq in Istanbul, Çorum, Amasya, Sivas and refugees from Afghanistan in Van, and Ağrı.Migrant Presence Monitoring
focuses on the mobility trends, migrant profiles and urgent needs of migrants. The data generated allows the organizations and the government to plan their short and long term migration-related program and policies.Effect on the host country
Compared to international refugee regime, Turkey has a different approach which they named it as "morality oriented approach" instead of security centered approach towards Syrians refugees. Turkey have high expenses on refugee care, including the medical expenses, with a minimal support from other countries.Refugees impact on economic and social issues:
- increases in food and house prices and property rents.
- low-paid refugees increased the unemployment rate.
Security Impact
Syria–Turkey and Iran–Turkey barrier
The border between the Syrian Arab Republic and the Republic of Turkey is about long. The Syria–Turkey barrier is a border wall and fence under construction along the Syria–Turkey border aimed at preventing illegal crossings and smuggling.The Iran–Turkey barrier, finished spring 2019, at the Turkey-Iran border aimed to prevent illegal crossings and smuggling across the border. It will cover of the very high mountainous border with natural barriers.
Migrant Smuggling
In the Black Sea region, countries are both source and destination for refugees. For the destination to Turkey; originating Moldova, Ukraine, Russian Federation, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan are target for human trafficking. The top 5 countries of destination in the region between 2000 and 2007 were Russia, Turkey, Moldova, Albania and Serbia.A Turkish police crack down resulted in the termination of a network mainly helped Afghan, Iraqi and Syrian nationals cross into European countries.
Refugees and spillover
See: Spillover_of_the_Syrian_Civil_War#Turkey, Refugees as weapons#Syrian Civil WarIn Turkey, public opinion towards intervention is correlated with their daily exposure to refugees. In Turkish people, emphasizing the negative forces created by hosting refugees, including their connection with militants, increases support for intervention. Turkish people living at border, Turkey don't use border refugees camps and they are distributed across turkey, don't support intervention.
Response to the refugee crisis
External aid organizations; UN agencies have a Regional Refugee and Resilience Plan co-led by UNHCR and UNDP under Turkey. Private INGOs work in partnership with Turkish NonGovernmental Organisations and associations to support the delivery of services through national systems, help link refugees and asylum seekers with governmental services.Law on Foreigners and International Protection and the Temporary Protection
The Government of Turkey recognized that the traditional immigration laws need to be organized and updated under these new circumstances. The first domestic law on asylum, before covered under secondary legislation such as administrative circulars.The rules and regulations in providing protection and assistance to Syrians is established by "The Law on Foreigners and International Protection and the Temporary Protection Regulation." Law provide the legal basis of their "refugee status" and establishing temporary protection to Syrians and international protection to applicants and refugees of other nationalities. The basis of any/all assistance to refugees, including access to health and education services, as well as access to legal employment is defined under this law. The Law states that foreigners and others with international protection will not be sent back to places where they will be tortured, suffer inhumane treatment or punishment that is humiliating, or be threatened due to race, religion, or group membership. Law created an agency under the Turkish Ministry of Justice on international protection, which also implement related regulations. Investigative authority is established to question marriages between Turkish citizens and foreigners for the “reasonable suspicions” of fraud. The uninterrupted residence permits for eight years will be able to receive unlimited residence permits.
As of 16 March 2018, there is a modification to law; following the passage of the law 21 official "Temporary Protection Centres" in provinces along the Syrian border established,, the Directorate-General of Migration Management of Turkey, under the Ministry of Interior, has assumed responsibility for TPCs from Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency.
Migration Diplomacy
International migration is an important domain at foreign policy development.Accession to the EU
Migration is part of accession of Turkey to the European Union. On Mar 16, 2016, Cyprus is became hurdle to EU-Turkey deal on migrant crisis. The EU illicitly linked advancing membership bid to a settlement of the decades-old Cyprus dispute, further complicating efforts to win Ankara’s help in resolving Europe’s migration crisis.2015 EU-Turkey Joint Action Plan
In 2012, the governments of Turkey and Greece have agreed to work together, to implement border control. In response to Syrian crisis; Greece built a razor-wire fence in 2012 along its short land border with Turkey.A period beginning in 2015, The European migrant crisis is characterized by rising numbers of people arriving in the European Union from across the Mediterranean Sea or overland through Southeast Europe. In September 2015, Turkish provincial authorities gave approximately 1,700 migrants three days to leave the border zone. As a result of Greece's diversion of migrants to Bulgaria from Turkey, Bulgaria built its own fence to block migrants crossing from Turkey.
The EU-Turkey Joint Action Plan prioritizes border security and develops mechanisms to keep refugees inside Turkey . The amount allocated for financial support for 2016–2018 will ease the financial burden but not better living conditions.
European states denies refugees from Turkey. On 18 May 2016, lawmakers from the European Parliament's Subcommittee on Human Rights have said that Turkey should not use Syrian refugees as a bribe for the process of visa liberalization for Turkish citizens inside the European Union.
The UNHCR criticized and declined to be involved in returns. Médecins Sans Frontières, the International Rescue Committee, the Norwegian Refugee Council and Save the Children declined to be involved. These organization object the blanket expulsion of refugees contravened international law.