‘Atatürk doesn't like us either’

For the refugees living in Turkey, the tragedy unfolding now is barely bearable. The Syrian refugees that Turkey is holding in a stranglehold to blackmail the world are living in a hellscape. A hell that revealed itself when Turkey declared it would open its borders, followed by a refugee influx of tens of thousands of displaced people. While these refugees on one side of the border are still hoping that Turkey will still reach out to them, on the other side of the border they are exposed to attacks by Greek police. The world watches this frightening film with its hands enthralled, without shame.

While this tragedy is in the spotlight, a Syrian woman tells me about the life she leads in Turkey. She is still young. I can give little information about her because she may be in danger because of the things she tells.
The young woman is studying at a university in Turkey and talks about her experiences. “I have not been able to make any friendships in Turkey. I don't understand why. When I go to college, no one comes and sits near me. The whole row of seats stays empty. When the class is full and I sit down next to one of my fellow students, they immediately stand up. It feels like I have a contagious disease,” she says.
Teachers are also guilty of racism, she says. “Not only students, teachers also discriminate against us. I can give you an example. In class, our teacher asked all students a question, but no one knew the answer. Only later did he ask the same question to foreign students. He said to one of my friends: ‘You are all lazy, if you don't want to study here, then fuck off and go back to your own country’. Nobody in the class knew the answer to his question, but only we were looked at.”

Racism

She continues her story. “Let me tell you about something I just can't forget. One day when I was walking with my mother through the market, a woman approached her. ‘Dirty Syrian,’ she hissed at her and spat in my mother's face. Although two years have passed since then, I just cannot get this event out of my mind. As if it was perfectly normal, no one showed any reaction. I didn't know Turkish then and couldn't say anything at all.”
The student stresses that racism in Turkey is actually felt everywhere. “We are only in the news when one of us has done something bad. Other than that, nobody really cares about what we experience. Last year, a Syrian girl was killed in the city of Gaziantep. Virtually nothing was written about it, nor was the identity of the perpetrators ever revealed. When the opposite happens, it is in the papers with big headlines. If a Syrian steals something or kills someone, it is widely reported in the media. But when we become victims of crime, no one cares.”

Atatürk

The young woman shares another unpleasant experience: “My little brother's master shows no interest in him at all. Even children can be mean. They constantly say to my little brother ‘You are a Syrian, you are stupid, you can't even read and write’. While on the contrary, he is very diligent. They expect him to be perfect, even though he is only seven. My little brother grew up in Turkey. That's why he likes Atatürk a lot. One day a classmate said to him: ‘If Atatürk were still alive, he would expel all Syrians from the country’. My little brother didn't answer. Because he didn't know what to say to this. When he came home, he said crying: ‘Atatürk doesn't like us either.’ I was very sad about this. Children go through very unpleasant things. The only one who gives me strength is my little brother. Because if I am not strong, who will take care of him? My mother doesn't speak Turkish very well.”

Very tired

The young Syrian woman says Turkey abuses refugees and does nothing to counter racism, “I don't feel like a human being here, but a number. Syrians are not considered human beings here. It seems the world is fine with it. But we didn't cause the war. They hold the key to the solution. They have to make sure the war comes to an end. People in Turkey are very tired. We are very tired,” she says, crying.
Translation: Anneke Dam

Image: Tuncay (via Flickr Commons)